How to Qualify and Apply for Utah Section 8

Application Instructions for Utah Section 8

Step 1

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides Utah Section 8 at the state level through public housing authorities (PHA). These PHAs accept applications to waitlists for various service areas. Section 8 services are available for low-income households that cannot affordable decent and safe housing in Utah. The programs available to Utah residents via Section 8 include the following:

Low-income public housing
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

If you are unable to find a safe place to live, you may be eligible to qualify for the low-income public housing services. With this Section 8 program you are provided with a safe home to live in. In Utah, there are more than 3,500 project-based apartments, which are also referred to as HUD apartments, that qualify for the Section 8 program. When you are approved for low-income public housing, you are expected to pay a preset rate that is determined according to low-income limits in the area. Your rent will not cost more than 30 percent of your income.

If you already have a place to live or want to choose your own home, you can apply for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. This Utah Section 8 program lets you choose the privately-owned rental home of your choice. Additionally, as long as the home is in the state, then your HCV will transfer and remain eligible. The way this Section 8 program works is by sending your landlord a rental subsidy to cover the majority of your rent. The subsidy ensures you will not pay more than 30 percent of the adjusted monthly income of your household. Your landlord will need to be vetted and approved as a Section 8 service provider for eligibility. This involves meeting HUD standards for safe and sanitary housing.

To receive the low-income public housing or the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher in Utah, you must first qualify to apply for assistance.

Who can Qualify for Section 8?

To qualify for Utah Section 8, first examine your household income. You cannot earn more than the annual low-income limits for your household size. For a household of one, your annual income cannot exceed $40,150 to be considered low-income, while a family size of five cannot earn more than $61,950 a year. If you meet this baseline qualifier, then you can proceed to the next variables.

HUD has stipulated certain requirements that all applicants must meet. These include:

Your household cannot include anyone living in the US illegally.
The person applying for Utah Section 8 for your household must be at least 18.
All adults in your household must pass a criminal background check.
Your rental history must be free of any defaults or unpaid rental expenses.

If you have someone living with you who is disabled or elderly the household will receive priority placement. Additionally, if you have received Utah Section 8 in the past, your rental history and account standing will be considered.

How to Apply

Start the application process by calling the public housing authority in your area or that offers the Section 8 service you want to apply to. You will be provided with an application and instructions on how to complete the application. Make sure to follow the instructions to the letter, and also provide all requested forms and documents.

Once you have completed the application process you will be placed on a waitlist:

Utah has eight waitlists currently open for the Housing Choice Voucher program
There are 11 public housing waitlists, and only the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake is currently closed.

The waitlist process can take a long time to complete. Some households are on waitlists for months, while others are on these for years. Once you are selected for the Section 8 program you have applied to, you will be given instructions on how to proceed. For applicants to public housing you are provided with a housing unit and the move-in instructions. For HCV recipients, you have 90 days to find a low-income home that meets HUD requirements for Utah Section 8.

If you have questions or concerns with applying for Utah Section 8 contact your local PHA office. You can also reach out to the HUD agent at the Salt Lake City Field Office.