Pennsylvania Section 8 requirements include a variety of standards your household must meet before you can receive these housing vouchers. Section 8 qualifications will check your family status, your total household income, your citizenship and residency status, and more. Knowing whether or not you are eligible to receive assistance includes understanding the basics of the Housing Choice Voucher Program, which is another name for Section 8 housing.
The Section 8 income limits are a base-level standard for whether or not your family unit will qualify for this assistance. Your Section 8 eligibility will be primarily based on that income threshold, with several other factors also considered. To check your own eligibility potential, review all of the details below, and make sure you understand the many eligibility factors set by the state. Section 8 in Pennsylvania, or the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development at the federal level.
Pennsylvania Section 8 housing eligibility standards include your family status, which essentially means who you live with, and who contributes to your household. Those seeking the answer to, “Do I qualify for low income housing” starts with evaluating your family unit. If you live alone, that is easy to calculate. But if any other people live with you, whether they are related to you or not, that will affect your family status.
Qualifying for Section 8 means you, and your entire household, meet the income limits and other eligibility criteria. Your household is usually defined as anyone living at home with you and sharing meals or other household responsibilities. If anyone in your home is elderly or disabled, that status will also offer priority in accessing affordable housing. Some Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) consider the elderly to be older than 55 years of age for housing vouchers.
HUD housing requirements in Pennsylvania also include the income level of your whole household. Remember that eligibility for Section 8 includes not just your family status, but also your total income. HUD estimates the Median Family Income and what is called the “Fair Market Rent” for every metropolitan area, as well as for specific parts of certain metropolitan areas, and for each non-metropolitan county. Note that there are statewide income limits, but there might also be different limits for your city or county where you currently live. Your local Housing Authority office can provide you with specific numbers for your area.
Section 8 income requirements are based on your family size. Once you have that specific Section 8 requirement figured out, you can then evaluate your total family income level, in order to see if you qualify or not. You can use the following charts to determine your family size and your income limits.
To figure out your Section 8 eligibility for income, first look at your adjusted monthly income. If you have a copy of your tax return from last year, you will see your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as a line item on the form. If you do not have a copy, then you can calculate your total by taking your total salary or annual income and divide it by 12 to find your monthly total. Remember to take any deductions first from your total income. Also, remember to check your exact local requirements as these are statewide income limits that could differ from your city or county totals.
| 2018 Very Low-Income (50%) Limit (VLIL) | ||||||||
| Median
Family Income |
1 People | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People | 7 People | 8 People |
| $74,000 | $25,900 | $29,600 | $33,300 | $37,000 | $39,950 | $42,900 | $45,900 | $48,850 |
| 2018 Extremely Low-Income Limit (ELIL) | |||||||
| 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People | 7 People | 8 People |
| $15,550 | $17,750 | $20,000 | $22,200 | $24,000 | $25,750 | $27,550 | $29,300 |
| 2018 Low-Income (80%) Limit (LIL) | |||||||
| 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People | 7 People | 8 People |
| $41,450 | $47,350 | $53,300 | $59,200 | $63,950 | $68,650 | $73,400 | $78,150 |
How to qualify for Section 8 housing also includes your residency in the state and your legal presence, if you are an immigrant. Only U.S. citizens and certain qualified immigrants should seek out how to apply for Section 8 housing assistance. Pennsylvania Section 8 requirements include your proof of legal presence and residency in the area where you are looking for new housing.
To meet the eligibility requirements for Section 8 housing in Pennsylvania, every household member older than 6 years of age must provide a Social Security Number, and adults must sign a declaration of citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will be required to provide proof of your acceptable immigrant status to qualify for vouchers.
Your Section 8 qualifications might also be affected by the availability of housing through your PHA. If there are waitlists, or if you cannot locate acceptable housing in your own area, you could consider moving to a different area with better availability. Check with that area’s PHA, first, for Section 8 housing eligibility to see if you must be a resident to qualify, or if you can apply prior to moving. And remember to take into account any commuting expenses if you keep your job but move to a new area.
Your eligibility for Section 8 housing will be reevaluated on an annual basis by your local PHA. If your family status, your total household income, your job status or other life changes have occurred, then you might become ineligible for Section 8. The amount you receive in vouchers could fluctuate, so make sure you notify your PHA of any changes, and always declare all relevant information for your case.
To contact your Pennsylvania HUD office, click here.