Section 8 Housing Vouchers and the Long Wait

What Is Section 8

Section 8 is the federal program that helps people with low incomes pay rent. Its largest part, the Housing Choice Voucher, lets a family rent from a private landlord and pay about 30% of its income, while a local housing agency pays the rest up to a local limit. The program takes its name from Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as rewritten in 1974.

A voucher works, but most families who need one never get one. Congress funds vouchers year by year, not for everyone who qualifies, so housing agencies ration them through waiting lists that can run for years.

If You Need Help Paying Rent

Section 8 runs through your local public housing agency, not through HUD directly. Start with the situation closest to yours. If you might lose your home soon, call 211 first: it connects you to local emergency rent help, shelter, and legal aid, which work much faster than a voucher can.

Find your situation

Rules vary by housing agency. Each agency publishes its own rules in an administrative plan, and you can ask for a copy.

I need help with rent and have not applied

1. Find every housing agency that serves your area through HUD's housing agency directory. You can apply to more than one.
2. Ask each agency whether its voucher waiting list is open. Many open only for a few days, and some pick applicants by lottery, so ask how they announce openings.
3. Apply for public housing and project-based Section 8 buildings too. They have separate lists, and some move faster.
4. For help right now, call or text 211 or visit 211.org to find emergency rent aid near you.

Families with incomes up to 80% of the local median can qualify, but 75% of new vouchers each year must go to families with extremely low incomes (CBPP).

I am on a waiting list

1. Keep your mailing address, phone, and email current with the agency so you do not miss a letter asking you to respond.
2. Ask whether you qualify for a preference, such as homelessness, a disability, or fleeing domestic violence. Agencies set their own preferences.
3. Stay on other lists at the same time. Being on one list does not remove you from another.

I have a voucher and the search clock is running

1. Your voucher lasts at least 60 days. Ask for an extension in writing before it expires. If a disability makes the search harder, the agency must extend it as a reasonable accommodation.
2. Ask the agency for its list of landlords who accept vouchers. Under a 2026 law, agencies can inspect a new landlord's unit in advance and share the list of units that passed.
3. The search clock stops while the agency reviews a unit you have chosen.

The 60-day minimum, extensions, and the pause come from HUD's rule at 24 CFR 982.303. The advance inspection is Section 405 of the ROAD to Housing Act (2026).

A landlord said no because I have a voucher

1. Check your state and city in the finder below. In 16 states, D.C., and many cities, refusing a voucher is illegal.
2. If it is illegal where you live, write down the date, the landlord, the listing, and what they said, then file with your state or city civil rights agency.
3. If the refusal came with a comment about race, disability, or children, you can also file a federal complaint with HUD's fair housing office within one year.

How a Voucher Splits the Rent

The family’s share is set by its income, not by the rent. A family generally pays 30% of its income for rent and utilities, or a minimum rent of up to $50. The voucher covers the rest, up to a limit called the payment standard, which each agency sets from HUD’s Fair Market Rent for the area.

The receipt below shows the math for one example family earning $24,000 a year. The rent is the national average for a modest two-bedroom home in 2026, derived from the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Housing Wage of $34.73 an hour.

If the family chooses a home that costs more than the payment standard, it pays the difference, as long as its share stays under 40% of its adjusted income when it first moves in (24 CFR 982.508). The agency pays the landlord directly each month under a contract. Because the family’s share follows its income, a family whose earnings drop can ask the agency to recalculate what it owes.

Getting from an application to a signed lease takes six steps, and the two longest are the wait and the search.

From application to lease

1. 1 When a list opens Apply to a housing agency Many agencies open their voucher waiting list only for days at a time, and some choose applicants by lottery.
2. 2 About 2 years Wait for your name to come up Households using a voucher in 2020 had waited 28 months on average. State averages ran from 9 months to 5 years.
3. 3 When your name comes up Prove eligibility The agency checks income, household size, and citizenship or eligible immigration status, then issues the voucher.
4. 4 At least 60 days Find a landlord who accepts it The family searches the private market. Agencies can extend the search, and must for a disability-related need.
5. 5 Before move-in Inspection and rent check The agency inspects the home and confirms the rent is reasonable for the area.
6. 6 Move-in day Sign the lease The family signs a lease, and the agency signs a contract with the landlord to pay its share.

Sources: CBPP; 24 CFR 982.303 (search term).

