Housing

City Government Affordable Housing

Through various city programs, affordable housing is available to both individuals and families! Whether you are seeking affordable senior housing or affordable rental housing, you can take advantage of the resources provided by your local city government.

Many cities use a lottery system to determine who receives low-income or affordable housing. All applicants must meet the individual program requirements to be eligible for the lottery. Preference is also given to active-duty uniformed police officers, mobility, and vision-impaired applicants.

How do I participate in the affordable housing assistance lottery?

First, you must fill out an application and mail it to the developer of the property within the specified deadline. A newspaper advertisement will usually provide all the information necessary to properly apply. The ad should include:

• Income guidelines
• Contact information
• Mailing address to request an application
• Mailing address to mail completed application
• Deadlines for applications

A set time after the application deadline, applications are randomly selected. Based on information provided on selected applications, a list is created. Then, the developer schedules interviews with applicants. There is no application or broker fee. However, upon an applicant passing the interview, the developer may ask for a fee to run a credit check.

If an interested party is not called for an interview, it is probably because:

• Their application was not drawn
• The eligibility requirements were not met
• Their application was received late

What are some types of affordable housing projects?

While some cities have areas categorized as affordable housing projects, other cities have what is referred to as an 80/20 program. The program uses tax-exempt bonds to create affordable housing projects in desirable areas throughout the city. Using tax-exempt bonds reduces the construction costs. In exchange, 20 percent of the units are reserved for tenants earning a maximum of 50 percent of the area’s median income. These units are generally not labeled as “80/20” in ads, but will say “affordable housing.”

Affordable senior housing options

Generally for elderly, low-income persons, cities have rent control or rent stabilization programs. Under these programs, an owner is limited on the rent that can be charged and restricts the right to evict. Rent control tenants are protected from large increases in rent and can renew their leases annually based upon controlled rent. A rent guidelines board usually sets an acceptable percentage increase for renewals. Subletting can only be done with qualified tenants and only by approval of the landlord.

The Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption Program (SCRIE) may entitle some senior citizens protection from future rent increases.

Section 8 Housing

Another form of affordable housing is the Section 8 Housing program. Section 8 is a federal program granting housing subsidies to low-income persons. Tenants who qualify under Section 8 contribute 30% of their income to rent, while the government pays the difference. This program creates affordable rental housing options to those who qualify.

The downside to Section 8 is the long waiting list. For example, the waiting list for obtaining Section 8 apartments is approximately eight years in New York City, and there are nearly half a million families on California’s affordable housing list. Boston’s affordable housing options are limited through Section 8, as the lottery only considers the first 8,000 applicants on the waiting list.

Typically, a tenant applies for Section 8 through either a certificate or voucher. In New York City, for example, Section 8 vouchers are only for referrals by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services or for victims of domestic violence.

You can typically access a Section 8 application through your local housing department; for example, you can access Los Angeles affordable housing through the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. To get more information on Section 8, contact your city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development or Housing Authority.

Buying Affordable Housing

Many of the same city government agencies that provide assistance with affordable senior housing and Section 8 Housing can also offer assistance in buying affordable housing. Here are some places to contact:

• Department of Housing Preservation and Development
• Any local non-profit organizations that specialize in low-income mortgage assistance.
• Other non-profit groups offering counseling on saving for a down payment, down payment assistance, and credit counseling.
• Check with your local government for similar nonprofit and government agencies regarding affordable home ownership.