How to Qualify for Low Income Housing in Idaho
Your only choices for low-income housing in most parts of Idaho are HUD's Section 8 and public housing programs. Applying for both programs is no different in Idaho than it is in most states across the country. Depending on which Idaho city you live in, however, you might have to deal with an issue common to HUD's subsidized housing programs -- long waiting lists.
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Instructions
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Contact the Idaho public housing agency (PHA) that covers your area. HUD maintains an online database of PHAs searchable by location. If you live in Boise, for example, you need to call the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority at 208-345-4907.
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Ask your PHA if you need to get on a waiting list for assistance. The Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority notes on its website that the wait for the public housing program is between three months and two years, depending on resident turnover. Section 8 wait time ranges between 36 and 48 months. Both estimates are as of October 2010. A spot on the wait list does not guarantee housing assistance; your PHA will likely require you to confirm eligibility when your name comes up. You can apply simultaneously for both programs.
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Compare your income to HUD's 2010 income limits for Idaho. You can apply for Section 8 assistance if your household income does not exceed 50 percent of your area's median income, and public housing if it is not more than 80 percent of your area's median. In the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area, 80 percent of the median for a family of four equals $49,500, as of 2010. Fifty percent of the median is $30,950. These numbers vary by location. In Pocatello, for instance, 80 percent and 50 percent of the median for a family of four is $44,500 and $27,800, respectively.
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Provide documents, such as tax returns and pay stubs, to verify your income. Your PHA also certifies your immigration status. You must be a U.S. citizen or hold an "eligible immigration status," according to HUD, to apply for public housing or Section 8. You'll also need to document how many people make up your household using Social Security numbers and birth certificates.
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Tips & Warnings
There is a difference between public housing and Section 8. Your local PHA owns and operates public housing developments with rents set at affordable levels. Through Section 8, you use a rental subsidy to secure housing from a private market landlord who accepts Section 8 tenants.
Your PHA may reserve some housing for specific groups. For example, the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority explains that Shoreline North, a development erected under the "Section 8 New Construction" program, only accepts elderly and disabled people.
Your income is the biggest factor your PHA uses in evaluating your eligibility for assistance. If your income changes, you are obligated to inform your PHA. Your PHA recertifies your income annually. Hiding income or not reporting an increase in income constitutes fraud and can result in a loss of benefits and other sanctions.