Section 8 Vouchers vs. Project-Based Section 8 vs. Public Housing

“Section 8” can mean two different programs, and “public housing” is a third. The difference decides where you can live and whether your help moves with you. HUD’s three largest rental programs help about 87% of the households that get federal rental assistance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The 12-month wait to move applies only to families who did not live in the agency’s area when they applied, under HUD’s portability rule (24 CFR 982.353). Families fleeing domestic violence can move with their voucher even when a lease would normally stop them.

Why the Section 8 Wait Lasts Years

Section 8 is not an entitlement. The voucher program serves only as many families as Congress pays for each year, so when a family leaves the program, the voucher goes to the next name on the list.

Three out of four eligible low-income renter households do not get rental help.

Gets rental assistance Does not

Source: CBPP, Policy Basics: Federal Rental Assistance, from HUD tabulations of the 2023 American Housing Survey.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities counts 8.5 million renter households that got no federal help in 2023 even though they paid more than half their income for housing, lived in substandard housing, or both. Waiting lists show the backlog. A 2016 survey found that 53% of voucher waiting lists were closed to new applicants, and households using a voucher in 2020 had waited an average of 28 months, according to a CBPP analysis of HUD data.

That average leaves out everyone who never got to the top. CBPP found that among the 50 largest agencies, only Dallas and Columbus averaged under a year (eight months), and neither was fast in practice. Dallas picked applicants by lottery before they could join its list, and Columbus’s list held more than 25,000 names.

When Landlords Say No to Section 8

A voucher is only worth something if a landlord takes it. In HUD’s first multi-city test of landlord behavior, researchers from the Urban Institute ran nearly 4,000 tests over 16 months. They screened 341,000 rental ads to find units a voucher could cover, about 39 ads for every eligible unit, then called to ask whether the landlord took vouchers.

Refusals ran from 15% in Washington, D.C., to 78% in Fort Worth, and the two lowest rates came where state or D.C. law already protected voucher holders.

Share of landlords who refused a Housing Choice Voucher, by city

Category	Value
Fort Worth	78%
Los Angeles	76%
Philadelphia	67%
Newark (N.J. law protects vouchers)	31%
Washington, D.C. (D.C. law protects vouchers)	15%

Source: Urban Institute for HUD, A Pilot Study of Landlord Acceptance of Housing Choice Vouchers (2018). Refusals were also higher in lower-poverty neighborhoods.

A law does not guarantee a yes, but the laws are spreading. The Poverty & Race Research Action Council, which tracks state and local laws, estimates that more than 60% of voucher holders are now likely covered by one. In the 7 states that block local protections, that coverage depends on state lawmakers alone, the same state preemption covered in our preemption explainer.

Can a landlord refuse your voucher in your state?

Choose your state to see whether state law protects renters who pay with a voucher, the law's citation, and any city or county protections.

Choose your state to see its rules Select a state AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Local laws come from PRRAC's list; some cover only buildings that receive city money, and the list may miss newer ordinances. This is general information, not legal advice.

State protection for voucher holders

• State law protects voucher holders (16 states and D.C.)
• State law does not name vouchers (3 states)
• Weakened by a court ruling (3 states)
• No state law; local laws may apply (21 states)
• No state law, and local laws blocked (7 states)

Sources: Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026); Delaware Code, Title 6, Chapter 46 (Fair Housing Act); Minnesota Statutes 363A.03 and 363A.09; Illinois Human Rights Act, 775 ILCS 5/1-103; Florida Statutes 83.425. Verified September 26, 2026.

