Hi, i have a question, can you help me ? My girlfriend is on a housing program named Section 8,

Question

Hi, i have a question, can you help me ? My girlfriend is on a housing program named Section 8, in Tacoma, Washigton State, we have plans to get married but we dont know if she will loosing the Section 8 or not, is there a proper way to do this? How can we get married without loosing section 8? Please help!! Do i have to apply to the program? What can we do? Thanks for your time.

Answer 1

When your girlfriend received her voucher for Section 8 she also received a list of responsibilities that she signed for the program; if she no longer has that list she should contact her case manager. So, to indirectly answer your question, yes she might lose her Section 8 under certain circumstances:

If your combine incomes after you are married exceed the maximum payment standard for your state.

You do not have to apply for the program, but your girlfriend needs to inform her case manager of your intent of marriage; because you will need to have a criminal backround check done on you (federal programs do not pay for convicted persons to be on any assisted housing programs), you will also need to have an employment/income verification done on you.

As far as I know if both of you qualify for the program you are entitled to use the same voucher for as long as you meet the HUD requirements. So, it is absolutely imperative she contact her case manager in writing for complete instructions.

Answer 2

You can be married and be on section 8.

If you live with her, married or not, you HAVE to qualify for the program.   One part of the couple can not qualify and the other not, she could end up in prison for fraud if you are living with her and she is living off of the tax payers w/o you qualifying.

Her social worker will give  you the forms you need to submit.   Your presence may qualify her for a bigger unit, so you may have the opportunity to live in a bigger home, it depends on other circumstances, mainly the children involved.

Answer 3

You have to meet the guidelines whether you're married or not.

Answer 4

read all the answers---they are all good ones

Answer 5

It is not clear if you are referring to the tenant-based program (voucher) or project-based program, in which the subsidy stays with the apt. and the tenant loses the subsidy upon move-out.  I can speak to the project-based regulations, but I imagine the eligibility requirements for both programs are similar.

The lease and federal Section 8 program requirements require tenants to acquire management's written consent prior to moving anyone into the apartment.  If she does not do this, she risks losing her Section 8 assistance, her tenancy may be terminated and the U.S. Inspector General's office may investigate the matter for fraud.

An eligibility determination needs to be made on a proposed adult member and income/assets need to be verified.  Management will need to ensure that the applicable income limit is not exceeded and that the unit will be the new member's only place of residence.  Management will also need to make sure that the household meets the occupancy standards.

The new member will also need to meet the owner's screening criteria.  A criminal background check and s*x offender check will need to be run.  If required by the owner, a proposed member will be subject to credit checks, landlord checks, home visits, etc.

If the proposed member is successfully added to the lease, his or her income will be included in the total household income.  As such, the rent may increase as a result.  If the head-of-household is elderly or disabled, you'll qualify for a medical expense allowance which would bring the rent down a bit.  Should you move-in or have any children, this will also help bring down your rent as you'll be eligible for a dependent allowance.

Whatever you do, do not move-in (and do not move-in any children) without the prior written consent of the landlord.