How To Find Affordable Housing With Your Section 8 Voucher

How much of your income is going directly to your landlord each month? If you’re like many, the answer is too much.

It’s not uncommon for someone to spend over half of their monthly income towards housing, making it impossible to start an emergency fund, pay down debt, or achieve other financial goals.

With a Section 8 voucher, though, you won’t have to worry about spending so much. Why? Because your out-of-pocket rent expenses will hover around just 30 percent of your income.
And those are significant savings over having to pay it all yourself.

How can you get a Section 8 voucher? That process begins by figuring out where you want to live, then contacting the Public Housing Agency (PHA) in that area.

Once you apply for a Housing Choice Voucher, you’ll have to wait for approval. And once you get approved, you’ll be moved to a waiting list that could take over a year to process, depending on the number of vouchers available and the demand.

What comes next? Reaching your spot on the waiting list, which means it’s time to finally receive your voucher. And once you have it, here’s what to do so you use it properly:

1. Know your limits.

Several factors determine your voucher amount, such as location, family size, etc. These factors will determine the size limit, which is the number of bedrooms the home can have. You’ll need to know this number, as well as the rent range for your voucher. With those two bits of info, you can look for a home that fits your needs and is affordable.

The voucher should tell you the size limit. For the price range, you’ll probably need to contact your PHA and ask. Do this before searching for properties, as you don’t want to waste your time picking something you won’t be able to afford.

Don’t forget about utilities either. Some families have picked homes they thought were affordable, only to realize they can’t pay their portion of the utility bill each month. This can lead to electricity shutoffs, credit issues, and more. Ask the landlord how much utilities are monthly, and ask the PHA if you have a utility allowance.

2. Know where to look.

With your home size and price range in mind, you can begin looking for Section 8 properties to rent. The HUD Resource Locator is a handy tool for finding such properties, or you can use sites like Zillow, the Facebook Marketplace, Rently, etc. Remember that your voucher lets you rent different properties, including single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments.

3. Take notes.

Whenever you visit a property, take detailed notes on the address, landlord, property type, etc. If you get discriminated against, this information will come in handy.

4. Don’t forget your security deposit.

You’ll have to pay this out of pocket if you can’t find security deposit assistance in your state. Your voucher will not cover it, so be sure to save up, so you don’t hit any snags.

5. Review the lease with your PHA.

Ask a member of your PHA if they can read over a landlord’s lease before you sign it. If everything’s okay, sign all of the paperwork, and don’t forget to give the PHA a copy.