HUD Public Housing Information

Finding an affordable place to live can be difficult. This is especially true if you are having financial difficulty and need assistance meeting your basic needs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established the public housing program to provide you with safe and clean rental housing if you are eligible. Public housing is available to low income families, if anyone in your family has a disablity, or you are a senior citizen.

There are about 1.2 million families that are living in public housing units. Public housing varies from single family homes to apartment complexes. The public housing program is managed locally by the Public Housing Agency (PHA). HUD provides federal funds to the local PHAs so they can offer housing for low income residents.

Are You Eligible For Public Housing Assistance?

In order to qualify for public housing assistance you must be a low income individual or family. The public housing agency will decide if you are eligible based on your annual gross income, if you are disabled or a senior citizen. In addition, you must be a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status.

Once the PHA has determined you are eligible for public housing, they will check the references on you application to make sure that you and your family will be good tenants. You can be denied admittance to the public housing program if your local PHA decides that your behavior will have a negative effect on other tenants living in the project area.

So what are the income limits? HUD establishes the income limits and they can vary by geographical area because the median income amount varies throughout the country. The very low income limits are set at 50% of the median income level and the lower income limits are set at 80% of the mediain income level for the county or large metropolitan area in which you live. The Median Family Income (MFI) is based on a family of four.

For example: In 2010, New Jersey had the highest median family income of $86,300. Very low income would be 50% of the median family income which would equal $41,350. Mississippi had the lowest median family income of $47,300 and the very low income level would be $23,650.

The Public Housing Application Process

If you are interested in living in public housing and feel that you are eligible, you will need to contact your local housing agency or your local HUD office to get a public housing application.

The application is a written application and either you or your housing agency staff member can fill it out with you. In order to properly fill out the application you will need:

1. The name of all the family members that will be living in the unit. You will also need their birthdate, sex, and relationship to the head of the family.

2. Your current address and phone number.

3. Your present living conditions.

4. Names and addresses of your current and past landlords so they can do a reference check to see if you were a good tenant.

5. The estimated annual family income for the next year and the source of that income.

6. You will also need to provide documents like your birth certificate and tax returns to help verify your information.

7. Names and addresses of banks and financial institutions that could be contacted to verify your income and financial situation.

8. Finally, the PHA may request to visit your current home so they can interview you and the members of your family and see your current living condition.

Once your application is completed and submitted to the housing agency, you will be notified in writing whether you are accepted into the public housing program. If you are accepted, your name will be put on a waiting list, if there is one, and the housing agency will contact you when a unit meeting your needs becomes available. If your application is declined, you must be told the reason, and you can request an informal hearing to discuss your situation.

When you are offered public housing in the form of an apartment or house, if you decide to live there, you will need to sign a lease with the housing agency. Your rent will be determined based on your future annual family total income minus any deducations the housing agency applies. Your rent is called the Total Tentant Payment (TTP).

The Public Housing Agency and its staff is responsible for answering your questions, helping you with the application process, determining your eligibility and the rent, managing the lease, reexamine  your family income every year, maintain a safe and healthy living development, and terminate your lease if necessary.

Once approved, you can stay in public housing as long as you comply with the terms of the lease. If your family income increases  to the level where you can afford housing in the private market, your housing agency will decide if you can continue to live in public housing. You will not be required to move out of public housing unless there is affordable housing on the private market that is available.

WhatIsHUD.com is an information website owned by What Is It LLC.

Learn more about What Is It at MyWhatIsIt.com... "We Simplify The Complex".

The official U.S. Government HUD Web site is HUD.gov