You may be in great need of decent living conditions and housing. However, your earnings may limit you from achieving this. You may also have dependents and thus, your income will be overstretched. The good news is that you can get housing assistance through the Section 8 housing program. Aside from your income, your age is yet another eligibility criteria when you apply for housing assistance. Read on as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What age requirements does Section 8 Housing have?’
What Age Requirements Does Section 8 Housing Have?
Section 8 is a federal program has a number of requirements that must be met. When applying for housing assistance, there are various eligibility criteria that you should meet, age included. How does your age and that of people in your household influence your chances of getting housing vouchers? The following are the age requirements that Section 8 housing program has:
Minimum age requirement
To apply for housing assistance, you must be at least 18 years old or older. This is because, at this age, citizens are considered to be legally emancipated. If you are the head of a household, you would have to include your age in your application. In your application, you will provide the required data. This is expected to prove your level of need for decent, safe and affordable housing through rental assistance in the federally funded program.
In addition to your personal information, you will be required to include information on your dependents. If you have one or more individuals who are 62 years or above in your household, you may have a higher chance of getting housing assistance.
Senior citizens
A senior citizen is an individual who is 62 years or older. Priority is given to senior citizens when it comes to qualification and the speed of processing the application. Such individuals have a higher chance of getting their housing vouchers sooner than other applicants. If you are above the age of 62 years, it is advisable that you look for housing assistance in housing programs that are specifically for the elderly. In addition to this, if you are between the ages of 50 and 61 years old, you are considered to be nearly elderly. There are also housing programs specifically for the nearly elderly.
It is also good to note that each State has its own set of age requirements for housing programs and area median income. It is advisable that you check if your local Public Housing Authority (PHA) has specific age requirements, preferences, or restrictions. This information will help you make an informed decision as you make your application. You will be able to determine how best your age will influence your chances of getting housing vouchers.
Your Age is Your Advantage
Whilst the main consideration for Section 8 is low-income, you can have your age work out to your advantage. Your age will also act as proof of your need to get housing assistance. It’s part of the approval process as well. Hopefully, your application will be successful.
