Anyone have experiences with HUD housing?

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Unemployment is running out, my health is shot, and I'm narcoleptic and have migraines, in addition to having AS. All of which made it extremely difficult to keep my last job (which I failed, by the way), and also makes the chances of finding another very low. I do have SSI to fall back on, and this qualifies me for HUD housing.


Unless some sort of miracle happens in the next month, I'll have to make one of the following choices:

1. Move back to the parent's - They're repressive and scary. There's some recent drama with my mom that I would especially like to avoid.

2. Be homeless. Probably buy a used van somewhere and sleep in it. This will allow me to travel (assuming gas doesn't cost too much), but I can't see much other good in it.

3. HUD housing. Last option, probably best option, hence why I'm asking for opinions on it.

I've lived in HUD housing for about 6 years. It really depends on where you live and your agency. In some areas they have little to do with your actual living experience. They come in every 6 months and check your apartment to make sure its up to code. They have their own safety criteria and sometimes they can be stringent. Other times they are lenient. Its always involved the same type of rules that public assistance has. Report all income, all changes in residence, no overnight guests longer than two weeks, etc.

They ask for all your financial records just like pubic assistance for anything does. As long as you're okay with that invasion of privacy then its all good. Whenever I give them information it makes my skin crawl, but I know its the only way.

So really, I didn't answer your question did I... it all depends on your area and agency, and who you go through really.

Oh, the only other issue is that sometimes your neighbors suck. But again, even if you weren't in HUD housing they might suck.

It's highly variable depending on what the building is and what town you're in, things like that. In terms of bad neighbors or mismanagement. Pretty much like renting in general. There are many different types of subsidized housing. Generally there are wait lists months or often years long, so there is no good reason to dawdle until the time that you're homeless to apply. You can get a housing voucher and rent a normal apartment too... it doesn't have to be a project.
Generally you'll be paying 30% of your income as rent, with the rest of the rent paid by the govt

Like the other posters have said, the situations can be variable. In the state where I live, there are two types of HUD. There is city, or building specific housing, where you apply for a voucher and then you have to move into a property that is owned by the city. Or there is the county voucher, which means you have the freedom to look for a landlord who is agreeable to renting under HUD's terms. I have experienced both. IMO, the most hellish experiences came from living in a building with a lot of very annoying people, who lived to make others unhappy. I had simultaneously applied for both city and county assistance, so when the three years wait for the county voucher had passed, I was able to move into a privately owned property, which is a huge improvement.

BTW, the sooner you apply, the better. If you end up homeless, I'm not sure how they could contact you to let you know when you are eligible. Also, once you are on the wait list, they need you to periodically contact them to let them know that you are still interested, or if your address or phone number has changed. Or they will bump you from the list, and you will have to start over.

Does anyone know if I can apply for HUD housing in more than one area at a time?

In my original home town, they only allow people to get onto the waiting list twice a year, but it's my first choice. In other areas, it might be easier to get onto the wait list. I just don't want to get locked out of one because of applying for another. Assuming that I can, is it easy to pull my name off of a waiting list as well?



The wait lists are also about 2 years, so unless a miracle happens, it's either homelessness or the parent's place. They scare me a lot (especially my mom), but I'll probably head there first.

If you apply for Section 8, the voucher that you eventually receive can be used all over the USA, provided the housing costs are similar. I don't know if you can apply for housing in more than one place, though. The worse that could happen, is that they take you off the list if you are on too many. Back in 2003, I applied in two different counties. Eventually, I got taken off one list, but kept my spot on another one. Here's a link:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/


It isn't hard to pull your name off. Just do it in writing.


Well, it is someplace to stay, while you wait. Maybe your mom will be easier on you, if she knows that you are on a waiting list and definitely mean to live on your own, eventually.