Who Qualifies For Housing Assistance?

To be qualified to receive housing assistance, four criteria are considered.  The four criteria that an individual must meet to be considered for housing assistance are the following:

1. Family size
2. Income
3. Citizenship status/ Legal immigrant
4. Previous evictions

Family

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will look into if you meet their definition of family. Guidelines have been established by HUD regarding what they consider family, but every Public Housing Authority, or Public Housing Association (PHA), has some flexibility within their definition of a family.  You need to contact your regional Public Housing Authority to determine the local requirements.

In general a family that qualifies for housing assistance is defined as:

• With or without kids.
• Where at least one person is over age 62.
• A member of the family has a disability.

Income

The income limitations will differ depending on the number of members in the family.  Low-income for an individual can be $15,000 annually, but for a family of eight, a very low-income level can be $30,000 per year.

HUD grants priority to Section 8 vouchers to people who are categorized as exceptionally low-income then to people with really low-income.  There are conditions which would make it possible for a family with a low-income status to be allowed a Section 8 voucher.  The Public Housing Association (PHA) would normally make this choice, but conditions could include people that are categorized as “continuously assisted” by public housing plans or people that are in HUD-assisted home ownership programs.

Several factors are considered when deciding if the annual income of a family qualifies for housing assistance.  All sources of income are included when calculating a family’s income.  These resources include:

• Rewards
• Overtime Pay
• Commission
• Tips
• Interest or Dividends From exemptions
• Pension
• Retirement Fund
• Child Service
• Alimony
• Unemployment
• Social Security
• Welfare
• Illness
• Employee’s Compensation
• Lottery Winnings

Citizenship Status

Housing assistance is only  given to American citizens or to people who have eligible immigrant status.  To determine status the following may be done:

• Ensure you sign a statement stating that all members of the”family” are American citizens.
• Particular PHA’s will even confirm each person’s citizen status by asking for a U.S. passport, social security card or other documentation.

For Those Who Have eligible immigrant status, the Public Housing Authority will:

• Ensure you sign a statement stating that you have eligible immigration status.
• Ask you to supply current INS Documents that reveal your immigration status.
• Confirm your information with INS.
• Sign a form agreeing to their use of the information obtained.

Eviction

Housing assistance will not be allowed for individuals who have:

• Have been evicted from a property over the previous 3 years for drug-related or unlawful acts.
• Was convicted of creating methamphetamine within an assisted housing project.

Do You Need to Fulfill All Four Criteria to Qualify for Housing Assistance?

People who don’t meet all of the four criteria are not eligible to receive housing assistance.  If a family meets the four criteria and receives housing assistance, they may lose it if they break any of the criteria rules.