State protection for voucher holders

State	Can a landlord refuse a voucher?	Local laws that protect voucher holders
Alabama	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Alaska	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Arizona	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson
Arkansas	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
California	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Alameda, CA, Berkeley, Corte Madera, East Palo Alto, Fairfax, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas only), Marin County, Mill Valley, Milpitas, Novato, San Anselmo, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Rafael, Santa Clara County (unincorporated areas only), Santa Monica, Woodland
Colorado	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Boulder, Denver
Connecticut	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Delaware	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Wilmington
District of Columbia	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Florida	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	Alachua County, Broward County, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Hillsborough County, Miami-Dade County, Orange County, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Tampa
Georgia	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Atlanta (city-supported properties only)
Hawaii	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Idaho	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Illinois	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Chicago, Cook County, Harwood Heights, Naperville, Oak Park, Urbana
Indiana	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Iowa	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Kansas	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Lawrence
Kentucky	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Louisiana	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Maine	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Portland
Maryland	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Frederick, Frederick County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County
Massachusetts	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Revere
Michigan	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Ann Arbor, Detroit, East Lansing, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Hazel Park, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Lansing, Oak Park, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Westland, Wyoming
Minnesota	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Minneapolis
Mississippi	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Missouri	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Montana	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Nebraska	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Nevada	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
New Hampshire	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
New Jersey	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
New Mexico	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Las Cruces, Santa Fe
New York	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Buffalo, Erie County, Hamburg, Nassau County, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, Syracuse, Westchester County, West Seneca
North Carolina	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Charlotte (city-supported properties only), Mecklenburg County (county-supported properties only), Raleigh (city-supported properties only), Winston-Salem (city-supported properties only)
North Dakota	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	None on the PRRAC list.
Ohio	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Athens, Akron, Bexley, Chauncey, Cincinnati, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, Gahanna, Grandview Heights, Linndale, Lorain, Reynoldsburg, South Euclid, Toledo, University Heights, Upper Arlington, Warrensville Heights, Westerville, Whitehall, Wickliffe, Worthington, Yellow Springs
Oklahoma	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	None on the PRRAC list.
Oregon	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Pennsylvania	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Borough of State College, Philadelphia
Rhode Island	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Providence
South Carolina	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
South Dakota	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Tennessee	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	Memphis
Texas	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	None on the PRRAC list.
Utah	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	None on the PRRAC list.
Vermont	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Virginia	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	None on the PRRAC list.
Washington	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Bellevue, Bellingham, Kent, King County (unincorporated areas only), Kirkland, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Spokane, Tumwater, Vancouver
West Virginia	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.
Wisconsin	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Dane County, Madison, Milwaukee County
Wyoming	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	None on the PRRAC list.

See all states in a table

All states State law protects voucher holders (16 states and D.C.)State law does not name vouchers (3 states)Weakened by a court ruling (3 states)No state law; local laws may apply (21 states)No state law, and local laws blocked (7 states) Showing 51 of 51 states

State	Can a landlord refuse a voucher?	State law	Local laws that protect voucher holders
Alabama	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Alaska	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Arizona	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson
Arkansas	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
California	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Cal. Gov. Code 12955	Alameda, CA, Berkeley, Corte Madera, East Palo Alto, Fairfax, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas only), Marin County, Mill Valley, Milpitas, Novato, San Anselmo, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Rafael, Santa Clara County (unincorporated areas only), Santa Monica, Woodland
Colorado	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Colo. Rev. Stat. 24-34-502	Boulder, Denver
Connecticut	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Conn. Gen. Stat. 46a-64c	None on the PRRAC list.
Delaware	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	6 Del. C. 4601-4603 (SB 293, 2024)	Wilmington
District of Columbia	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	D.C. Code 2-1402.21	None on the PRRAC list.
Florida	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	Fla. Stat. 83.425 (HB 1417, 2023)	Alachua County, Broward County, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Hillsborough County, Miami-Dade County, Orange County, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Tampa
Georgia	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Atlanta (city-supported properties only)
Hawaii	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Haw. Rev. Stat. 368F (Act 310, 2022)	None on the PRRAC list.
Idaho	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	Idaho Code 55-307 (HB 545, 2024)	None on the PRRAC list.
Illinois	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	775 ILCS 5/3-102	Chicago, Cook County, Harwood Heights, Naperville, Oak Park, Urbana
Indiana	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	Ind. Code 36-1-3-8.5	None on the PRRAC list.
Iowa	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	Iowa Code 364.3(13)	None on the PRRAC list.
Kansas	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Lawrence
Kentucky	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	HB 18 (2024)	None on the PRRAC list.
Louisiana	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Maine	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, sec. 4581-A	Portland
Maryland	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Md. Code, State Gov't 20-701 to 20-705	Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Frederick, Frederick County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County
Massachusetts	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, sec. 4(10)	Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Revere
Michigan	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Mich. Comp. Laws 554.601c	Ann Arbor, Detroit, East Lansing, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Hazel Park, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Lansing, Oak Park, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Westland, Wyoming
Minnesota	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Minn. Stat. 363A.09	Minneapolis
Mississippi	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Missouri	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	HB 595 (2025)	None on the PRRAC list.
Montana	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Nebraska	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Nevada	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
New Hampshire	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
New Jersey	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	N.J.S.A. 10:5-12(g)	None on the PRRAC list.
New Mexico	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Las Cruces, Santa Fe
New York	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	N.Y. Exec. Law 292, 296(5)	Buffalo, Erie County, Hamburg, Nassau County, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, Syracuse, Westchester County, West Seneca
North Carolina	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Charlotte (city-supported properties only), Mecklenburg County (county-supported properties only), Raleigh (city-supported properties only), Winston-Salem (city-supported properties only)
North Dakota	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	N.D. Cent. Code 14-02.4, 14-02.5-07	None on the PRRAC list.
Ohio	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Athens, Akron, Bexley, Chauncey, Cincinnati, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, Gahanna, Grandview Heights, Linndale, Lorain, Reynoldsburg, South Euclid, Toledo, University Heights, Upper Arlington, Warrensville Heights, Westerville, Whitehall, Wickliffe, Worthington, Yellow Springs
Oklahoma	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	Okla. Stat. tit. 25, sec. 1452	None on the PRRAC list.
Oregon	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Or. Rev. Stat. 659A.421	None on the PRRAC list.
Pennsylvania	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Borough of State College, Philadelphia
Rhode Island	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	R.I. Gen. Laws 34-37	Providence
South Carolina	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
South Dakota	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Tennessee	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	Memphis
Texas	No. There is no statewide protection, and state law blocks or voids local protections.	State preemption law (2015); Tex. Prop. Code 202.024 (2023)	None on the PRRAC list.
Utah	Unclear. A state law bans income discrimination, but it does not name vouchers.	Utah Code 57-21-5	None on the PRRAC list.
Vermont	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	9 V.S.A. 4503	None on the PRRAC list.
Virginia	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Va. Code 36-96.1 et seq.	None on the PRRAC list.
Washington	Yes. State law bars landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a voucher.	Rev. Code Wash. 59.18.255	Bellevue, Bellingham, Kent, King County (unincorporated areas only), Kirkland, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Spokane, Tumwater, Vancouver
West Virginia	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.
Wisconsin	Weak. The law names housing aid, but a court ruling lets landlords refuse vouchers.	Wis. Stat. 106.50	Dane County, Madison, Milwaukee County
Wyoming	No statewide law. A city or county law may still protect you.	—	None on the PRRAC list.

