How To Find and Apply For Low Income Housing

To apply for low income housing, you must first determine if you qualify. Typically, your household income must be less than $30,000 - $40,000 a year. However, this number can fluctuate up or down depending on the city and state that the individual or family lives in. Another factor that can weigh heavily is the percentage of the household income that's needed to pay for the living expenses, and how many dependents (especially children) are a part of the household.

In some scenarios, applicants must have certain qualifications as outlined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This usually includes proof of annual income, proof of hardship, and verification of the number of dependents living within the household. Once approved, there is no real time limit for how long a person or family can reside within the housing.






If you are applying for Section 8 Housing (or government subsidized housing), you will be given a place to live and only required to pay 30% of your monthly income as rent. The government itself will pay the difference, according to fair market price. In this scenario, the qualifications are usually very minimal.

However, for Section 8 Housing, there are usually requirements such as: you must be a legal U.S. citizen, must be drug-free, and your family's income should be less than 50 percent of the median income level for your area.

It should also be noted that Section 8 is not a first-come, first-served program. Preference is given to homeless people, victims of domestic violence (especially battered women with children), victims of child abuse, and those who might have a family member that is cooperating in a criminal investigation