Application Instructions for Kansas Section 8
Step 1
Residents living in Kansas who need financial assistance for housing can benefit from Kansas Section 8 programs. Through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local public housing authorities (PHAs) these programs include:
- Public housing program
- Housing Choice Voucher program
If you are unable to afford housing that is safe and sanitary, then you may be eligible for Section 8 services. The public housing program offers low-income Kansas residents with project-based apartment complexes. If eligible your household can live in a public housing unit for an affordable flat-rate cost.
For households interested in living in privately-owned residences, such as single-family homes, townhomes, or apartments, there is the Housing Choice Voucher program. This Section 8 program allows you to choose where you want to live, if your landlord is an active participant in the Housing Choice Voucher program. You are provided with a subsidy that is paid directly to your landlord to pay for up to 70 percent of your rental costs.
Applying to these Section 8 programs involves getting on a waitlist. For the public housing program the waitlist time ranges from six to 18 months. For the Housing Choice Voucher program the waitlist period averages from one to three years.
Once you apply for Kansas Section 8 your name is put on a waitlist in the PHA service area where you apply. Keep in mind if you decide to change to another waitlist, you will have to reapply to that PHA. When your name comes up for services, you will be contacted by your PHA representative. They will provide you with information on how to proceed with the program. If you are chosen for public housing you will be given an address of your new home. For those qualifying for the Housing Choice Voucher program you will need to find an affordable rental that meets Section 8 requirements.
Who can Qualify for Section 8?
The income for your household must be considered low-income to qualify you for Kansas Section 8 assistance. This is the primary factor, but it is not the only qualifier you must meet to be applicable. For low-income limits in Kansas these include:
- $38,350 for a one-person household
- $43,850 for a two-person household
- $49,300 for a three-person household
- $54,800 for a four-person household
Limits are noted for up to an eight-person household, but if you have more than eight family members this will be noted for consideration.
When you apply for Kansas Section 8 you will also need to provide detailed information about everyone in your household. This information includes:
- Household composition, which requires documentation for all members 18 and older in your household including a photo ID, Social Security card, and birth certificates for each person
- Current landlord contact information
- Proof of employment
- Pay stubs, child support receipts, veterans benefits letter, etc. to prove income sources
- Bank statement and checking account information
You must also provide proof of preference claimed, which you will be given when you put your name on the waitlist. This documentation requires you to indicate if there are any adults who are working, going to work training programs, or disabled in your household. If you have anyone in your household who is elderly, this will also be noted on your proof of preference claimed. Other information included on this document is whether you are homeless, involuntary displaced, or a full-time student. Each of these factors is involved in deciding when you are moved up on the waitlist.
How to Apply
Begin the application process for Kansas Section 8 by contacting a PHA office near you that provides the Section 8 services you want to sign up for. For example, some PHA offices only provide low-rent assistance, as other locations provide both Section 8 and low-rent programs. After you apply you will receive notice that you are placed on a waitlist.
In Kansas, there are 64 waiting lists for public housing and five Housing Choice Voucher waitlists that are currently open. Note that the Kansas City, Kansas Housing Authority waitlist is permanently closed, so if you are living in the city you may want to opt for a suburb or other area of the state.
To find out more information about the waitlists or application process for Section 8 in Kansas, contact your local PHA office or the Kansas City Regional Office for your state HUD representative.