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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

In many cases, no you cannot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has temporarily halted evictions for most Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic until June 30, 2021.

Called a moratorium on evictions, it means that qualified renters are be protected from getting evicted until the moratorium is lifted.

The CDC moratorium was most recently scheduled to expire on March 31, 2021, but was extended in March.

You can read more information on eviction policies during the coronavirus pandemic here.

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

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 area the housing authority serves is commonly known as the jurisdiction.

The housing authority's jurisdiction can usually be found on its Annual Plan, on Affordable Housing Online, and sometimes on the housing authority's website. You can also call the housing authority and ask a representative to confirm their jurisdiction.

Each housing authority serves a specific, city (or cities), county (or counties), or the entire state. The area served is its jurisdiction. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders participating in that housing authority's program may only use their voucher within its jurisdiction.

This information can be found on the top of all housing authority pages on Affordable Housing Online. Under the "About Housing Authority" section, you will see the line "The Housing Authority serves..." Those areas are the housing authority's jurisdiction. You can confirm this information with the housing authority.

Many housing authority websites display this information, whether it's on the home page, "About Us" page, or Section 8 program. If the jurisdiction cannot be found, search for the Annual Plan document. This document will state the jurisdiction, and may be found on any of the web pages mentioned above. If this information cannot be found online, contact the housing authority.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/How-Can-I-Find-Out-The-Area-The-HA-Serves

An eviction is when a landlord who owns a property removes a tenant who is occupying that property. A formal eviction requires the tenant and landlord to go through a legal process.

Evictions may occur if the tenant does not follow the rules agreed to in the landlord’s lease, and in some areas, landlords do not need a reason to evict. Tenants may be evicted for a number of reasons, including not paying rent, destruction of property, illegal activity, disrupting other tenants on the property, or violating rules of a lease.

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