The Housing Choice Voucher program—still widely called "Section 8"—is the largest federal rental-assistance program in the United States. It helps families with low incomes rent housing on the private market by covering part of the rent each month. This guide explains who runs it, who qualifies, and how the money actually flows.
Who runs the program
Section 8 is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) but administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). Your local PHA takes applications, manages the waiting list, checks eligibility, and issues vouchers. Because each PHA serves a specific area, where you apply matters.
How the rent split works
With a voucher, a household generally pays about 30% of its adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The voucher covers the difference between that amount and the unit's rent, up to a local "payment standard" set by the PHA. If you choose a unit that rents for more than the payment standard, you pay the extra yourself.
Who qualifies
Eligibility is based primarily on income, household size, and citizenship or eligible immigration status. Income limits are set each year by HUD for every metro area and county, expressed as a percentage of Area Median Income (AMI)—most vouchers go to households at or below 50% of AMI, with a large share reserved for "extremely low income" households near 30% of AMI. PHAs also screen rental history and may apply local preferences.
Finding a unit
Once you receive a voucher, you find a unit where the landlord accepts vouchers and that passes a HUD housing-quality inspection. Vouchers are also portable—in many cases you can move and take the assistance with you. To see income-based and HUD-assisted properties in your area, browse housing by state on Lease Lantern.
The waitlist reality
Demand far exceeds supply, so most PHAs keep long waiting lists and many open them only periodically. Getting on multiple lists improves your odds—see our guide on how affordable housing waitlists work. If you are weighing your options, our overview of income-based housing explains how vouchers compare to other programs.