Section 8 Senior Housing is a U.S. federal housing subsidy program that is administered by local public housing authorities.
An individual or household may receive this subsidy if they have low income and meet other eligibility requirements.In general, the tenants of senior housing units in Section 8 buildings qualify for reduced rent payments and utilities as well as social services provided to the residents living there by their landlords (preferably).
The larger the senior population residing in a particular location, the higher the demand for such housing.
The availability of Section 8 Senior Housing means that there are more affordable senior housing options for those at a lower income level than in the past and for those who have no other affordable living options.
However, there is also a perceived downside to this program. Consequently, many seniors are reluctant to use it and, as a result, have no choice but to remain in unsuitable private rental housing or go without necessities like food and transportation.
Section 8 Senior Housing is not the only federal housing program available to low and moderate income households. However, it is often the only option available to private landlords and can be a very attractive one to landlords, especially if they have an older population in need of affordable housing.
Medicare often avoids providing the necessary funding directly to senior citizens.There are a number of ways in which you can access Medicare benefits if you have an older family member or friend that needs help paying medical bills.
Additionally, funding is available through the Community Development Agency to provide affordable housing to part-time residents of Summit County.
The USDA Rural Development Program, which is the largest single fund source for rural housing assistance programs, offers help in the form of grants and loans. This assistance is quickly disappearing as a result of drastic budget cuts. However, there is still some money available that can be used by local governments and non-profits to build and renovate properties for low income persons across the nation.
To find out if you qualify for assistance from any of these programs, there is often a free application available at the local Senior Center.
Unfortunately, not all seniors qualify for Section 8 Senior Housing. In fact, many seniors do not qualify because they are not low income and are therefore denied. There is also a significant age cutoff that precludes some senior citizens from taking advantage of the subsidy.
For example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the federal agency responsible for administering Section 8 Senior Housing, said in its most recent statistics that only 20% of the households receiving Section 8 had a household head aged 60 years or older, and that nearly half of the residents were aged 55 to 59 years.
As a result, local governments are forced to find other ways to help their senior citizens in need.
The type of housing available through Section 8 is typically single family homes and duplexes. These housing units can be located across the country in states like Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and more.
In many areas, Section 8 Senior Housing is not adequately funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which administers federal subsidies for Section 8 Senior Housing statewide.As a result, local governments are forced to provide public housing or other forms of senior housing in their community that are unsuitable for their residents.