Kennedy Housing Authority

When getting a place to live with the housing authority, it is good news as your emergency is now solved. Well, there are always the questions of what happens next and how long can you stay in that place? The short answer is if you keep qualifying for the same requirements that you got the place in the first time. That means that if your income stays below 80% of the local median income, you are good. There is always the requirement of good behavior.

You also must take care of your part of the rent. The housing authority provides help, but the idea is that you still cover a small part of the rent and expenses. You also need to make your payments on time.

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.

You can apply for the housing choice voucher program by reaching out to the local housing authority office. You fill out their application form and provide all supporting documents. After you have all the forms and supporting documents, you drop them at the local office, and then you are placed on a waiting list. If approved, you will receive a mail at your current address stating the details. You will then notify your landlord. After you have been accepted onto the housing choice voucher program go to the housing office and sign the contract.

The most common HA program is Section 8. There is a long waiting list for this program. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people that have applied for the vouchers of Section 8 has skyrocketed, hence there are a lot of application delays. As of right now, the housing authority waiting list is 1 year and a half. The public housing authority programs favors specific groups of people or families that fit certain profiles. Priority is given to veterans, to the elderly, to the people that are exiting domestic violence.

A housing authority (HA) is made up of various agencies that offer housing assistance funded by HUD. Housing authorities are targeted for old age, low-income people, people who suffer from disabilities, or people that are escaping domestic abuse. Each HA covers different jurisdictions, as there are housing authorities for each local area. There are more than 3300 housing authorities in the USA. The housing authority has information regarding possible programs that you can apply, and about what types of help can you qualify to get. The most common type of help that people get from the public housing authorities includes vouchers, which cover specific percentages of their rent costs and their utilities.