What You Need to Know About How Section 8 Really Works

This guide was produced in partnership with The Connecticut Mirror, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Leer en español.You can access a more printer-friendly version of the guide here. What is Section 8 and how does it work? The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program is a form of government rent assistance. In 2018, upwards of 5 million people across the country lived in a household that used a voucher to help pay some or all of their rent. When Congress established Section 8 of the Housing and Community Development Act in 1974, one of the goals was to make sure people earning low wages could find “decent housing and a suitable living environment” outside of public housing units. Today, people who meet income requirements can apply to the program to receive a voucher when they become available. If they are approved, selec...