Check to see if you Qualify for Housing Assistance

Check below to see if you meet the guidelines for Housing Assistance.

Income Limits

As the chart below indicates, each housing program has income limits. For public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) applicants must be "low-income" or "very-low income" (below 50% of HUD's Area Median Income). Affordable housing and rural development housing are mixed income communities. Renters of any income may apply.

Household Size	Low Income Public Housing	Housing Choice Voucher	Affordable / Rural Housing
1	$27,250	$27,250	Mixed income communities Renters of any income may apply.
2	$31,150	$31,150
3	$35,050	$35,050
4	$38,950	$38,950
5	$42,050	$42,050
6	$45,200	$45,200
7	$48,300	$48,300
8	$51,400	$51,400

Qualify as a Family

Applicants for all programs must qualify as a "family." For public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program, HASCO defines "family" as an individual or a group of individuals who share a residence, have income and resources available to meet family needs, and have demonstrated a stable family relationship. This can include married and unmarried partners, related and unrelated individuals and single people.

Immigration status

You do not need to be a United States citizen to apply for housing, but you do need to be a citizen or have eligible immigration status to receive housing. Your eligibility will be verified one year after you have leased a unit. You could lose all or part of your assistance if you do not have acceptable citizenship or immigration status at that time.

Reporting your assets

All HASCO housing programs take your assets into account when calculating your income. The actual value of assets is not included in the calculation of income, but income from assets is. For example, if you have money in a savings account, that money will not be added to your income. The interest earned from the money in your account, however, will be considered part of your annual income. Each housing program has specific policies about assets from income.

Additional requirements: Housing Choice Voucher Program

For the Housing Choice Voucher Program, HASCO screens eligible applicants with a criminal background check and income verification. Applicants who are found to have a criminal history may be denied assistance. Private landlords renting to Housing Choice Voucher Program participants are responsible for screening their own tenants. Depending on their standard business practices, landlords may screen prospective tenants’ prior rental history, credit history and professional references.

Additional requirements: Public housing / General suitability / Residential history

HASCO has a responsibility to maintain stable and safe living environments for all its residents. For this reason, we screen applications as most property managers do. To be considered suitable for housing assistance, applicants must demonstrate that they are able to pay rent when due, take care of a unit and live peacefully with neighbors.

Recent, positive rental history is the strongest indicator of an applicant’s ability to meet the obligations of being a tenant. HASCO relies heavily on good landlord references to determine an applicant’s suitability for public housing. We also take into account stable residential history of all kinds, as well as employment and other factors when determining suitability.

Criminal history

HASCO screens all applicants for criminal history. If an applicant’s criminal background indicates that he or she may not be a suitable resident, his or her application for public housing or Section 8 may be denied. Denial is automatic if an applicant has committed certain offenses, such as:

• Eviction from public housing for illegal drug activity within 3 years
• Current use of illegal drugs
• Methamphetamine production in public housing or elsewhere
• Sex offenses requiring sex offender registration
• A record indicating a pattern of alcohol abuse
• Controlled substance possession or use within 2 years
• Controlled substance delivery within 5 years
• Intent to sell drugs within 5 years
• Sexual assault within 10 years
• Felony assault within 5 years
• Misdemeanor assault within 2 years
• Four or more assaults of any kind within 10 years
• Arson within 10 years
• Homicide within 20 years
• Burglary within 2 years
• Robbery within 5 years
• Armed robbery within 10 years
• Kidnapping within 7 years
• Prostitution within 2 years
• Domestic abuse within 5 years
• Any other felony convictions within 3 years
• Any crimes that indicate habitual criminal behavior