While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Section 8 Housing program and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversees the Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8. This federal program is designed to help families who are low-income, the elderly and the disabled afford private housing rent.
Learn more about Section 8 on the HUD Program Fact Sheet page here.
Section 8 Housing is a voucher-based program. To enroll in the program, you must apply to a local Public Housing Agency (PHA). The PHAs are responsible for administering vouchers to participants in their given area or neighborhood.
Once an applicant is approved by a PHA, they are most often put on the PHA’s waiting list. When it is the applicant’s turn to receive housing assistance, they will receive vouchers from HUD that are used to pay for a portion of their rent.
The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program on the private market. Landlords must also choose to participate in the program and accept Section 8 tenants.
Learn more about Section 8 on the HUD Program Fact Sheet page here.
Your PHA will only pay for a portion of your rent if you are accepted into the program. The most you can qualify to receive is the lesser of these two options:
To learn more about PHA payment standards here.
To qualify for Section 8 in Connecticut, your family must meet income limits set by the HUD. These limits vary by county, but there are general statewide limits as well. Counties cannot exceed the state limits, but they may provide lower limits if the county is in a particularly low-cost region.
The current statewide median family income for Connecticut as of 2022 is $112,600 per year, and you may qualify if your income does not exceed 50 percent of this figure. To see all Connecticut county income limits, click here, then navigate to “Connecticut.” For answers to frequently asked questions about eligibility in Connecticut, click here.
In addition to income requirements, you must meet the following eligibility guidelines:
For more information about Section 8 eligibility, refer to the HUD website here.
If you are preparing to apply for Section 8 Housing, you will need to complete the following steps:
To find PHAs near you, visit the HUD Housing Authority (HA) database here. Choose “Connecticut” from the drop-down state list.
To find out which application method your PHA accepts, call the PHA office. Find contact
information in the Connecticut PHA directory here or by visiting the HUD PHA look-up page here.
Learn what information you will need to provide on your application by reviewing the
sample application on page 4-23 of the Opening a Waiting List guide here.
If you applied online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account on the PHA website you applied to.
If you applied by mail, you can call the United Way of Connecticut’s Housing Choice Voucher Program Information line by dialing 2-1-1.
To find your chosen PHA’s contact information, review the Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s (HUD) Connecticut PHA Directory here.
Once you are approved by the PHA you applied to for Section 8 Housing, if there are no immediate openings you will be placed on a waiting list. Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to local housing agencies, long waiting periods are common.
PHAs may establish local preferences for selecting applicants from their waiting lists and will move these families ahead of other families on the list who do not qualify for the preferences. These preferences may include the following groups:
Learn more about waiting lists and PHA applicant preferences in the U.S. Interagency Council for Homelessness guide here or on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) page here.
Once you reach the top of the waiting list, you will be issued housing vouchers you can use to cover a portion of your rent on private housing. You can call the PHA you applied to for help finding housing listings in your area. Find contact information for all Connecticut PHA Offices here.
You will need to find a private housing unit that is safe and sanitary and meets the PHA’s inspection requirements. You can learn more about the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing quality standards in their “A Good Place to Live!” guide here.
Landlords must also agree to participate in the Section 8 Program. To learn more about Section 8-compliant rentals in your area, and how to successfully secure rental agreements or leases, contact the PHA you applied to. Find contact information for all Connecticut PHA Offices here.
If your Section 8 Housing application is denied, the PHA you applied to is required to send you a written notice explaining the reason(s) for the denial. Learn more about reasons Section 8 Housing applications are denied here.
The notice will also give instruction on how to appeal the decision by requesting an informal review. To learn if your specific PHA sends denial notices by mail or email, call your PHA office. Find your local PHA contact information with HUD’s Connecticut PHA Directory here.
By submitting a request for an informal review, your application will be reviewed by the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA). A judge will conduct a hearing and issue a new decision.
To begin the appeal process, see the instructions on your denial notice or contact the PHA you applied to for information on how to proceed.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, or Section 8 Housing, is managed by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development but is administered by local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
If you need help applying to the program or have other questions, call your local PHA for further assistance. Find your local PHA’s contact information here.
Or, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s PHA contact information page here, and look up PHA information by county, city or state.
You can also call the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 customer service line at (800) 955-2232 or send an email to HUD-PIHRC@tngusa.net for further assistance.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Section 8 Housing program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free Section 8 Housing Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.
To apply for Section 8 Housing, you will need to complete the following steps:
To find PHAs near you and see their waiting list status, visit the HUD Housing Authority (HA) Database here.
To find out which application method your PHA accepts, call the PHA office. Find contact information in the Connecticut PHA directory here or by visiting the HUD PHA look-up page here.
Learn what information you will need to provide on your application by reviewing the sample application on page 4-23 of the Opening a Waiting List guide here.
If you applied online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account
on the PHA website you applied to.
If you applied by mail, you can call the United Way of Connecticut’s Housing Choice Voucher Program Information line by dialing 211. You can also call the PHA you applied to directly to ask for a status update.
To find your chosen PHA’s contact information, review the Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s (HUD) Connecticut PHA Directory here.
Once you are approved by the PHA you applied to for Section 8 Housing, if there are no immediate openings you will be placed on a waiting list. Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to local housing agencies, long waiting periods are common.
PHAs may establish local preferences for selecting applicants from their waiting lists and will move these families ahead of other families on the list who do not qualify for the preferences. These preferences may include the following groups:
Learn more about waiting lists and PHA applicant preferences in the U.S. Interagency Council for Homelessness guide here or on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) page here.
If your Section 8 Housing application is denied, the PHA you applied to is required to send you a written notice explaining the reason(s) for the denial. Learn more about reasons Section 8 Housing applications are denied here.
The notice will also give instruction on how to appeal the decision by requesting an informal review. To learn if your specific PHA sends denial notices by mail or email, call your PHA office. Find your local PHA contact information with HUD’s Connecticut PHA Directory here.
By submitting a request for an informal review, your application will be reviewed by the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA). A judge will conduct a hearing and issue a new decision.
To begin the appeal process, see the instructions on your denial notice or contact the PHA you applied to for information on how to proceed.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, or Section 8 Housing, is managed by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development but is administered by local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
If you need help applying to the program or have other questions, call your nearest local PHA for help. Find contact information for all Connecticut PHA Offices here.
Or, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s PHA contact information
page here, and look up PHA information by county, city or state.
You can also call the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 customer service line at (800) 955-2232 or send an email to HUD-PIHRC@tngusa.net for further assistance.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Section 8 Housing program and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free Section 8 Housing Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.
