Section 8

Waiting List and Selection Process

How do I apply for Section 8?

All applications must be completed in our office located at 2 John St., Carbondale, PA. Our office hours are 8:30-4:00 pm, Monday – Friday. However, applications will not be given out after 3:30 pm.

What do I need to bring with me to apply?

Please have your Social Security card and birth certificate for all members of your household listed on your application. In addition, a valid picture ID is required for everyone over 18 years of age. You will not be permitted to fill out an application without these items.

Is there a Waiting List?

Our waiting list for Public Housing and Section 8 are currently both accepting applications. If you are eligible, your application will be logged and you will be placed on the waiting list in the order of date and time received and preferences claimed.

How long is the wait?

Section 8 applications are chosen based first on preferences, then on date and time of the application. Wait times will vary depending on funding and the amount of vouchers available. For these reasons, we do not give out position numbers or wait time. You will be notified by mail when a voucher is available, so please be sure to contact the Housing Authority if you have a change in phone number or mailing address, or if your family composition changes.

How do I get selected?

Once a voucher becomes available, your information will be verified and eligibility determined. Eligibility criteria includes income, family status, rental history, criminal history and financial responsibility. Once these verifications are complete, you will be issued a voucher that is valid for 60 days.

I received my voucher – now what?

When you receive your voucher, your Section 8 Coordinator will also give you a list of landlords you may contact. However, you are not limited to this list, you may rent from any landlord who is willing to participate in the Section 8 Program. Please be aware: there is no such thing as a “Section 8 approved unit”. A unit may have been occupied by a previous Section 8 tenant, but every unit must pass an inspection for every new tenant. When you find a unit that meets your needs, you will receive a Request for Tenancy Approval for the landlord to complete with the monthly rent and included utilities. If the unit meets HUD rent standards, the unit can be scheduled for inspection. Once the unit passes, the Section 8 Coordinator will schedule a time for you and the landlord to come and sign the HAP contract. The Section 8 Program does not pay anything towards security deposits – please be sure you have the money or have made discussed payment options with the landlord before you come to sign the lease.

What happens after I sign my lease?

Once your lease is signed, the Housing Authority will make monthly payments to the landlord based on the HAP contract amount. You will be responsible for making timely payments to your landlord for your portion of the rent, if any.
Please note: we do not make partial rent payments. All leases will begin on the 1st of the month after the unit passes inspection and the lease is signed.

What if I want to move?

In general, voucher holders must stay in the unit for the first 12 months. After that, tenants must provide the landlord and the Housing Authority with at least a 30 day written notice. If the voucher holder is deemed to be in “good standing”, the Housing Authority will issue a new voucher to look for a new unit.

Will my rent ever change?

In accordance with HUD requirements, families are required to be recertified annually, at which time they must provide verification of income and family composition. Rent will be adjusted for the following year according to the new information. Annual inspections will also be performed at this time, which is usually 90 days before the move-in anniversary date. However, rent will be adjusted, either up or down, any time there is a significant change in a family’s income.