How to Secure Section 8 Housing In GA With No Waiting List
Georgia has 188 housing authorities across the state that offer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV). HCV is a rental assistance program helping low-income families and individuals find safe, affordable housing in the private market. Since are not open year-round, it's important to know how to determine if you're eligible for low-income housing assistance and when to apply for Section 8 vouchers. However, getting on the Georgia Section 8 waiting list is often time-consuming and hard to navigate on your own.
DoNotPay helps make the process of applying for GA Section 8 hassle-free. We understand the importance of everyone having the right to clean, safe housing and work on your behalf to help ensure you get Section 8 immediately.
Who Is Eligible for Section 8 Housing in Georgia?
There's no universal Section 8 application form available for all states or counties. To qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher Program in Georgia, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be a United States citizen or eligible immigrant.
- Be a state of GA resident.
- Be 18 years old or older.
- Be one or more individuals who live together, satisfying the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) definition of a family.
- Must have an income less than 50% of the median income for the county you live in via HUD-specified income limits. Use the U.S. Census Bureau's website to check the median income stats for your area.
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% or less of the average income in your area. You are still considered very low income if you only bring in 50% of that income and low income for 80%. |
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. |
When Does GA Section 8 Waiting List Open?
Georgia's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program in 149 counties across the state. Waiting lists for the low-income housing program vary by county in Georgia. DCA manages two waiting lists for the northern and southern parts of the state, and when the wait lists open, DCA announces it via
- DCA's website
- DCA's social media pages
- General newspaper circulation in the applicable countries
- DCA's application assistance phone at (888) 858-6085
- If available, minority media newspapers
If wait lists for the HVC program in your county aren't currently open, you should call DCA for more information about the next chance to get on the list for rental assistance. Phone Number for Georgia DCA: 1-888-858-6085
Documents and Information Needed to Apply for GA Section 8 Housing
When the opens, eligible applicants should apply using the DCA Applicant Portal. When applying for Section 8 housing in Georgia, you must have the following four items:
- Preliminary Application form
- Social Security number
- Verification of all income, expenses, assets, and any other items related to eligibility
- Signed consent forms
What Are the Fees for Applying for Section 8 in GA?
DCA does not charge any application fees for individuals interested in applying for the HVC Section 8 voucher program.
Apply to Be Added to the Section 8 GA Waiting List on Your Own
While there are no costs involved when applying for public housing in GA, it requires an excessive amount of waiting. From determining eligibility to finding when GA public housing waiting lists are open to completing the initial application, several steps are involved in getting added to the wait list in your county.
Follow these steps to navigate the Section 8 application program in Georgia.
- Determine eligibility for the GA low-income housing program.
- Identify when the Section 8 waiting list opens in your county.
- Submit a preliminary application via the DCA online portal using a desktop or mobile phone with Internet access.
- Receive an application confirmation number.
- Wait for the waiting list to close to see if your confirmation number is selected from the lottery.
- If accepted onto the GA Section 8 waiting list, DCA will verify your program eligibility before placing you on the waiting list.
- Once added to the waiting list, you must wait to become on the top of the list before getting considered for housing.
- Check your mail for the notice from DCA of getting selected from the public housing waiting list.
- Attend a required scheduled briefing before receiving your section 8 housing voucher. Be sure to bring any required documentation to the meeting.
- Find a housing unit that meets the voucher size received.
- Ensure the unit passes HUD's Housing Quality Standards.
- If all checks out, DCA will start the subsidy payment on your behalf.
DoNotPay Can Help You Get on the Section 8 Waiting List in GA
Applying for the Section 8 housing waiting list in Georgia can take hours of your time to find when the HVC waitlist opens and follow all the tedious steps to get on the list. We understand that it can be a real struggle navigating the GA waiting list for low-income housing. Therefore, DoNotPay is here to make the process fast and easy.
We contact the housing authority managing your desired location and quickly determine your eligibility for Section 8 housing on your behalf. If eligible, you'll receive an email with the next steps for applying to the GA public housing waiting list.
If you want to apply for Section 8 Housing in GA 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.
DoNotPay makes applying for the that simple! Contact us to learn how we can help with your government housing application in Georgia or any other state.
Learn About All the Ways DoNotPay Can Help
DoNotPay helps simplify the Section 8 housing application process and so much more.
- How to apply for section 8 housing in Atlanta, GA
- Steps for applying for section 8 in any state
- Overview of the HUD housing application
- Where to go to apply for section 8
- Section 8 government housing options in every state
- Find missing money with less hassle
- How to file a complaint against any company
Visit DoNotPay today!