Sources: Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026); Delaware Code, Title 6, Chapter 46 (Fair Housing Act); Minnesota Statutes 363A.03 and 363A.09; Illinois Human Rights Act, 775 ILCS 5/1-103; Florida Statutes 83.425. Verified September 26, 2026.

What Vouchers Change for Families

The strongest evidence comes from lotteries and randomized trials, and it shows large gains in housing stability with a smaller cost in work. Because agencies ration vouchers, researchers can compare families who won a voucher with similar families who did not. The table includes the findings that cut against vouchers, because HUD cites them in its 2026 proposal.

Family homelessness is mainly a problem of rent, the Family Options researchers concluded. Families offered long-term rent help did better than families offered transitional housing with intensive services, which “had little effect” (Gubits et al.). A companion paper found the subsidy almost halved separations of children from their parents and more than halved foster care placements at 20 months (Shinn et al.).

The Moving to Opportunity result shows why the search matters as much as the voucher. For young children, the move itself paid off, and Chetty, Hendren, and Katz estimate that such moves “may reduce the intergenerational persistence of poverty.” Those gains depend on a family finding a landlord in a lower-poverty area, the same places where landlords in the Urban Institute test refused vouchers most often.

The work findings are real, and they are modest. Jacob and Ludwig called their Chicago estimates “toward the lower end of the range” of studies. Because the family’s share is 30% of its income, each new dollar it earns raises its rent by about 30 cents.

Section 8 Changes in 2025 and 2026

Congress funded voucher renewals for 2026, and two HUD proposals would change who can keep a voucher. Neither proposal is final. The list below shows where each change stands.

Where the Section 8 changes stand

As of October 6, 2026

• Voucher funding for 2026 Law

  The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75, approved February 3, 2026) funded voucher renewals; HUD set each agency's 2026 renewal funding under it in a July 6, 2026 notice. (source)

• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Law, July 11, 2026

  Became Public Law 119-101 on July 11, 2026. It lets agencies accept a recent inspection from another housing program and inspect a new landlord's unit before a tenant picks it. (source)

• President's 2027 housing budget Proposal, budget request

  Requests $73.5 billion for HUD, $10.7 billion or 13% below the 2026 enacted level, and would end most HUD formula and competitive grant programs. Congress decides the final amount. (source)

