How To Quickly Get Affordable Housing Without Getting Ripped Off

Thanks to the Internet, you can now search for information on Section 8 vouchers while also finding affordable housing near you without having to leave your home. Unfortunately, scammers know that people in need of affordable housing may feel rushed or desperate, and they use this to set up online traps that could rob you of your hard-earned money or even sensitive data.

Since you probably need affordable housing now, we’ll show you a shortcut to getting it quicker. But since you could run into rip off artists along the way, we’ll also share some standard Section 8 scams to be aware of.

Use This Shortcut To Get Affordable Housing Faster

Before we jump into the shortcut, it’s worth mentioning that you should apply for a Section 8 voucher as soon as possible. To qualify, you’ll need to make below a certain income level for your area, which your Public Housing Agency can offer more details on. Give them a call to ask how to kickstart the process, and get that application completed so you can get on a waiting list for a voucher that’ll help you pay just 30 percent of your income towards rent, with the government covering the rest.

Now, as for that shortcut, it’s a must since even though you may qualify for Section 8 and get on a waitlist, it could take you up to 10 years to get a voucher. Since you probably can’t wait that long, the goal here is to make as many affordable housing contacts as possible so you can contact them directly and see if they have cheap yet safe places that do not require vouchers.

There are three ways to do this:

1. Contact as many Public Housing Agencies in your city, county, and state as you can. Ask if they have any lists of affordable housing buildings that you can contact directly.
2. Go to Google and search for “affordable housing” in whatever area you’re interested in moving to. Look for any phone numbers or emails for property management of those buildings that you can contact.
3. Find affordable housing units with ease via this map from the HUD. Then contact each and ask if they have any units that charge 30 percent of income. If so, that means they probably accept tenants without vouchers, which means you can get affordable housing within months instead of years.

Section 8 Scams To Watch Out For

Here are common online scams you may encounter during your affordable housing search. If you see them, stay away:

1. Having to pay a fee to apply for a Section 8 voucher.
2. Fake websites offering Section 8 applications. If you fill one out, all of your data will get sold to a marketing company that could lead to spam or telemarketing calls or even identity theft. You can avoid this by only applying for Section 8 through your Public Housing Agency.
3. Paying to move up a Section 8 waitlist, which isn’t legal or possible.
4. Paying to see or reserve a Section 8 rental. A trustworthy landlord won’t ask for a fee from prospective tenants.