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Benefits of Affordable Housing, Who Qualifies and How to Apply

By KPCB StaffCombined Expertise In The Low Income Housing Space For 10 Years · How we write our guides

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The main benefit of HUD-funded affordable housing is that your rent is tied to your income. In public housing, Section 8, and most Section 202 and 811 properties, you usually pay about 30% of your adjusted monthly income, and the program covers the rest.

These programs also come with protections, such as a rent recalculation if your income drops and a hearing if you're denied. Applying is free, and only the housing agency or property can decide whether you qualify.

What counts as "affordable"

HUD's rules treat a household as cost burdened when housing costs, including utilities, take more than 30% of gross income.

"Affordable housing" covers several programs. Some pay part of your rent in a private apartment. Others are buildings where the rent is already limited.

ProgramWhere you liveWho you apply to
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)A private rental you chooseYour local public housing agency (PHA)
Public housingA unit owned and run by the housing agencyYour local PHA
Section 202A building for households with someone 62 or olderThe property owner or manager
Section 811Housing for adults with disabilitiesVaries by property and state; ask the property or your state housing agency
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)A privately owned building with income and rent limitsThe property manager

What you get from each program

Rent based on your income

In the voucher program, the housing agency figures out your share of the rent, called the Total Tenant Payment. HUD says this is usually 30% of your adjusted monthly income, but it can be as high as 40% if you pick a unit that costs more than the agency's payment standard. The agency pays the rest straight to the landlord.

In public housing, your rent is the highest of these amounts:

  • 30% of your monthly adjusted income
  • 10% of your monthly income
  • welfare rent, if it applies to you
  • a minimum rent of $25, or a higher amount up to $50 that the agency sets

"Adjusted" income means your income after deductions. HUD's public housing page lists $480 for each dependent, $400 for an elderly family or a person with a disability, and some medical costs for households headed by an older person or someone with a disability.

Section 202 and Section 811 residents also typically pay 30% of adjusted income, with federal rental assistance covering the rest.

Help if your income drops

If your income goes down, you can ask the housing agency to recalculate your rent. Report the change right away so the agency can review it.

If you can't afford even the minimum rent, which HUD says is typically $25 to $50 a month for vouchers, you can ask for a financial hardship exemption. The agency must suspend the minimum rent starting the month after you ask. If the agency then denies the exemption, you have to repay the rent that was suspended.

Freedom to choose and to move

With a voucher, you pick the home: an apartment, townhouse or single-family house, as long as it passes inspection and the rent works under the program. You can also move with your voucher to another community in the U.S. This is called portability. How soon you can move depends on how long you've had the voucher and where you lived when you applied, so check with your housing agency first.

A safe, inspected home

Voucher units must meet HUD's physical standards. The housing agency inspects the unit before you move in and usually every one to two years after that. If something goes wrong, tell your landlord or manager first. If they don't fix it, contact your housing agency. For HUD-assisted apartment buildings, you can call HUD's Multifamily Housing Complaint Line at (800) 685-8470 (TTY (800) 432-2209).

Support services for seniors and people with disabilities

Section 202 properties are for very low-income households where at least one adult is 62 or older. Most have a service coordinator who connects residents to help such as cleaning, cooking and transportation so they can keep living on their own. See our step-by-step guide on how to apply for Section 202 senior housing.

Section 811 provides rental housing with access to supportive services for adults with disabilities. Depending on how the property is funded, households must be very low income (50% of area median) or extremely low income (30% of area median), with at least one adult with a disability. Our Section 811 guide covers this program in more detail.

These programs also give you rights:

  • If the housing agency denies your public housing application, it must tell you why in writing, and you can ask for an informal hearing.
  • Voucher holders can challenge many agency decisions through an informal review or hearing. HUD says you typically have 10 to 14 days to ask in writing.
  • The Violence Against Women Act protects survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking from eviction or denial of housing because of the violence.
  • In public housing, you can generally stay as long as you follow your lease.

Who qualifies

Eligibility depends mostly on your household's income and size, compared to HUD's income limits for your area. HUD's public housing page explains that low income means 80% of the area median and very low income means 50%. Because limits change from place to place, you might qualify in one county and not the next.

For vouchers, most families must be very low income. Federal rules also require that at least 75% of the families a housing agency admits from its voucher waitlist each year be extremely low income, unless HUD approves a lower share.

