A

Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing is the housing that is affordable to people with a household income at or below the median. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Affordable Housing is commonly described as housing on which the resident pays no more than 30% of gross income for housing expenditures, including utilities.

H

Housing Choice Voucher

Housing Choice Vouchers in Section 8 is a federal government's major program that assists low-income households in obtaining housing in the private market. Housing Choice Voucher holders pay 30% of their monthly income in rent, with the rest paid by the federal government through a local housing authority.

L

Low-Income Household

According to HUD's income limit policies, Low-Income Households are defined as those whose earnings are less than 80% of the area's median family income.

P

Project-Based Section 8

Project-Based Section 8 is a federally financed program that provides low-income families with rental housing in privately owned and managed units. The subsidy is attached to the house, which means that you are no longer eligible for rental assistance if you leave.

Public Housing

Public Housing is a form of housing in which the property is generally owned by a national or local government authority. It often provides homes to households that hold incomes below a specified threshold.

Public Housing Agency (PHA)

Public Housing Agency (PHA) is the local agency in charge of administering and maintaining Section 8 housing benefits - also known as the Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program. Local PHAs can be found all across the country. Queries relating to housing assistance could be solved by contacting local PHAs.

R

Rent Assistance

Rent Assistance, in most cases, refers to the financial help with rent from a government or nonprofit organization. With renters accounting for 37% of all families in the United States, a rising number of households are struggling to pay their rent. In order to alleviate the situation, the federal government offers a variety of rental assistance programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

S

Section 8

Section 8, which is supported by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, is formally named the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV). It generally authorizes the payment of rental housing aid to private landlords in the United States on behalf of low-income families. Both tenant-based and project-based vouchers are available under the HCV program.

T

Tenant-Based Section 8

Tenant-Based Section 8 is a program that provides housing assistance on behalf of a family or individual. Participants can choose any housing unit as long as the owner agrees to rent under the program and meets program requirements, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments.

W

Waiting List

A waiting list is an ordered list of randomly selected families that have applied for housing assistance through the Section 8 program. It is used when the demand for affordable housing exceeds the availability. Applicants should apply for Section 8 vouchers when local waiting lists are open.