Julia Anderson
If you’re new to this government housing assistance program, we’ll provide some clarity by breaking down the three primary pieces of a Section 8 partnership.
The Section 8 Process
Section 8 may seem confusing if you’ve never really looked into it, but the process is rather straightforward when it comes to getting a housing voucher:
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- You contact your nearest Public Housing Agency (PHA). They help you learn more about Section 8, so you can begin your application.
- Your application gets processed.
- You’re either approved or rejected for a Housing Choice Voucher.
- If approved, you get put on a waiting list to actually receive your voucher.
- If rejected, you can appeal the decision.
- Once your spot on the waiting list comes up, you can use your voucher to rent an apartment, townhome, or single-family home from a landlord.
- The property you pick gets inspected to ensure it’s safe and meets Section 8 standards.
- You move into the property.
- You pay your portion of the rent to the landlord each month.
- The rest of the rent gets paid directly to the landlord.
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That’s the Section 8 process in a nutshell. And while your voucher journey may differ a bit, that’s basically what you can expect.
Why is it worth applying for Section 8 if you have to go through that process before you can move into your new place? Because with a voucher, you’ll only have to pay a certain amount of your monthly income (around 30 percent max) towards rent. In doing so, it becomes easier to avoid housing hassles, and you can finally start saving some money instead of wasting it all on rent.
To give you a better idea of who does what in a Section 8 partnership, let’s discuss the three primary roles.
Section 8 Roles
Public Housing Agency
You could say it all starts at the top with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but the PHA administers the Section 8 program. What does the HUD do? They fund it.
The PHA is tasked with ensuring there’s no Section 8 fraud. It evaluates tenants to make sure they’re a good fit, and continues to do so to see that they’re eligible for the program.
Each month, your voucher goes from the PHA to the landlord, paying the Section 8 portion of the rent. The PHA also inspects properties every two years and offers customer service to both tenants and landlords to help the voucher process flow smoothly.
Landlord
Up next is the landlord, who is a private property owner that accepts Section 8 vouchers. Just as with a regular rental, the landlord manages the property, maintains it, collects rent and fees, and picks tenants.
The landlord must provide any utilities and services promised in the lease, all while not asking for side payments and extra fees, as they are not allowed.
Tenant
The final piece of the Section 8 puzzle is you, the tenant. You’ll have to obey the lease, pay your portion of the rent/utilities on time, and fix any damages you cause. You’ll also have to give 30-60 days notice if you’re going to terminate the lease or move.
While receiving a Section 8 voucher, you’ll need to provide any information requested by the PHA and HUD to ensure you remain eligible for the program. If not, you could lose your voucher.
