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While you may apply anywhere in the country, you must live within the jurisdiction of the housing authority providing assistance once you have been notified that you may begin to receive rental assistance.

In regards to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, if you were not a resident of the area you applied to, you must live within the jurisdiction of that housing authority for one year before you are able transfer to a new area, known as porting. If you were a resident of the housing authority's jurisdiction when applying, you may port it to a new area at any time.

For example, if you live in California, and there is a Section 8 HCV opening by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) in Maryland, you must move to that housing authority's jurisdiction to receive rental assistance. But, if you lived in Baltimore, MD when you applied to the HABC Section 8 HCV waiting list, you may port it out of the area at any time after receiving your voucher.

Contact the housing authority in your area of interest to find out more information about its specific jurisdiction. You can search our website for housing authority contact information here.

If you are looking for a unit that will accept your voucher, please read our guide here.

Also, the housing authority you applied through may have information on landlords who accept vouchers. Contact the housing authority office for more information. Please click the link above to search for housing authority contact information.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/In-what-areas-can-you-live-for-section-8

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly abbreviated as HUD, is the main agency that oversees federal affordable housing and community development programs. It was created as a cabinet-level department in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty.

Since 2017, Ben Carson has served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Trump Administration. The position was last held by Julian Castro from 2014 until 2017.

Housing Opportunity and Rental Assistance

HUD administers affordable housing programs that help low-income households pay for rent. Through these programs, HUD may also offer supportive services, utility cost reimbursements, self-sufficiency planning, and job training for eligible households. The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, and Public Housing are HUD’s primary affordable housing programs.

HUD also funds housing for populations with special needs. These programs include the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) programs. HUD also administers grants to help persons experiencing homelessness, including shelters, transitional housing, and services.

Community Development

HUD provides funding to states, counties, and cities for public infrastructure and economic development. Some of these programs can be used to build or rehabilitate affordable housing including the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). Through the Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD provides block grants to tribes for housing and community development through the Indian Housing Block Grant and Indian Community Development Block Grant programs.

Affordable Homeownership

HUD assists homebuyers through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). FHA-insured mortgages have helped millions of first-time homebuyers purchase homes. HUD also oversees lead paint and hazard removal programs, and standards for manufactured housing.

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

HUD is charged with enforcing the Fair Housing Act to address housing discrimination through the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. HUD also administers funds to rebuild communities after natural disasters through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief program.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/what-is-hud-housing

Section 8 is the common term for federal low-income rental assistance programs managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The term Section 8 is usually used to describe the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which helps tenants pay rent based on their income, and pays participating landlords the remainder of the rent. "Section 8" can also refer to the Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program, and the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program. In both programs, the tenant typically pays 30% of their monthly income for housing costs.

Section 8 may also refer to either the tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program or the Project-based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program.

It gets its name from being Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/what-is-section-8

If you’re currently living in a federally-backed property, or certain areas of the country, there are protections that prevent tenants from getting evicted if they cannot pay rent. But the specific policy and effective period varies, depending on your housing situation and where you live.

• Federally-backed properties: Evictions are suspended for 120 days, as of March 27, 2020. This includes every HUD, USDA, and Treasury Department housing program, such as:
  • Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher
  • Public Housing
  • Section 8 Project-Based Voucher
  • Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance
  • Low-Income Housing Tax-Credit
  • Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly
  • Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
  • Section 515 Rural Rental Housing
  • Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance
• HUD-owned properties: Evictions are suspended until May 1, 2020. (This action was superseded by the CARES Act)
• USDA Single Family Housing Direct Loans and Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loans: Evictions, foreclosures, and loans have been suspended for 60 days, as of March 19, 2020. (This action was superseded by the CARES Act)
• Properties secured by FHA-insured Single Family mortgages: Evictions and foreclosures are suspended for 60 days, as of March 18, 2020.
• Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) Grant Programs: ONAP has recommended a temporary suspension of all evictions, foreclosures, and any actions that would result in residents becoming homeless or otherwise unstable.
• Section 184 and 184A Loans: Evictions and foreclosures are suspended for 60 days, as of March 20, 2020.
• Private market rate properties: Many states and local governments have suspended evictions for varying time periods. A detailed list of eviction policies in all areas of the country can be found here.

If your housing situation does not apply to any of the above, you could get evicted if you can't pay rent this month. And even if your situation applies, rent payments are not guaranteed to be cancelled outright and you may still be liable for missed payments in the future.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/can-I-be-evicted-if-I-cant-pay-rent-because-of-coronavirus

To file a complaint about your unit or the property you are living in, contact the housing authority or management company that manages your unit.

You can use the search bar on the top of this page to search for housing authority or apartment community contact information.

If you feel you have been mistreated by a housing authority, apartment community, or landlord, visit HUD's web page here, and submit a complaint through the appropriate category.

If you are seeking legal advice, there are legal aid offices in every state that help low-income persons. You can search for a legal aid office near you here.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/How-Can-I-File-A-Complaint-To-The-Office