The Section 8 requirements in Colorado indicate what income and family composition you can have to qualify for government assistance to help with paying your rent. Section 8, otherwise known as the housing choice voucher program, is overseen by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
However at the local level, funds are distributed by public housing agencies (PHAs). Because PHAs are in charge of giving out housing vouchers, they are also responsible for determining the eligibility criteria for the program. The Section 8 qualifications can vary slightly, depending on where you live in Colorado, due to the fact that there are various PHAs, and each has its own criteria.
In addition to meeting the Section 8 income limits in CO, you will also need to verify that you are present in the U.S. legally. Housing vouchers, like many other forms of government assistance, are only available to those who are legally present.
Below, learn everything you need to know to meet the Section 8 eligibility criteria to see if housing assistance can help you, and discover whether your family can qualify.
The requirements for Section 8 in CO outline which applicants are eligible, based on their family sizes and statuses. HUD defines “family” in a few different ways. First, a family can be a single person who is elderly, disabled or displaced by a disaster or government action.
Second, families can be composed of two or more people, with or without children, who are connected to one another by blood, marriage or adoption.
Your Section 8 housing eligibility can also be based on your family size. Therefore, when asking, “Do I qualify for low income housing?” you will need to learn who to count as a family member, and who must be excluded. As you are counting the members of your household who are related to you by blood, marriage or adoption, make sure you include:
The eligibility requirements for Section 8 in CO prevent you from counting people in your household, such as guests, foster children for whom you care or live-in aides who help elderly or disabled members of your family. These individuals may count as part of your household, but they do not technically qualify as family members, as far as your local PHA is concerned
The HUD housing requirements in Colorado also specify the maximum income that your family can have, in order to qualify for assistance. The income limits for Section 8 are mainly determined by your family size. In general, the smaller your family is, the lower the income limit is. Furthermore, income limits are set by looking at the median family income in any given area.
You can generally meet the Section 8 income requirements if your family’s income is at, or below, 50 percent of the median family income in the area. However, PHAs are typically required to save 75 percent of their housing vouchers for families who are deemed to have extremely-low incomes.
Therefore, you may receive vouchers in a quicker timeframe if your income is at or below 30 percent of the local median family income. This is because families with a significantly lower incomes are usually in more dire need of help.
Remember that the income requirements for Section 8 in Colorado will vary based on where you live, due to the fact that the median family income is different in each county or metropolitan area in the state.
The only way to determine the exact income limits for your area is to contact the PHA that serves your community. However, you can get a good idea of the income cutoffs by referring to the average limits for Colorado in the table below.
| Family Size | 50 Percent of Median Family Income | 30 Percent of Median Family Income |
| 1 | $28,900 | $17,350 |
| 2 | $33,050 | $19,800 |
| 3 | $37,150 | $22,300 |
| 4 | $41,300 | $24,800 |
| 5 | $44,600 | $26,750 |
| 6 | $47,900 | $28,750 |
| 7 | $51,200 | $30,750 |
| 8 | $54,500 | $32,700 |
When asking how to qualify for Section 8 housing in Colorado, note that your assets will usually be included, in addition to your actual income. Your local PHA can help you determine how your assets affect your eligibility, based on your income. Assets generally include:
An applicant’s eligibility for Section 8 is also based on whether he or she is living in the U.S. legally. Petitioners can only qualify for Section 8 in CO if they are a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national or are an eligible noncitizen.
Examples of eligible non-citizens include those who have been granted permanent or temporary resident status, such as special agricultural workers or noncitizens who have been granted asylum in the U.S.
In addition to the legal presence requirements for Section 8, you also need to meet residency requirements. You can only qualify to apply for the housing program if you maintain a single residence. Furthermore, you cannot receive Section 8 benefits if you are already getting assistance through other federal housing programs at your residence.
When reviewing the Section 8 requirements in Colorado, it is important to note that some PHAs distribute vouchers through a lottery-style drawing each year. In order to participate in the lottery, you must be 18 years of age or older. In most cases, you do not need to live in the service-area of a PHA in order to enter its drawing.
However, if you are selected, you must live in the jurisdiction of the PHA for the first 12 months that you begin receiving vouchers. The eligibility requirements for Section 8 lottery drawings include the same criteria you must meet to receive Section 8 benefits through a traditional application. Contact your local PHA to learn more about the lottery eligibility requirements and drawing process.
To contact your Colorado HUD office, click here.