St. Petersburg, Florida Section 8 Voucher Waiting List is Closed as of December 2024. The waiting list was last open in February 2021 and remains closed.

Nathan Brunet

Analysis by Nathan Brunet

Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024

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This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental housing assistance in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from February 1, 2021, until February 4, 2021. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application.

This waiting list had the following preferences:

  • Veterans
    • A person who served in the active military service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. Military Reserve members also qualify if currently serving honorably or discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. If the veteran dies before being admitted to the program, then the spouse of the veteran shall maintain their place and preference on the waiting list. Status is to be verified by:
      • A DD 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) will serve as proof of service for those no longer active or reserve duty; or
      • A current enlistment contract and/or unexpired military identification card will serve as appropriate proof of veteran status for those still in active reserve status or current enlistment.
  • Disabled or Elderly
    • Persons of families where the head of household, spouse or co-head is elderly or  disabled. Proof of preference will be required at the time of selection.
  • Homeless families
    • Applicant family is currently residing in Emergency Shelter, Transitional Shelter, Permanent Supportive Housing or participating in homeless services at/in/through a participating Pinellas County Continuum of Care agency and have received a written letter of recommendation from that agency not less than 30 days ago.
  • Resident of Pinellas County Florida
    • Applicant must provide proof of residency upon selection.
  • Victims of Domestic Violence
    • Applicants who are victims of domestic violence will receive a preference. In order to qualify for a preference on the waitlist for Domestic Violence, applicants should provide documentation that incidents of domestic violence have occurred within the past year.
    • Status is to be verified by:
      • Referral from domestic violence shelter (e.g., Hubbard House)
      • Confidentiality of applicant status shall be maintained by the agency in accordance with the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
  • Involuntary Displacement
    • Involuntary displacement is defined as displacement due to a formally recognized natural disaster or government action.
    • Families who claim they are being or have been displaced due to a formally recognized natural disaster or governmental action must provide written verification by the displacing unit or agency of government or by a service agency  such as the Red Cross.
    • Families may qualify for the preference Involuntary Displacement due to either of the following:
      • Applicant is involuntarily displaced and not living in standard permanent replacement housing due to a government action or natural disaster.
      • Applicant is a part of a relocation effort by a government entity.
      • Local government has condemned their place of living.
      • Applicant will have to vacate their unit because of either of the following:
      • Activities by an agency of the United States or by any local governmental body or agency in connection with code enforcement, public improvements or a real estate development program, including RAD and/or real estate redevelopment.

Selected applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, read the SPHA public notice, or visit the SPHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the SPHA on February 1, 2021.

St. Petersburg, Florida Section 8 Voucher Applicant Preferences

St. Petersburg, Florida has preferences for: Elderly, Displaced by Natural Disaster, Victims of Domestic Violence, Live, Work, or Attend School Locally, Veterans, Displaced by Government Action, Disabled. Preferences are not required but Section 8 Voucher applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.

St Petersburg Housing Authority

St. Petersburg, Florida Section 8 Voucher Waiting List is managed by St Petersburg Housing Authority.

St Petersburg Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 3,983 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.

This housing agency serves Saint Petersburg, Florida.

What should I do after applying to the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

After applying, it's a good practice to keep a record of any application that you submit. This will help you keep track of your application, and is especially useful if you apply to multiple waiting lists. You can do this easily with a document on your computer or mobile device, and also with a notebook or piece of paper.

Make sure to write down your application or confirmation number with the application details. This number will be important to reference in the future. Once you have this information written, keep it stored in a place that's easy to access when you need it.

With this information safely stored, all you have left to do is wait to find out if you've been selected for the waiting list.

When will I know if I've been selected for the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

Depending on the area, it may take weeks or even months to know if you've been selected for the waiting list. Your wait for an announcement is usually the longest in areas with large populations and a high demand for housing assistance.

Check if the public notice states when the housing authority plans to announce the results, or how long it may take to review applications. Contact the housing authority if this information isn't available.

How do I know if I've been added to the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

Once all applications are reviewed, the housing authority will either contact everyone who has been placed on the waiting list, or message everyone who applied to check their results.

The housing authority will use the contact information you give in the application to reach you (usually by mail, email, or phone). For this reason, it is very important to put valid contact information on your application. Make sure you keep your contact information up to date, and that you respond quickly if any further action is required.

If you don't get contacted by the housing authority, it might mean that you were not chosen for the waiting list. Sometimes, housing authorities do not contact applicants who were not placed on the waiting list. Check with the housing authority for confirmation.

How can I check my status on the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

To check your status on the waiting list, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or visit the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to check your status.

Some housing authorities will give your spot on the waiting list, but others might only confirm that you're still on the waiting list. Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when checking your status.

How long will it take to get to the top of the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

The wait to reach the top of this waiting list will be different for everyone.

This waiting list has at least one preference, so those who qualify will have a shorter wait than those who don't. After sorting preferences, applicants are placed on the waiting list randomly. So, there could be a big difference between your wait time, depending on your spot on the waiting list.

