You may qualify to live in low-income housing developments or for the Section 8 voucher program, depending on your income and where you live. Finding affordable apartments starts with knowing where to look. Continue reading to learn more about how you can find reasonable rental units.
Finding cheap apartments for rent isn’t as easy as it once was. Thanks to the rapid rise in home prices and cost of living, many Americans are struggling to find an affordable place to live. Thankfully, rental assistance programs are available to help lower the cost of living for millions of renters throughout the country.
If you need help with rent, you aren’t alone. Millions of American families are struggling to make ends meet, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the federal government created rental assistance programs to help low-income individuals and families find safe and affordable places to live.
Many of these low-income housing programs are managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD.
The Section 8 voucher program, formally known as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, is one of the largest housing aid programs available from the federal government. Through this program, qualified renters receive housing vouchers that can be used to pay a portion of the rental costs for approved residences.
Through the Section 8 voucher program, participants can save as much as 70% in rental expenses.
Those who qualify can search for Section 8 houses for rent and choose one that works for their family. Local public housing authorities (PHAs) oversee the Section 8 program and ensure that these units participate in the voucher program.
Other government assistance programs from HUD use vouchers to cut the cost of living for qualified applicants. However, they may differ slightly in the specifics.
For example, the HCV Homeownership Program provides vouchers to individuals and families who qualify for Section 8. However, instead of using the vouchers to pay for rent, participants can use the vouchers toward a mortgage. It is a program designed to help renters transition into homeowners.
Some other rental assistance programs are designed for certain populations. These include:
- Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers
- Vouchers for Persons with Disabilities (also known as Certain Developments Vouchers)
- Family Unification Program
There are other low-income housing programs that do not use the voucher system, like public housing. Continue to the next slide to learn more about this type of housing assistance and how to find it.
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