To meet the Section 8 requirements in Connecticut, your family must fall within the income limits and be legally present in the U.S. You will also need to make sure you meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of a “family” in order to qualify.
Before you can determine your eligibility, though, it is important to understand how the Section 8 program works. HUD administrates the program at a federal level, distributing funds to local public housing agencies (PHAs). In turn, each PHA determines the eligibility criteria that you must meet to receive housing vouchers, which will help you cover the cost of rent.
Many of the Section 8 eligibility criteria are the same, no matter where you live in the U.S., but some factors can vary based on the community in which you reside. The Section 8 income limits, for example, will be different in each metropolitan area or county, due to the fact that the average income will vary in each of these areas.
Below, learn more about the income limits and other requirements you must meet to get Section 8 vouchers in Connecticut.
One of the most important Section 8 qualifications in Connecticut is that you must meet the HUD’s definition of a “family.” A family can be composed of a single person who is elderly, disabled or displaced by a natural disaster or government action.
Families can also be comprised of two or more individuals who are related by blood, marriage, adoption status or other legal action. To be eligible for Section 8, a family of two or more people does not have to have children, nor does a family of this size necessarily need to be elderly, displaced or disabled.
When asking, “Do I qualify for low income housing in Connecticut?” it is important that you learn who can and cannot be counted as a family member. As you are adding up those who are related by blood, marriage or adoption, be sure that you include children who are attending school out of the home, but who return on school breaks.
Biological children of yours who are placed in foster care outside of the home should also be counted. If you are in the process of adopting a child, or there is an unborn child, he or she can be included.
In addition to children, when reviewing if you qualify for HUD housing benefits, any family members who are temporarily or permanently out of the home can be included in your count, such as those who are receiving treatment in a hospital or rehabilitation center, as well as those living in nursing homes.
As you are considering your Section 8 housing eligibility, note that HUD’s definition of a “family” is not the same as the definition of a “household.” Your family does not include foster children or adults that you host, nor does it include live-in aides or houseguests who are not related to you.
Guests, foster children or aides may count as part of your household for other government assistance programs, but they do not count as family members when it comes to learning how to apply for Section 8 benefits.
The HUD housing requirements in Connecticut state that applicants must be low-income earners or extremely low-income earners. In general, a petitioner is considered extremely low-income if he or she is at or below 30 percent of the median family income in the area. On the other hand, applicants are categorized as low-income if they make 50 percent of the median income.
While a low-income petitioner can qualify for Section 8, PHAs oftentimes give preference to families who are extremely low-income. In fact, by law, PHAs are usually required to reserve 75 percent of their housing vouchers for families that are at or below 30 percent of the median family income.
When asking how to qualify for Section 8 housing, you will need to know the median income in your metropolitan area or county. The Section 8 income requirements vary from place to place, but you can still get a general idea of the maximum income you can have in Connecticut in the table below. Your local PHA can provide exact limits for your area.
| Family Size | 50 Percent of Median Family Income | 30 Percent of Median Family Income |
| 1 | $33,900 | $20,350 |
| 2 | $38,700 | $23,250 |
| 3 | $43,550 | $26,150 |
| 4 | $48,400 | $29,050 |
| 5 | $52,250 | $31,350 |
| 6 | $56,150 | $33,700 |
| 7 | $60,000 | $36,000 |
| 8 | $63,900 | $38,350 |
To meet the requirements for Section 8 in CT, families must be legally present in the U.S. The Section 8 program is only open to those who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or legal noncitizens.
Examples of legal noncitizens include individuals who have been granted temporary or permanent residency as a special agricultural worker, an asylum-seeker or other similar reasons. International students do not meet the qualifications for Section 8, even if they are in the U.S. legally.
It is also important to learn about the Section 8 requirements for residency before you apply. You do not need to live within the service-area of a PHA in order to apply for assistance. However, many PHAs serve applicants who already live in their jurisdiction, first.
Therefore, you can still be approved for vouchers if you meet the criteria of the PHA where you are applying, but you may be placed on a waiting list for a longer period of time.
If you meet the Section 8 housing eligibility requirements, but do not live in the PHA’s jurisdiction yet, you usually must rent a unit within the PHA’s service area for at least 12 months before you can move elsewhere. Applicants who already live in the jurisdiction of a PHA can move anywhere in the U.S. – as soon as they receive their vouchers.
If you meet the CT Section 8 income limits and the other qualifications, it is still possible to be denied for other reasons. Your application may be flagged for disqualification if any of the following points apply to you (or your family members):
To contact your Connecticut HUD office, click here.