ByHow to Qualify and Apply for Section 8 In Long Beach
Long Beach, CA is a beautiful coastal city in Southern California, filled with tourist attractions and a robust economic sector that includes manufacturing plants, universities, and healthcare companies. But not everyone in Long Beach has a job that allows them to take advantage of everything the city offers.
In fact, many in the city. The average rent in Long Beach is a whopping $2,444 a month, or almost $30,000 a year. But the poverty rate is 16.8%, meaning that roughly 78,000 residents are struggling to make it.
Section 8 is a federal program that can provide low-income workers and families with access to affordable housing. However, the application process can be challenging and time-consuming. Because it may take years before your Section 8 housing voucher is approved, it's important to take advantage of tools that can help you streamline the application process.
What Is Section 8?
Section 8 refers to a program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). HUD provides local PHAs with funding to allow low-income individuals and families to afford safe and stable housing.
PHAs assess Section 8 applications according to several criteria. Once an applicant has been deemed eligible, a PHA will help them locate housing with a rent price the agency deems reasonable. The PHA will then determine what portion of the rent the applicant will pay each month, typically around 30% of the individual or family's adjusted gross income, and provide the remainder directly to the landlord.
In applicants will apply through the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB), which is their local PHA.
Eligibility Requirements for Long Beach Section 8 Applicants
If you're looking to apply for, you should know that HACLB considers the following factors when assessing applications:
- Adjusted gross income (The income limits are listed here)
- Residency status (HACLB prioritizes residents first)
- Criminal history (Adults living in the household should not have a criminal record containing a violent or drug-related crime in the preceding three years)
Several factors determine whether or not you are eligible for Section 8 housing:
| Income Eligibility | You are making at or below the posted poverty line in your state. You are considered at the lowest income level if your family brings in only 30 percent or less of the average income in your area. You are still considered very low income if you only bring in 50 percent of that income and low income for 80 percent. |
| Age Eligibility | If you are above a certain age and still not bringing in enough income, you may qualify for Section 8 housing. Depending on a fixed income, those who are 65 and older could find themselves meeting these requirements. |
| Disability Eligibility | If you have been deemed disabled and unable to work, you are eligible for assistance, even as the head of household. |
What Kind of Housing Can You Get in Long Beach With a Section 8 Housing Voucher?
A common misconception is that Section 8 vouchers are available for public housing only. While HACLB does operate some public housing units (primarily for those meeting specific criteria, such as veteran status), Section 8 vouchers are good for many types of private rentals, from apartments to duplexes.
If you qualify, need, and can find three-bedroom housing with a reasonable rent (based on current market standards) for your family of four, your Section 8 housing voucher will help you make up the difference between your income and the rent.
You'll need to comply with the lease agreement you sign with your landlord, which may contain provisions for how you are to maintain the property, occupancy limits, and other restrictions. However, as long as you comply with your lease agreement and meet the income requirements of your Section 8 application, you'll be able to continue to take advantage of the program.
How to Apply for Section 8 Housing in Long Beach
While this program may seem too good to be true, the truth is, for most people, it is difficult to obtain Section 8 housing quickly. One of the recent pandemic rescue plans provided funds for an Emergency Housing Voucher for those in immediate need of housing assistance, as they are:
- Homeless, recently homeless, or facing homelessness.
- Fleeing domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, or a similar emergency.
However, these programs are only funded to support a limited number of people.
For most applicants, the Section 8 application process is time-consuming because there's limited funding for housing vouchers and the administration of the voucher program itself. In applications have generated waitlists. And because the waitlists are so long, the HACLB periodically closes the application period so that no new applications come in.
If you apply now, you could spend hours gathering the right information and completing the application only to learn that HACLB won't accept it.
A Simpler Section 8 Application Process
Rather than applying directly through HACLB, you're better off applying through DoNotPay with just two 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.
That's it. Just provide DoNotPay with the requested information, and we'll do the rest.
DoNotPay is:
- Fast—You don't have to spend hours trying to find affordable housing in Long Beach.
- Easy—You don't have to struggle to fill out tedious forms for affordable housing or keep track of all the steps involved in solving this problem.
- Successful—You can rest assured knowing we'll make the best case for you.
Why Using DoNotPay Is the Best Way to Apply for Section 8 Housing
DoNotPay simplifies the Section 8 housing voucher application process. We'll initiate contact with HACLB on your behalf and help you determine the application window. There is no tedious online research or call wait times while you try to get basic questions answered about applying.
Plus, if you're considering moving from Long Beach, DoNotPay can help you apply for Section 8 from anywhere in the country. It's the same simple two-step process, no matter where you are. So if you're looking for or anywhere else, use DoNotPay today.