Other rules include:

  • U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status
  • a valid Social Security number for the head of household (vouchers)
  • a background and rental history check, and some crimes can make you ineligible

Example: FY2026 income limits for Columbus, Ohio

These limits took effect May 1, 2026 and apply to the Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area, which includes Franklin County. They are only an example. Look up your own area with HUD's income limits tool.

Household sizeExtremely low (30%)Very low (50%)Low (80%)
1 person$23,450$39,050$62,450
2 people$26,800$44,600$71,400
3 people$30,150$50,200$80,300
4 people$33,450$55,750$89,200

Tax credit (LIHTC) properties use a separate set of limits, called Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project income limits, to decide who qualifies and to set maximum rents. Our income eligibility guide for Section 8 walks through how housing agencies count income.

To check several programs at once, try the KPCB Edge benefit finder.

How to apply

  1. Find your local housing agency in HUD's PHA directory. For vouchers and public housing, you apply through the agency, not through HUD.
  2. Apply to more than one waitlist if you can. HUD suggests this because demand is high. You don't have to live in an agency's area to apply, though an agency can require you to live there for the first 12 months if you lived elsewhere when you applied.
  3. For Section 202, project-based and tax credit buildings, search HUD's Resource Locator and choose the option to find affordable housing near you. Then call the property manager to ask about openings and how to apply. HUD's map does not show vacancies or waitlists.
  4. Gather your documents. Agencies usually ask for pay stubs, bank information, papers for other benefits such as SSI or SNAP, proof of citizenship or immigration status, and Social Security cards. Public housing applicants may also be asked for birth certificates, tax returns, and the names of past landlords.
  5. Fill out the written application. A staff member can help you complete it.

Our guide to public housing vs. Section 8 explains how the two applications differ.

What happens after you apply

If you're found eligible, your name usually goes on a waiting list. Waits can be long, and agencies may close their lists when they already have more families than they can help soon.

Your place depends on how many vouchers or units open up, when you applied, and any preferences you qualify for, such as being a veteran or having a disability. Each agency sets its own preferences, so ask which ones it uses.

Keep your address, phone number and household size up to date with every agency where you applied. If an agency can't reach you, it can remove you from the list. When your name comes up, the agency checks your income and documents again. Voucher holders then attend a briefing before they start looking for a home.

Mistakes that can cost you your spot

Never pay to apply or to get on a waitlist. HUD's Office of Inspector General warns that housing authorities and government agencies "will never ask you to pay for admission to housing assistance programs or to join a waitlist." Scammers post fake "Section 8 waitlist open" ads on social media to collect fees and personal details. Confirm any opening by calling your housing agency at the number on its official website. You can report a scam to the HUD OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735.

Other mistakes to avoid:

  • moving or changing your phone number without telling the agency
  • leaving out income or household members on your application or yearly review
  • letting someone move in without the agency's approval (births, adoptions and court-ordered custody only need to be reported)

If you get a denial or a termination notice and need advice, contact a free legal aid office through LawHelp.org.

Frequently asked questions

Is affordable housing the same as Section 8?

No. Section 8, now called the Housing Choice Voucher program, is one type of affordable housing. Public housing, Section 202, Section 811 and tax credit apartments are others, and each has its own rules.

How much rent will I pay?

In most HUD programs, about 30% of your adjusted monthly income. With a voucher, it can reach 40% if you choose a unit above the payment standard. Tax credit apartments work differently. Their maximum rents are based on HUD income limits for the area, so ask the property what your rent would be.

Does it cost money to apply?

No. Housing agencies never charge to apply or to join a waitlist. Some private landlords charge application fees once you have a voucher and are looking for a unit, and some agencies require voucher holders to pay the security deposit, so budget for those.

Do tax credit apartments take Section 8 vouchers?

Yes. HUD says Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties are required to accept housing vouchers as payment.

What if my income goes up after I move in?

You must report changes, and your rent may go up. In public housing, if your income becomes high enough to rent on the private market, the agency may review whether you should stay. Voucher holders also go through a yearly income review.

Can I apply in a different city or state?

Yes. You don't have to live in a housing agency's area to apply, but the agency may require you to live there for your first 12 months of assistance.

Sources

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