GENERAL INFORMATION: Vouchers including DHAP, HUD, Section 8, and Income Restricted Housing

I've been listening to my clients and there are a lot of questions about Vouchers and Income Restricted Housing.

I'll do my best to cover the basics of each in this post:

DHAP - Hurricane Voucher for people who lost a home or

aparment to Hurricane Ike. Here's the 411 on DHAP:

1. the voucher is for a specific county, you can get it transferred but like most things that go through the government, it isn't easy.

2. the voucher works on a decreasing scale. For example, in the first month you may pay for $50 of the apartment but by the end of the voucher you will be paying for most of the rent out of your pocket.

3. Since the voucher decreases in value each month, the apartments require that you "income qualify" for the apartment as if you were paying the entire rent.

Section 8 - so popular they use a lottery to distribute the S8 vouchers. Here are the facts about Section 8 housing:

1. Hard to get. In fact in some counties, it takes 3 or more years to get a S8 voucher. Some, like Montgomery County, have stopped taking names for their lists.

2. One, two, and three bedroom apartments are available. A few 4 bedrooms but not many.

3. No pets allowed.

4. Follow the rules at a S8 place or they will boot you out and hit you with either a broken lease or an eviction. There are many more people to take your place.

5. No felonies. Some counties go back 4 years and some more than that. If you have a recent felony - forget getting a Section 8.

6. They require that you go to "a Section 8 Voucher seminar" to explain the rules.

HUD or Housing and Urban Development voucher is offered to different people with different circumstances - injured vets to displaced people of all different types.

1. Only a few HUD properties in Houston. Less than Section 8; about the same as DHAP.

2. You really don't have much of a choice of where to live. You have to live where you can get a HUD place. I had a person ask for one in a certain zip code - that isn't how it works. You are lucky to find one within 10 to 12 miles of where you want to live.

Income Restricted Housing is very different. Lots of places. Here's the facts:

1. You have to income qualify and not many will take you with any criminal convictions.

2. They have MINIMUM income based on the number of bedrooms and MAXIMUM income based on the number of people in the apartment.

3. The MINs and MAXs change yearly.

4. If you just qualify for a traditional apartment and are pinched to make ends meet you may qualify for income restricted housing.

5. Some are very, very nice.

6. Some are just for Seniors.

To speak to me call:

General E-mail: 24x7AptFind@Gmail.com
Web: AptFindHouston.com
Office: 281-681-3434
Toll Free: 866-285-2100
Home Ofc: 281-203-6000

P.S. To find a Texas apartment or Townhome the easy way go to my personal web site 24x7AptFind.com and use our FIND ME A TX APT Email Form or use the Web based Search Facility at one of my city sites (like APTFINDHOUSTON.com) today!

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