South Carolina residents wondering how to register for Section 8 housing programs may contact the local housing authority and ask about available housing. Many housing authorities in SC have waiting lists and only accept new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 applications during specific windows of time. While filing a South Carolina online application for low income housing may be the easiest method, most housing authorities also accept applications in person and by mail. Applicants may ask the housing authority about acceptable methods for submission. Because a SC HUD Section 8 application requires a variety of verifiable information, candidates should take care to gather not only the information but also the documents necessary for verification. Rather than wonder about how to sign up for Section 8 in South Carolina, petitioners should speak with the housing authority concerning any questions or confusion about the application process.
Learn How to Apply for Section 8 Housing in South Carolina
The HUD Section 8 application in SC begins with a pre-application. This application will determine eligibility for the program before the applicant is asked to fill out longer forms. The HUD Section 8 application is used for seven of South Carolina’s counties, including Lexington, Fairfield, Dorchester, Clarendon, Lee, Kershaw and Colleton. The waiting list is currently closed in all of these counties, but this is subject to change. The rest of South Carolina’s 42 counties participate in other housing choice voucher programs, but they are not controlled by the State Housing Finance and Development Authority, often called SC Housing. To register for Section 8 housing programs in any SC county, the pre-application form must be submitted, either by mail or by using the SC online application for low income housing.
Sections on the South Carolina HUD Section 8 application will ask for the candidate’s financial information. To file a successful HUD Section 8 application in SC, the candidate must make below 80 percent of the annual median salary of others in the area. Very low income households refer to households with incomes that fall between 30-50 percent of what others in the area are making. Currently, the SC HUD Section 8 application gives weighted preference to applicants with disabilities and applicants who are homeless veterans. HUD Section 8 applications that are received from certain types of convicted felons will be rejected.
Learn How to Submit the HUD Section 8 Application in South Carolina
Once the HUD Section 8 application has been completed to the best of the applicant’s ability, it can be submitted digitally or by mail. Additionally, the HUD Section 8 application must be submitted by persons who are at least 18 years of age or older and qualify as legal U.S. citizens or eligible immigrants.
Most new HUD Section 8 application candidates in South Carolina believe mistakenly that even if the lists are closed, they should submit an application. Unfortunately, in SC, HUD Section 8 applications that are submitted in an area where the waiting lists are closed will not be processed. Housing authorities generally publish a notice in local newspapers as well as online at least 30 days prior to the window for new applications. However, just because a housing authority window for new applications might be closed does not mean the petitioner cannot begin gathering the information necessary to file an application once the window opens. Applicants can also submit a South Carolina HUD Section 8 application to multiple housing authorities. To learn where the waiting lists are open and closed in South Carolina, candidates can search for information online.
Learn How to Check the Status of Section 8 Applications in South Carolina
When the HUD Section 8 application has been submitted, the family is placed on a waiting list in its county. The HUD Section 8 application is time and date stamped, and in most instances is a first come, first served list. A confirmation letter for the HUD Section 8 application is generally sent in the mail to the candidate to confirm that the HUD Section 8 application was processed and that his or her household has been placed on the list. At this time, the applicant has 10 business days to make any corrections necessary to the HUD Section 8 application, before it is entered as a final document into the database. Confirmed applicants can check status for Section 8 applications by going online and using the confirmation number to access the lists. To protect the privacy of candidates, the waiting list is not made available to the public.