Section 8 in Minnesota has 144 housing authorities servicing all of the counties in the various regions and working in conjunction with the federal affordable housing programs through HUD (Housing and Urban Development). Section 8 housing in Minnesota is comprised of two different programs which include project based Section 8 housing and tenant based Section 8 projects. While HUD renders guidelines that the states must follow on the federal level. However, each individual public housing authority in each county has the discretion to appoint priority status to various groups as they deem necessary. In some counties in MN, for example, priority will be given to those who are elderly or disabled. Other counties may also include veterans in their Section 8 preferences.

Low income housing in Minnesota offers project based and tenant based programs. Those who apply for the Section 8 tenant based programs have the most freedom within the system as they are allowed to seek housing in the private sector. Some MN Section 8 enrollees wonder if they can stay in their own homes and while the answer depends on the housing authority in the county, if the residence passes inspection and meets guidelines, many Section 8 tenant based programs will include the house.

Those Section 8 applicants who opt for the project based programs will be limited to finding housing within qualified apartments or condos. The Section 8 vouchers are tied to the unit rather than to the renter so the unit itself is subsidized. This means that when the renter decides to leave the Section 8 apartment to go to another one, the vouchers will not transfer.

The Section 8 housing program in Minnesota will issue vouchers directly to the landlords which will cover up to 70 percent of the rent. The difference in the rental amount is the responsibility of the renter to cover. To qualify for Section 8 in MN, the applicant and the applicant’s household must not make more than the average median income for their county. In fact, the qualifying Section 8 family must make less than half of what others in the area make on average. The median salary averages can be found online for comparison.

Learn the Requirements for Section 8 in Minnesota

Section 8 eligibility in Minnesota is determined by the two groups that run the program. The program is run on a federal level by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD. In Minnesota, HUD works with the Minnesota Public Housing Authority (MPHA) to help determine things like Section 8 eligibility and to answer common questions like “Do I qualify for Section 8 housing in Minnesota?” or “What are the qualifications for low income housing in Minnesota?”

Learn How to Apply for Section 8 in Minnesota

Minnesota HUD Section 8 application procedures are not lengthy but care must be taken to fill out all Section 8 applications carefully. Failure to fill out the HUD Section 8 application correctly could delay its processing or as in many cases, rejection for the program. For assistance in learning how to apply for Section 8 in MN, potential applicants have several options. First, the local housing authority will have printed materials to assist in filling out the forms. These are free to the public. Secondly, the HUD Section 8 application can be filled out online, using the online application for low income housing forms. The online HUD Section 8 application offers instructions for filling out the application. Those applicants who are unsure about how to register for Section 8 housing programs in MN, can also call a local housing authority to find ask questions about the application as they arise.

Learn About Section 8 Waiting Lists in Minnesota

The Minnesota Section 8 housing waiting list 2017 offers eligible applicants a place in one of their 20, 961 housing units. Of the 144 housing authorities operating low income housing waiting lists, 87 have openings and are accepting new additions to their Section 8 waiting lists for their area. To learn which areas are open, and which are closed, lists are maintained by each housing authority for public access. Specific names of applicants on the Section 8 waiting lists are not made available to the general public, but a listing of openings and where they are located are.

Those who have been successfully added to the Section 8 waiting lists in Minnesota have first gone through the HUD application process, and have submitted all of the appropriate documentation to corroborate the information found on the HUD form. No one in Minnesota will be added to the Section 8 waiting lists 2017 unless they have gone through this application process. Once an applicant has been approved and added to the low income housing waiting lists when their name rises to the top of that list, they will receive notification that it is their turn to go and select housing.

Learn About Section 8 Denial in Minnesota

A Section 8 denial letter is mailed to an applicant if they are not found to be eligible for Section 8 housing. The letter explains what are the reasons for Section 8 denial, giving the applicant the opportunity to request an appeal. There are many reasons can for denial, but the most frequent issue is information on the application was invalid. A Section 8 denial appeal can be filed if the applicant does not believe the reason for denial is valid.