Application Instructions for Alabama Section 8

Step 1

In Alabama, the Section 8 Program is a housing choice voucher system. This program is federally funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The housing voucher program is available through Alabama public housing agencies (PHA), and it provides funds for households with either of the following circumstances:

• Very low-income in the household
• Elderly residents
• Disabled residents

The goal of the program is to help these households afford safe and sanitary housing. Through the program, recipients receive a housing voucher to use when searching for affordable housing on the private market. The landlord must agree to rent to the recipient according to the financial terms of the housing voucher.

Additionally, the housing must meet PHA standards for health and safety. The landlord then receives the rent subsidy through the PHA, while the household is responsible for paying the remainder of the rent. This voucher program can also be used for a household interested in purchasing a modest home.

Who can Qualify for Section 8?

To qualify for the Alabama Section 8 housing choice voucher program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a full-time resident in Alabama.
• You must be a US citizen or you must have an eligible immigration status. Eligible immigration includes individuals who are permanent residents. It also includes any immigrant who entered the US prior to January 1, 1972, and is a lawful permanent resident who has continuously remained a US residence during this period.
• Your household gross income cannot exceed 50 percent of the median income in their city or area.

The income information is available at your local PHA, or you can verify the income limit in your county yourself. To check the income limit in your city or county, HUD offers the FY Income Limits Documentation System. Select “Alabama” in the state category and then select the county you reside in. This provides the income limits for the program and will indicate whether you are eligible to apply.

Other criteria that will determine your eligibility includes, but is not limited to:

• Area of residence
• Assets
• Eviction history—The following individuals are not eligible:
• Anyone with a conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine in Section 8 housing
• Anyone who was evicted within 3 years for drug or criminal activity
• Household size—This can mean either an individual or a group with or without children. One person in the family will likely be over 62 or have a disability, which will qualify the household for a housing choice voucher.

These variables are well-vetted by your local PHA, which conducts applicant interviews and background checks. If you are selected to be on the housing choice voucher program, your name may be added to a waiting list if funding is currently unavailable. The program has limited resources, and certain households receive priority including:

• Individuals or families whom are homeless
• Those living in substandard housing
• Households paying more than 50 percent of their gross income in rent
• Individuals who are involuntarily displaced

How to Apply

To apply for the Alabama Section 8 housing choice voucher program, contact your local Alabama PHA. If you need additional assistance or have questions about the program, contact the HUD Birmingham Field Office, which provides Section 8 customer service for the entire state of Alabama.

The application process begins when you fill out the proper paperwork that you will receive via your PHA. This information will require you to document and show proof of your family income, assets, debts, and household status. You will be required to provide access to your bank, employer, and local agencies associated with your background so the PHA can verify your information.

Once the evaluation process is complete you will receive a letter stating your eligibility. If you are eligible for a housing choice voucher, then you will either be placed on a waiting list or provided with the housing voucher and instructions on how to proceed.

To find affordable housing that meets the Alabama Section 8 and PHA stipulations, check out the Alabama Property Locator Tool. Search by county to find safe and sanitary housing by renters participating in the housing choice voucher program.