If you are closer to the top of the waiting list, your wait may be just weeks or months long. But if you're closer to the end of the waiting list, it could take years to reach the top.

How do I update my application for the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list?

To update your waiting list application, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or submit a form to the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to update your application.

Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when updating your application.

When can I apply for a St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list that is closed?

You cannot apply for a waiting list that is closed until it is reopened by the housing authority. It is not known when the housing authority will announce the next opening.

For the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list, how do I apply online?

To apply online, an electronic form must be submitted to the housing authority on the internet. Many online applications require an account to be created to log in, and also a valid email address.

How is a St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher waiting list sorted by random lottery?

A waiting list sorted by random lottery orders applicants who are selected for the waiting list by a random number system. The time you apply does not factor into your waiting list placement.

Who has a Section 8 voucher already?

If you are considering applying for a voucher, you may be interested to know who already has a voucher, and what the households tend to look like. Fortunately, we can provide some helpful statistics using HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households. The following data describes the economic and demographic characteristics of renters who have a Section or project-based voucher issued by St Petersburg Housing Authority.

How many renters have a Section 8 voucher with St Petersburg Housing Authority?

At the start of 2024, St Petersburg Housing Authority was managing 3,878 Section 8 vouchers. Of the total number of vouchers managed, there were 3,529 households with a voucher. This represents 91% of the total voucher allotment for St Petersburg Housing Authority.

According to HUD, there is a total of 8,434 people living in households with a Section 8 voucher issued by St Petersburg Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.

How long did current St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 households wait for their voucher?

The 3,529 households with a Section 8 voucher at the start of 2024 waited on average 18 months to receive their voucher. Of those voucher-holding households, 494 got their voucher in the last year. This represents 14 percent of voucher holders with vouchers issued by St Petersburg Housing Authority.

Are there any St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers not issued to renters?

Though Section 8 voucher programs are over-subscribed across the nation with all programs having a waiting list, each month, each housing agency managing vouchers has vouchers that are not issued to renters. This can result from turnover in the program if someone with a voucher buys a home, sees an increase in their income, passes away, or otherwise discontinues the use of their voucher.

The time it takes to transfer voucher funding from one recipient to another can be many months. Managing the Section 8 waiting list, qualifying new voucher holders, and approving new homes or apartments takes time. In addition, in some areas, there is an extreme housing shortage or landlords may refuse to rent to persons using a Section 8 voucher to pay their rent. This results in longer than usual ramp-up times for new voucher holders.

The St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program that this waiting list covers had 91% of its vouchers utilized by households with 9% unutilized at the start of 2024. This means that 349 Section 8 vouchers out of a total of 3,878 were in processing at the time HUD reported the data.

How many St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 households have children?

Of the 3,529 Section 8 voucher-holding households with the St Petersburg Housing Authority, 1,823 have at least one child. There are 39 two-parent households in the St Petersburg Housing Authority voucher program, and 1,784 single-parent households. There were 1,745 households with children with a female head of household.

How much do St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 households earn?

The average annual household income for St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher holders is $21,012 The average annual income per person is $8,757 The average voucher holder earns 29% of the local Area Median Income.

St Petersburg Housing Authority voucher household annual income
Annual Income Range ($) Number of Households % of Vouchers
Less than $5,000 353 10%
$5,000 - $9,999 212 6%
$10,000 - $14,999 953 27%
$15,000 - $19,999 494 14%
$20,000+ 1,482 42%

What is the source of income for St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 households?

Of all voucher holders, 1,474 (38%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 39 (1%) voucher-holding households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 2,327 (60%) voucher-holding households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).

How much does a St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 voucher pay for tenants?

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program pays 70% of the cost of rent plus utilities for any household receiving the housing assistance.

For the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 program, the federal government is providing, on average, $1,293 per month to each household, for an average annual cost of $15,516. The program as a whole is paying landlords $4,562,997 per month, for an annual economic benefit to landlords of $54,755,964

How much does the average St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 tenant pay per month in rent?

HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the Section 8 tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.

For the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 HCV programs, the average family expenditure is $563 per month or $6,756 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $1,986,827 per month, which is $23,841,924 per year.

What is the average rent of a Section 8 apartment or home in the St Petersburg Housing Authority program?

The average total rent paid to Section 8 landlords is $1,856 per month which includes payment contributed by both tenant households and the federal government. This is a program-wide rent average across all bedroom size rentals.

What is the average utility cost paid by St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 renters?

The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $265 per month. It is important to note this is not the actual cost renters will pay for utilities, but an estimate based on the energy cost estimates of the program.

What size are most St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 homes?

Of the 3,878 households with a Section 8 voucher, 1,165 (33%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 1,059 (30%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 1,306 (37%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 17% of Housing Choice Voucher recipients are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.

What is the race and ethnicity of St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 households?

76% of St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.

What are the ages of tenant heads of households in the St Petersburg Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program?

Age Range of Head of Household Number of Households % of Households
Under 24 71 2%
25-50/td> 1,870 53%
51-61 529 15%
62-84 1,059 30%
85 or Older 35 1%
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