Section 8

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Is anyone on Section 8? How long will it take to get on?

The only reason why I am not on Section 8 is because I live with my parents.I heard the waiting list for section 8 can be years long.You may want to contact a case worker or social worker to get on the waiting list.

Section 8 voucher programs are funded through US HUD and ran through the public housing authorities(PHA), and as such are limited by needs, funds, and availability of housing in each region/county covered. Section 8 provides rent assistance with privately owned rental properties. Public housing is very similar as far as I can tell, the main difference being that they are government owned and managed by the PHA, not private. Since both are ran by the PHA I can only guess that wait times are similar. Both are designed to limit the amount of rent you are asked to pay at 30% of your monthly adjusted income with the PHA and/or vouchers covering the rest. They do count SSI and SSDI as income so it can affect how much rent you will be responsible for.

In the past I went on the waitlist for PHA in multiple counties, each had different wait times with the shortest being around 15 months and the longest one was over 5 years. I have heard and seen people get moved up the lists much faster depending on personal needs and circumstances. People with disabilities do get a higher priority than those without. I have found from watching others and personal experience that it helps to keep in periodic contact with the PHA while on waitlist and checking on the status of your application and letting them know you are still in need.

I didn't use section 8 myself, but I did get rent assistance for several months through the local Community Action Agency, a non profit that specializes in assisting low income, senior, and disabled people. I would suggest checking in with the one in your area and seeing if they can provide any help. They gave me rent assistance until I was approved for my SSDI, but they offer assistance and training assistance for other things such as health and basic needs, utilities, GED and other job skills, seniors, and outreach services if needed.

My girlfriend was on the wait list for only about half a year. Cass then had to do public housing for a year before being approved for Section 8. She was very lucky compared to some people. My parents tried to get me in something like that because mom hated that I was still living at home in my 20s & we were basically told that I'd have to be homeless in order to qualify for any type of housing options due to lack of funding. I was in Louisiana whereas Cass was in Vermont & it's quite possible the people me & my parents talked to were misinformed.

It really depends on multiple variables both within and out of your control. While the PHA does get federal funding and guidance from HUD, they are governed by each states laws. I'm not sure if the states have to match federal funds but assume they have to contribute something. Each county in the state has their own PHA; smaller and rural counties are notorious for having fewer resources and residences which affects wait times in both directions.

In my experience it seems as most PHA funds and housing is used for housing for the homeless, then seniors and disabled people. When I applied I hadn't gotten my disability diagnosis, wasn't considered a senior, and was never technically considered homeless because a friend gave me a couch to sleep on after I lost everything. This caused me to be put on the slow waitlist. I never let the PHA know when I got my disability diagnosis so never got moved to that list which would have gotten me placed faster because I found a good situation through Community Action that I liked and wasn't in a rush to leave.

The PHA in my county has around a 5 year wait time to get in, yet I have seen a few people with mental and major physical health issues get in as fast as 6 months so know it is possible. One had an advocate who helped her with everything and made it smooth and easy for her, the other was an extremely friendly and nice extrovert who went to the PHA every week or so and eventually talked his way up the list.