Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. Section 8 is a HUD program that offers direct rental assistance to people so that they can afford to rent a privately owned apartment. Low-income tenants who qualify for the program receive help to pay their rent to their landlord each month. Because there are many more people who need rental assistance and are eligible for the Section 8 program than there is funding available, there are very long waiting lists to enter the program.

While Section 8 is a federal program, it is administered locally by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). You can register for the waiting list on-line at www.hacla.org.

Under Section 8, a tenant pays 30-40 percent of their income towards rent, and receives a voucher for the remainder up to the Section 8 voucher payment standard.

For example, for a household earning $16,050/year ($1,337/month) renting a two-bedroom apartment at $1,020/month, the tenant would pay $401/month in rent ($1,337 x 30% = $401), and receive a voucher for $619/month ($1,020 - $401 = $619).

In cases where the remainder is higher than the Voucher Payment Standard, the tenant can pay up to 40 percent of their income for rent. This often happens in areas like Los Angeles where actual market rents usually are higher than Fair Market Rent set by the federal government.

The following table provides the FY 2004 income levels at which households of various sizes are eligible for Section 8 vouchers.

*While the Section 8 program allows low-income earning up to 80 percent of AMI to receive rental assistance, only families whose incomes meet extremely low or very low income standards are eligible for Section 8 assistance from HACLA, due to the limited number of vouchers, compared to the need.

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