Low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities in North Carolina may qualify for federal rent assistance through the program known as Section 8Although its official name is Housing Choice Voucher Program.
It is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but it operates at the local level: in each county or city there is a public housing agency (known as a PHA) that receives applications, manages the waiting list, inspects homes and coordinates payments to landlords.
The program does not offer government housing. It provides a voucher (i.e., a document that guarantees a subsidy) so that the family can find housing on the private market.
It can be a house, an apartment, a townhouse, or any dwelling that meets the program's requirements. The local agency pays a portion of the rent directly to the landlord. The family pays the remainder, which should not exceed approximately 30% of their monthly income.
Nationwide, more than 2,3 million families receive this assistance, according to HUD.
Who can apply in North Carolina?
The first thing to know is that eligibility is determined by gross annual household income, family size, and immigration status.
To qualify, household income cannot exceed 50% of the median income in the area where the family wishes to live. By federal law, 75% of the assistance must be allocated to families with incomes below 30% of the area median income. Families with the lowest incomes are given priority.
Income limits vary by county and are updated annually. They can be found at the HUD data system.
All adult members of the household must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. Eligible categories include lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees and people with certain visa typesUndocumented individuals are not eligible to receive Section 8 benefits.
Under the current rules, the families of “mixed status” They may receive prorated assistance. If at least one household member has eligible status, the family may receive assistance calculated only for eligible members. HUD has published a proposed rule that could change this policy. That proposal will be addressed in a separate note.
¿What the subsidy covers ?
Section 8 pays a portion of the rent for a home on the private market that meets HUD's quality standards. Before payments are approved, the home must pass an inspection.
The rent cannot exceed the Fair Market Rent (FMR) that HUD sets for each zone. These amounts are updated annually and vary depending on the number of rooms and the location.
The family chooses where to liveprovided the landlord agrees to participate in the program and the home passes inspection. If the family moves, they can take the assistance with them to another eligible home.
¿What is the waiting list like? ?
The demand for Section 8 assistance far exceeds available funding. Only one in four eligible families receives assistance nationwide, according to a 2023 report from the National Institute of Family Welfare (NIF). Congressional Research Service.
In North Carolina, there are approximately 128 public housing agencies that administer the program, according to data from Affordable Housing OnlineMost have closed waiting lists.
Agencies open their waiting lists periodically and close them when they reach a certain number of applications. Some remain open for only a few days, or even hours.
The average wait time before receiving assistance in the state is about 21 months, according to the same source. In some areas, it can be much longer.
Ninety-five percent of households receiving Section 8 in North Carolina have incomes below 50% of the area median income. Seventy-four percent have incomes below 30%.
¿How to apply ?
To apply for Section 8 housing, you must contact the public housing agency in the county or city where you wish to live. Each agency has its own process.
Some accept applications in person, while others have online portals. Upon completion of the application, your name is added to the waiting list, usually in the order it was received.
To find the appropriate agency, you can call (800) 955-2232 or visit the HUD website for North Carolina. You can also check Affordable Housing Online to see which listings are open in the state.
In addition, it is important to know that you can apply to multiple waiting lists at the same time, even in different counties.
¿What to do if the list is closed ?
If there are no open lists in the area, there are some alternatives.
You can apply for Project-Based Vouchers, which are subsidies tied to a specific property. These have their own waiting lists. Local agencies can advise you on whether they have this type of assistance available.
La helpline 211 Connects you to temporary housing resources and other services in North Carolina. Dial 2-1-1 from any phone. The sites GoSection8.com y Affordable Housing Online They allow you to search for properties that accept Section 8 throughout the state.
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More Information
- HUD's page on Section 8 (In English)
- Federal government information on Section 8 (In English)
- HUD North Carolina
- Open waiting lists in NC
- Helpline: Dial 211 from any phone
- HUD-approved housing counseling: (800) 569-4287
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