Housing Advocacy:
What is the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program?

Created in the 1970s, Section 8 has grown into the dominant form of federal housing assistance.  Low-income families and individuals use vouchers to help pay for housing that they find in the private market if the voucher is "tenant based"; there are also vouchers that are attached to a building that are called "project based".  The program is federally funded, but vouchers are distributed by a network of 2,600 state, regional, and local housing agencies.

Vouchers are a critical form of assistance for low-income families with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.  Federal rules ensure that vouchers are targeted to the people who need them most.

For additional information, see the link below for a complete guide to the Housing Voucher Program from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

For an introduction to Section 8 from the Technical Assistance Collaborative see Section 8 Made Simple.

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Other questions & answers related to this topic:

Who needs affordable housing?

What are some of the key statistics to understand regarding the lack of affordable housing in many communities of the U.S.?

Does the minimum wage provide adequate income for families and individuals seeking to rent or own a home of their own?

What are some of the implications for funders interested in issues of homelessness and affordable housing?

What other good resources exist for supporting the development of affordable housing in our communities?

What are housing trust funds, and how are they being used to provide access to affordable housing?