Chapter 6: Housing

Section 1: HUD Housing Programs

Rental Assistance

The types of rental assistance available in most communities include:

Public Housing: Low income housing that is operated by the local housing authority. Much public housing is in apartment complexes for public housing recipients only, but some communities also offer scattered site public housing that allows recipients to live in single family homes.

Section 8: A rent subsidy that gives an eligible person some choice about where to live. Under Section 8, the local housing authority or a state housing agency gives the tenant a certificate or voucher that says the government will subsidize the person's rent payments. Generally, the tenant will pay no more than a third of his/her income on rent, with the government paying the rest. Under the Section 8 voucher program, a person may be allowed to pay a little more out of personal income to meet the higher rent charged in some areas or complexes. For the Section 8 subsidy to apply, housing must have been inspected and meet HUD standards.

A Note on Finding Section 8 Housing: Individuals who qualify for Section 8 rental assistance must generally find their own housing. The apartment, duplex or house must pass inspection and the landlord must agree to accept the Section 8 subsidy as part of the rent. This process can add to the time it takes to secure housing. The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) has prepared a list of landlords (by community) who already participate in the Section 8 program. Request the list by calling 405-419-8273 and ask to speak with a housing specialist or the operator.

Privately Owned Subsidized Housing: In this program, the government provides subsidies directly to the property owner who then applies the subsidies to the rents that are charged to low-income tenants.

Eligibility: Individual or family income must be at or below the maximum income guideline established for your area. This guideline varies from area to area. Anyone can apply for rental assistance. Most rental assistance programs in Oklahoma operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and do not apply priorities according to disability or other factors. There are frequently waiting lists, but their length varies by locale.

Apply directly with management offices at low-income subsidized apartment complexes. Information on these housing complexes is available on HUD web sites, from local HUD offices, and under PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES WITH RENT ASSISTANCE, this section.

Medical Deduction: Under public housing and Section 8, a medical deduction can be applied for persons with disabilities and elderly individuals. This deduction can make a difference by reducing the amount of rent a person must pay directly. A verification of disability is needed for the deduction. A person must be drawing SSI or SSDI, be 62 or over, or have a doctor's statement confirming a disability that probably qualifies for SSDI or SSI. The deduction is $400 annually plus an amount equal to the amount of income a person has to pay for medical expenses over 3% of their income. Eyeglasses, medications, medical supplies and equipment may all be considered medical expenses. When applying for Section 8 or public housing, a person must report he or she has a disability in order to be considered for the medical deduction.

Applications: Note: Housing authorities do not always have the same combination of programs. Some housing authorities offer only public housing, only Section 8, or only housing for American Indians. In general, applications can be made as follows:

Section 8 and Public Housing - apply at your local housing authority (See PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES, this section) or for rental assistance statewide you may apply at Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency.

Important Note: If you want to be considered for both public housing and Section 8 rental assistance, be sure to indicate you want to make application for both programs.

Rural Housing: In rural communities, the Department of Agriculture provides rental assistance programs, home improvement and repair loans and grants, and self-help housing loans to low-income individuals and families. See RURAL HOUSING, this Section, or visit the Rural Housing Service web site: www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/.

Section 811 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities - The Section 811 Program provides grants to nonprofit organizations to develop and construct or rehabilitate rental housing with supportive services for very-low-income persons with disabilities. The related Mainstream Program provides funding for Section 8 vouchers and certificates to very-low-income families in which the head of household, spouse or sole family member is a person with a disability. Section 811 provides capital advances for development, construction or rehabilitation of housing with supportive services. The advances are interest-free and do not have to be paid back if the housing remains available for very low income persons with disabilities for at least 40 years.

The Mainstream Program can be used by public housing authorities (PHA's) to increase the number of Section 8 vouchers and certificates it can provide to very low income families with disabilities. Any PHA can apply for up to 100 of these slots. PHA's must apply with HUD and can obtain applications from HUD field offices or the web site www.hud.gov.

Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency

100 N.W. 63rd St., Ste. 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 26720
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0720

800-256-1489 Toll Free
405-848-1144 Voice
405-848-7471 TDD

www.ohfa.org

OHFA provides rental assistance, homebuyer assistance and other programs for low to moderate income families statewide, as well as tax credits and financial help for developers of affordable and low income housing.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

451 7th St., S.W.
Washington,DC 20410

202-708-1112 Voice
202-708-0980 Voice
202-708-1455 TTY

www.hud.gov

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity webpage is designed to answer frequently asked questions on the housing rights of people with disabilities and the responsibilities of housing providers and building and design professionals under federal law. Direct link: www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/index.cfm.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Oklahoma City Office

301 N.W. 6th St., Ste. 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

405-609-8509 Voice
405-609-8982 Fax
405-609-8480 TTY

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Tulsa Office

Williams Center Tower II
2 W. 2nd St., Ste. 400
Tulsa, OK 74103

918-292-8900 Voice
918-292-8993 Fax

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07/09/2008