Section 8 Housing
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What is HUD? What is Affordable? Section 8.

By David Dorfman, Publisher, Rentlaw.com  

af·ford·a·ble   That can be afforded: affordable housing; an affordable risk

af·ford   To have the financial means for; bear the cost of: not able to afford a new car.

To manage to spare or give up: can't afford an hour for lunch.

Books on Poverty-  See the Guide to Books

Poor people in America? Not here, right?  

Section 8, homeless shelters, Food Banks, Public Assistance and Food Stamps.

We complain about paying high taxes whether it be property, sales, or income tax. Some of that money makes it way back to helping those in need in one form or another.

We talk about money going to help the “developing” nations – such as in Africa or even Russia and China. We must realize, however , that right her in the United States, people are poor – extremely poor. Some people cannot just simply “escape” their environment due to circumstances beyond their control.

The purpose of many federal and state programs is to assist those less fortunate. Many programs come and go. One of the most basic and hardest requirements to fulfill is that of housing for the poor.  

Public Housing Projects  (1940 – 1960) were an idea whereby cities and states would build Public Housing “Projects” for the poor. While the idea was correct – it did not go far enough to “mainstream” (up and coming word) the poor (socially and economically) into another world. We simply lumped a group of economically disadvantaged people into one, new, government built section of a city – keeping them separate from the rest of the city socially.   

At the time these new projects were built, it was on the less desirable pieces of property in the City – near major highways, industrial sections of town etc.

These projects began to fail as the surrounding communities faltered, buildings deteriorated and continuing services were not rendered – social services, physical services etc. 

Across the nation, we have slowly begun to dismantle these projects with a bulldozer or spectacular staged explosions (St. Louis). See the offices Demolition and Disposition Program 

SECTION 8 - HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAMS
 The new Housing Programs  or Social Service Programs , designed and administered by US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are designed to encourage the disadvantaged to seek housing in the generally community they wish to live. This is mainstreaming. This is the same concept being used in schools across the nation. The idea is bring those who are disadvantaged the same general opportunities  (equality) as those without the disadvantage.

Many people are poor due to disability, abuse, physically handicap or age. Others may have been in trouble in the past, but are seeking a new life.

SECTION 8 DIRECTORY

NYCHA’s Section 8 program is the largest in the United States. They administer approximately 83,000 Section 8 vouchers serving 270,000 New Yorkers. Over 29,000 landlords currently participate in the program.

Go to: NEW YORK SECTION 8

 

As of May 15, 2007 NYCHA will only accept Section 8 applications from emergency applicants, until further notice.

Currently, the two main Section 8 programs are tenant-based vouchers and project-based vouchers. In the tenant-based program, eligible families with a certificate or voucher find and lease a unit and pay a portion of a reasonable rent. Their portion is based on income, generally around 30%. The local housing authority pays the owner the remaining rent, capped by the Fair Market Rent (FMR) or a fixed percentage thereof. The housing authorities determine the reasonable rent and the FMR is determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Section 8 (Housing Choice) tenants qualify for federal housing assistance for a number of different reasons. 

There are no racial, ethnical or other criteria over who may or may not qualify.

More information:

-  on Section 8 and new programs are found here on Rentlaw.com
Landlord and Tenant Obligations Under Section 8
Additional Section 8 resources include:

 

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