BySection 8 Housing From the Dallas Housing Authority
The oversees the Section 8 and Emergency Rental Assistance programs for the City of Dallas, Texas.
Clean and safe housing is something that everyone should be able to count on. Sadly, this is not true, and thousands of low-income citizens of Dallas need assistance in the form of Section 8 government housing and housing vouchers. Eligibility for Section 8 assistance is limited to those whose income levels qualify them as low-income or very-low-income.
The Section 8 Vouchers program provides low-income housing in both government housing and other housing where a voucher system pays the difference in the rent. If a person or family is considered low-income or very-low-income, then they are required to pay no more than 30% of the rent. The voucher program pays the difference between the actual cost of the rent directly to the landlord.
The demand for Section 8 in the current climate is higher than it has ever been. The pandemic and natural disasters have made the process even more difficult as the need for immediate aid has grown. While the long waiting lists are still very much a reality, it is the need for Immediate Section 8 for those who have never applied before that has overwhelmed the system. The number of people who apply for Section 8 is currently outnumbering the number of vacancies in available Section 8 housing options.
Who is Eligible for Section 8 Housing?
Eligibility for Section 8 housing and voucher programs is based on:
- Income
- Size of household and composition
- The status of your citizenship
- Your assets
- Expenses for medical and child care.
Section 8 is for individuals, families, the elderly, veterans, and those with disabilities. Household income levels must not exceed 50% of the median income for the area where they are applying. Currently, new applicants need to be at or below 30% of the median income.
How to Apply for Section 8 Housing on Your Own
To apply for Section 8 housing in the Dallas area, you will need to do the following:
| Determine whether you meet the eligibility criteria. | Look at your tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, and earnings. If your total income falls within the current HUD income limits of less than 30% of Dallas's median income, then you can qualify for Section 8 from an income standpoint. |
| Gather all of the proof of income and family composition that will be required on the application. | Birth certificates, Social Security cards, marriage certificates, proof of citizenship, documentation of child support, proof of all income, bank statements, tax returns, and any other proof of both income and expenses will be needed. |
| Be ready to sign a lease agreement committing to one full year of housing. | If you decide to move, you will need to give the Dallas Housing Authority plenty of notice. |
| Check to see if the Dallas Housing Authority is accepting applications for Section 8. | Since the demand for Section 8 housing is greater than the sources of low-income housing, you will be placed on a waiting list. |
| If members of your family qualify as elderly or disabled, make sure that you have proof. | These classifications can get you moved up the waiting list. |
| Know there is further assistance if your family is homeless. | If your family is homeless, you can be moved up the waiting list and be eligible for housing assistance before others. |
| Complete an application. | Make sure that you have correctly filled out every question on the application. If anything is missing or incomplete, your application can be quickly rejected. |
| Verify your contact information. | Make sure that both your phone and email address remain current on your application. |
| Submit your application online to the Dallas Housing Authority. | If you need assistance with the use of a computer, you can go to any Dallas Public Library branch. |
| Follow up on your application frequently to see if the waiting list has moved at all. | Once a person is eligible for aid (from a waiting list standpoint), it can take up to six months for official notification to reach you. By staying on top of this information, you can contact them and get your benefits or voucher expedited by knowing your own status. |
How Long are Waiting Lists?
Waiting lists for both Section 8 Housing and the Section 8 Voucher program can be as long as three to five years.
What Are Your Options if You Can't Do It Yourself?
If you are unable to apply for Section 8 on your own, you do have a couple of options.
- You can contact a social worker through the department of welfare, hospitals, your doctors, or your church and ask them for recommendations and referrals.
- You can contact a Section 8 attorney to see if they can help.
- You could look into receiving help from companies like DoNotPay.
Solve your Section 8 Housing Issues with Help from DoNotPay
If you want to apply for Section 8 Housing in Dallas, TX, but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 2 easy steps:
- Answer a few questions about your income, family size, veteran/disability status, which county you hope to live in, etc.
- DoNotPay will find the PHA in charge of that county and contact them with all of your eligibility information to determine if you can start applying. They'll get back to you directly via email with the next steps.
Why Use DoNotPay to Solve Your Housing Issues
DoNotPay is your best option for getting help for your housing issues. When you use DoNotPay, you can rest assured that they are:
- Fast. DoNotPay will ask you for all the information required for your application.
- Easy. Why take all the extra time to fill out all of those tedious forms when you can let DoNotPay complete them for you?
- Successful. You know that you won't miss filling out any portion of the application when you let DoNotPay do it for you.
DoNotPay Works Through All Dallas Housing Solutions With The Click of a Button
It only takes a moment to click a button for DoNotPay to begin working on your issues.
Using DoNotPay, you can learn everything you need to know about Section 8 in Dallas or you can get updated information from the main HUD site. That one simple click of a button can help guide you through everything you need to get Section 8 in Dallas.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Using DoNotPay, you can find help with:
- Small Claims Court
- DMV Appointments
- Reduce your property taxes
- Help with bills
- Find missing money
- File a complaint
- Discover and apply for Scholarships