Eligibility for housing assistance in South Carolina is determined by various Section 8 qualifications mandated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Residents who meet these qualifications may use the Section 8 program, otherwise known as the Housing Voucher Program. Residents must meet the Section 8 income limits outlined for their county to be considered eligible to receive this government-funded housing assistance.
Your Section 8 eligibility is primarily contingent upon your income level and the number of occupants currently residing in your home, though other factors are considered by housing authority representatives. A criminal background check is administered as part of the Section 8 eligibility process, as those with serious criminal convictions are not eligible to receive assistance through this program. To determine your Section 8 housing eligibility, you may utilize the following information to help establish the qualifications for yourself and for your family members.
To meet Section 8 requirements for family status, you must provide all necessary information pertaining to everyone who resides in your home with you and is going to reside with you if you receive housing assistance from the state. Your family status is comprised of how many people occupy your residence, including yourself. The Section 8 income limits in South Carolina are based upon the number of people in a household, and you must claim each individual who resides with you to remain in compliance with these laws. If more than one person in your household works, you must provide information about his or her employment and income in addition to the career and income information you are listing for yourself.
If you are wondering “Do I qualify for low income housing?” you must calculate your yearly income to determine if you are eligible for this program. The Section 8 income limits in South Carolina vary depending upon the county in which you reside and the size of your family. Your total household income cannot exceed 50 percent of the annual median income for your county of residence. To determine where you fall in these Section 8 requirements, utilize the existing charts for income limitations:
If your household size exceeds these limits, you may contact the Public Housing Authority (PHA) for your county to determine what the Section 8 income limits are for families exceeding five members. Additionally, the size of your family must be able to meet the occupancy standards for the rental unit you have expressed interest in to retain your eligibility. You do not meet the Section 8 requirements for a small-sized apartment if you currently have six or more people living with you when you apply.
To meet the HUD housing requirements for Section 8 housing, you must either be a United States citizen, or you must receive eligible immigration status before you can apply for Section 8. When you are applying for Section 8 benefits in South Carolina, you must provide a copy of your birth certificate and a current address for a South Carolina resident. Your application cannot be processed until you have provided evidence of your citizenship or evidence that you are a non-citizen categorized as legally present as per HUD regulations.
In addition to the Section 8 income requirements and the residency requirements, there are a few rules you must abide by to retain eligibility for the public housing program in your county. Section 8 qualifications stipulate you cannot receive assistance if you or a member of your family has been convicted of a serious crime. If you or a family member has been found guilty of manufacturing methamphetamine drugs or producing methamphetamine drugs, you are no longer eligible for Section 8 housing. This regulation is upheld regardless of whether you or your family member was manufacturing or producing methamphetamine in a different state or location.
Additional regulations that may affect your Section 8 qualifications include other crime related charges, such as whether you or a family member living in your home have been registered as a sex offender. The HUD states that it denies applications for individuals who are currently registered as a sex offender or who live with a family member who is currently registered as a sex offender. To retain Section 8 eligibility, you and your family must undergo a background check after the initial application has been submitted, at which point your application may be denied if incriminating information has been found. You must disclose all necessary information during these processes, such as criminal records and sex offender registrations.
You and each family member intending to reside with you must additionally undergo a credit check upon submission of your housing application. To meet Section 8 qualifications, neither you nor a family member can have outstanding debt owed to a previous landlord. If you owe money to a previous landlord, you may lose your ability to receive Section 8 housing in South Carolina.
To contact your South Carolina HUD office, click here.