How Do Seniors Apply for Section 8?
The steps to obtain low-income senior housing can be riddled with difficulty if you don't know where to look. The fastest and easiest way to get into an affordable senior apartment on a fixed income is to find a Low Income Tax Credit property that is multifamily and not senior only and then apply and wait for Section 8.
However, if you are interested in going through HUD's normal channels then you can follow the guidance below. Many of the steps are the same, regarless of whether you are looking for a Section 8 community offered directly through the Public Housing Authority or applying for a Housing Choice Voucher (also known as a Section 8 Voucher) that you can use at an apartment complex that accepts them. Many Section 202 and LIHTC properties accept them.
Verify Eligibility to Enroll for the Waiting List
To obtain financial help for HUD's programs, seniors must have proof that they are low-income or very low-income households by applying at a Public Housing Authority (PHA) in the same area where the senior wants to live.
The application process also requires the senior to be interviewed by an officer at the Public Housing Authority to verify eligibility before they are placed on a waiting list. These interviews are by appointment only and all senior applicants have to wait to be called in for their interview appointment. They will be asked to bring in identification records as well as financial records to prove who they are and how much they have as an income. If the senior has verified all of their information satisfactorily and their initial application has been completed, they will be placed on the waiting list. The process of pre-applying for the purpose of being added to a waiting list is referred to as "enrollment".
The enrollment (applying for the the waiting list) can be closed if the number of seniors on the Section 8 waiting list is so great that there is no room for new applicants. When the waiting list has been closed it is known as "Closed Enrollment", once the waiting list is opened up to new applicants it is called "Open Enrollment". Large metropolitan areas are more prone to closed enrollment and, in some cases, only have open enrollment every two or three years. Meaning that in some places it can take a few years just to get on the waiting list.
In many cases, Open Enrollment for a Section 8 apartment or Section 8 voucher is only open for a few weeks. PHAs must publicly announce that enrollment is open, but many times the notification is nothing other than a quick blurb on a local Public Housing Authority's website. If you are waiting for open enrollment in your area a good piece of advice is to have a reminder on your calendar to check the PHAs website every few weeks.
Section 8 Availability and a Senior's Circumstances Determine Length of Wait
The PHA will select a senior applicant and ask them to come into the office for an interview. Once a senior is enrolled they are added to the waiting list and must then wait for the PHA to let them know that a unit or a voucher is available for them.
The enrollees are selected from the waiting list based on need and circumstances first, not necessarily on the order received. This means that there can be extremely long waits for seniors that are seeking financial assistance for low income housing. For many, it can take years to receive their unit or voucher, even after waiting years to just get on the waiting list.
Section 8 Public Housing Units Availability
Depending on the size and budget of the area, public housing units can take a while to become available. Getting approved for a public housing unit means that the senior must live in the available unit and usually does not have a choice about which unit they prefer.
Section 8 Rent Voucher Availability
Unlike Section 8 Public Housing units, Section 8 Vouchers are portable, meaning that you can select the unit that you want. However, the landlord must be on HUD's Section 8 List and must accept the Voucher. Typically the senior must live in the unit for at least one year before the voucher becomes portable and then the senior may select another unit if they so choose.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program Pays Some of The Rent
Once a senior has been interviewed the PHA will let them know whether or not they qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). The PHA will find what the rent is that is being charged by the apartment complex and then determine the amount of rent the senior can afford, based on their income (usually this is 30%). The Section 8 voucher will pay the difference between the full rent price and the senior's portion, this is paid directly to the landlord. So, if the apartment costs $900/mo and the PHA determines the senior can only afford to pay $500/mo., then the voucher will pay $400 to the landlord to cover the cost of the rent that the senior couldn't afford.
Selecting An Affordable Low-Income Senior Apartment
Once a senior is approved for the Housing Choice Voucher they can then select a Section 202 Affordable Senior apartment, a Low Income Housing Tax Credit unit, or another home or apartment that accepts Section 8 vouchers. It is important to know that there are also waiting lists for many low-income senior apartments, so it is also important to get on each selected apartment's waiting list as soon as possible.
Once a senior has been issued a voucher they typically only have 60 days to begin using it. That is why we recommend getting on several waiting lists if possible. It can cost more in application fees that aren't likely to be reimbursed, but can also help to secure an apartment before the voucher usage time runs out.
Keep in mind that the senior apartment must be within the same area as the Public Housing Authority that is providing the voucher. For example, if a senior enrolled in the Boaz Public Housing Authority, and is accepted in the HCVP through the Boaz PHA, the apartment must be an Affordable Senior Apartment located within the area that the Boaz PHA covers.
More Helpful Information:
Housing Choice Voucher Eligibility Requirements
Section 202 Eligibility Requirements
