How To Add Someone To Your Section 8 Voucher?

Section 8 program is managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which facilitates the low-income families, the disabled, and the elderly afford housing. Participants can choose a unit or house that meets their requirements of the program and receive housing vouchers to assist with their rental costs.

In general, residents of a particular area who receive a voucher from the jurisdiction may use the voucher anywhere in the country in which they live. Nonresidents of the jurisdiction, however, must reside in the jurisdiction that issues the voucher to them for 12 months before they can move to another area. Applicants can apply for a section 8 housing voucher at any county or city by fulfilling the requirements asked by the housing authority office of the state.

Guide to add someone to your section 8 voucher

You can add someone to your section 8 voucher,  but one thing that you should know is, the member you wanted to add should be your partner as wife/husband  and other family members as parent, siblings, grandparents, or blood relatives. Now, let’s have a look toward the detailed process or credentials that are required to be provided to PHA for adding someone to your section 8 voucher.

1. Contact the PHA:

Make contact with the local Public Housing Agency office. To update your application, you must get in touch with the office where you submitted it before. Due to the fact that the Section 8 offices in various towns and counties do not interact with one another, if you have applied to more than one location, you must submit your updated information to each office separately.

2. Provide PHA With Information of the Individual:

Provide the details of the person you’re including on your application with a PHA representative. The person’s name, date of birth, Social Security number, and details regarding their income will all need to be provided. Also make sure the person you wanted to add in your voucher is eligible – has not been recorded as a criminal in the judiciary record of the state.

Moreover, the detailed paperwork that is required to submit for adding a new member to your section 8 voucher is given below.

• Add Member Request Form
• Family Certification Form
• 214 Declaration of Citizenship Status
• Copy of the adding member’s birth certificate
• Copy of the adding member’s social security card
• Verification of any income related to the new member (pay stubs, SS/SSI statement, TAFDC print-out, child support, unemployment benefit statement, etc.)
• Watch out for lead poisoning forms – only required for the addition of any child under the age of 6

3. Housing Approval / Disapproval:

Due to the volume of changes reported, it may take several weeks for processing the application. The Housing Authority will conduct an interim examination following the completion of a Criminal Background Check and a review of the supporting evidence provided by the family and the prospective family member to either approve or deny the request. The prospective family member will not be able to occupy the apartment if their application is rejected. The family’s participation in the programme will stop for violation of family obligations if the person moves in after disapproval from the PHA Housing Authority.

4. Upon approval find a suitable unit:

If your application got approved by the PHA then you’ll be issued with a new voucher so you can simply add someone to your section 8 voucher. But if you’re already living in a single bedroom then the next challenge is you have to find another suitable unit / house. You can either find a separate house / apartment for you. But due to few units available that accept Section 8 vouchers it can be a challenge to meet the requirement. You can also rent multiple rooms in a shared house if you are less members.

Other Considerations About Adding Someone to your Section 8 voucher

If you’re going to add someone in your voucher then here are some important factors to consider.

1. You could be taking a major risk if you choose to live with someone who makes money but doesn’t legally declare it and include them on your Section 8 voucher. First of all, this is a serious violation of federal and state regulations. You certify that all the information on your yearly household and income verification form is accurate by signing the form. Your Section 8 voucher will be canceled immediately if you fail to report the new member. Due to the violation there are chances, you won’t be eligible for Section 8 in the majority of states.
2. You must be aware that permitting someone (other than your family members or blood relatives)  to reside with you as your friends, or your neighbor’s that may private landlord puts you in risk of losing your voucher because you’ll be reported to PHA by someone.
3. According to Section 8 voucher guidelines, someone may stay with you no more than: 15 consecutive days or 30 days TOTAL in a 12 month period.

Conclusion:

We try to fully guided you about adding someone to your section 8 voucher. Moreover, We will provide you some important factors that you need to consider to avoid any hassle or losing your voucher. The reality is, this happens a lot! You are dead wrong, if you think no one will find out what you are doing. People get reported all the time and consequently lose their vouchers in case of not informing PHA about adding new members into your section. So, just stay on the guidelines and take an approval from PHA by providing the required information of the member you’re going to add in your voucher and enjoy staying together.