Kelso Housing Authority

The idea of Section 8 is that it allows the landlord to rent their proprieties to eligible tenants that get federal help. The tenant pays its rent partially with the voucher and partially with its money. Section 8 covers rent for up to one year. For more than 1 year, you apply again for the program.

Public housing is a program that has more than 900000 units across all USA. They are rarer in rural areas. These units are more often in poor areas and racially segregated communities. The service is to prevent homelessness, in one way or another. The HA gives rental vouchers that cover some part of the rent, and the tenants are responsible for covering a small part of the rent. That part depends on the agreement and the situation of the tenant. The HA program is designed to help people that are struggling to get a roof on their heads. The HA can be managed by the state, and by local agencies.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is aimed at helping low-income families who meet the requirement of income lower than 50% of the local area median income. The idea is that the cost of the rent is split between the tenant and the federal assistance program. The part that you pay depends on your income. You could get up to 30 % assistance on your rent or more, all depends on the specifics of the situation.

The main unit of measurement is the Fair Market Rent cost. If the unit that you live in has a cost that is in the range of the Fair Market Rent, you will get the 30% or more rent assistance as designated from the program and you pay the rest of the rent. If you choose to live in an apartment that is above the fair market rent, the Housing Choice Voucher Program will cover their percentage as a total of the housing market rent. Anything above the housing market rent will be charged out of your pocket.

Section 8 is a great program to offer rental assistance. The voucher of Section 8 covers 30-40% of the rent cost, which also includes utilities. To qualify for section 8 vouchers, you need to prove to the housing authorities that minimally your income is 80% of the local median income. You also need to show American citizenship to all the people in your household. With immigrants, there are extra documents to submit, such as naturalization documents or I-94 stamps. You also need to show your past landlord history, hence if you have an eviction record, you will be disqualified.

The most popular program for public housing assistance is Section 8. There are many steps to apply for this type of assistance, but first and foremost you need to make sure that your landlord accepts payments in the form of vouchers provided by the housing authority. To apply for Section 8, you need proof that you have a low income, which comes in the form of job checks or tax returns, you need a state ID, you need to show your USA citizenship, you need to have a clean record, which means no felonies or drug use. The last part of the application is the special situations, which can either significantly put you at the bottom of the waiting list or can push you to the top. The idea is simple: the more drastic your situation, the earlier you will get the help.

This means that being homeless, having a disability, having an income that is on the 50% or below the local average income, living in a shelter, being a veteran, being part of the elderly, and exiting domestic abuse, will push you on top, as these are categories that need immediate assistance. You can also bypass the waiting list by reaching out directly to the housing authorities. You can also use the help of a social worker, who can assist you in navigating the application faster and can direct you to a new opportunity.