• Work requirements and time limits Proposal, comments closed May 1

  HUD’s March 2 proposal would let housing agencies and owners require up to 40 hours of work a week and set time limits of at least two years for households that are not elderly or disabled. CBPP estimates up to 3.7 million people would be at risk. No final rule had been published as of October 3, 2026. (source)

• Citizenship checks for every family member Proposal, comments closed April 21

  HUD’s February 20 proposal would require proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status from every family member at any age, and make prorated help for mixed-status families temporary. No final rule had been published as of October 3, 2026. (source)

• Fair Market Rents for fiscal 2027 Agency action, effective Oct. 1

  HUD published new area rent limits on September 1, 2026, effective October 1. They set how much a voucher can cover in each area. (source)

Source: Federal Register; Public Law 119-75; Public Law 119-101; Office of Management and Budget

For a family on the program today, nothing in the two proposals applies yet. If HUD finalizes the work and time-limit rule, each housing agency would decide whether to use it, so the rules could differ from one city to the next. Older adults and people with disabilities would be largely exempt.

The Debate Over Work Rules and Time Limits

HUD argues that open-ended help keeps families on the program too long. In its March 2026 proposal, the department wrote that in 2024 about 43% of non-elderly, non-disabled households receiving HUD rental aid, excluding single parents of children under six, had no one earning wages. It cites the Family Options and Welfare to Work voucher studies, which found less work in the first years after families got a subsidy, and House testimony by Howard Husock estimating that over 73% of current voucher holders will stay more than 10 years.

Opponents argue the rule would push working families out without adding a single voucher. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that up to 3.7 million people, more than half of them children, would be at risk. CBPP points to other programs where people who worked or qualified for an exemption still lost benefits to red tape.

HUD’s rule would let each agency choose time limits of no less than two years for non-elderly, non-disabled families (Federal Register).

What Section 8 Is Not

• It is not only for families with children. Vouchers let more than 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities live on their own, according to CBPP.
• It is not public housing. A voucher holder rents from a private landlord, who must meet inspection standards and charge a reasonable rent.
• It is not open to people without legal status. Federal law limits help to citizens and eligible immigrants. Families with some ineligible members get prorated help today, which HUD’s February proposal would make temporary.
• It does not guarantee a home. A voucher expires if the family cannot find a landlord who will take it in time.
• It is not the same as rent control. Rent control limits what a landlord charges everyone in a covered unit; our rent control explainer covers what those limits do.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the wait for Section 8?

The wait for Section 8 depends on the agency. Households using a voucher in 2020 had waited 28 months on average, with state averages from 9 months to 5 years. Many lists are closed, and some agencies use a lottery.

Who qualifies for Section 8?

Mostly families earning no more than half of their area’s median income, the “very low income” limit HUD publishes for each county. At least 75% of the families a housing agency admits each year must earn no more than 30% of the local median, or the poverty line if that is higher. For full help, family members must be citizens or eligible immigrants.

What is the most rent Section 8 will pay?

There is no national cap. Each housing agency sets a payment standard between 90% and 110% of HUD’s Fair Market Rent for the unit size in its area. The voucher pays up to that standard minus your share. If the rent is higher, you pay the difference, within the 40% limit when you first move in.

How much rent do you pay with Section 8?

Generally 30% of your household income, after deductions for children, older adults, disabilities, and some medical and child care costs. The voucher pays the rest up to the local payment standard.

Can you move to another state with a Section 8 voucher?

Yes, through a process called portability. If you did not live in the agency’s area when you applied, the agency can make you wait 12 months first. Families fleeing domestic violence can move even if leaving breaks their lease.

Is there a time limit on Section 8?

Not today for most families. HUD proposed in March 2026 to let agencies set limits of at least two years for households that are not elderly or disabled. That rule is not final.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8?

In 16 states, D.C., and many cities, no. Elsewhere it is legal. The source-of-income lookup shows the rule where you live.

What You Can Do

1. Get on every list you can. Find the housing agencies near you in HUD’s directory, and apply to project-based buildings and public housing too.
2. Know your protection before you search. Check the state finder above. If refusing a voucher is illegal where you live, save every listing and message and report refusals to your state or city civil rights agency.
3. Push for a local law where there is none. Most local protections started with residents asking a city council. PRRAC’s guide to local source of income laws lists the ordinances other cities passed.
4. Tell Congress to fund vouchers in the 2027 budget. Funding decides how many families move off the waiting list. Use the letter below, or find your representatives.