Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Guide

Program Basics

The **Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher** (HCV) program helps more than 60 000 low-income Michigan households afford safe, decent rentals in the private market. HCV is tenant-based—**the subsidy follows you**, not the unit—unlike **Project-Based Vouchers** tied to specific apartments.

Funding flows from HUD → Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) or one of 50+ local public housing authorities (PHAs) → landlord. You pay an income-based rent share; the PHA sends a **Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)** for the balance.

Visual snapshot:

You. Apply, qualify, search, comply.
PHA. Screens eligibility, issues voucher, inspects unit, pays HAP.
HUD. Funds PHA, sets national rules.
Landlord. Screens tenants, maintains unit, signs HAP contract.

Throughout this guide you'll see links to deeper resources such as affordable-housing and fair-housing protections.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for **Michigan Section 8** you must meet four pillars:

1. Family Definition

HUD defines “family” broadly: singles, couples, seniors, people with disabilities, or related/unrelated household members living together. Households with children under 6 poisoned by lead get priority.

2. Citizenship / Immigration

At least one household member must be a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status. Mixed-status families receive prorated subsidy.

3. Background Screening

No lifetime Sex-Offender registration.
No meth manufacturing on federal property.
Drug or violent-crime evictions require 3–5 years “look-back.”

4. Preference Point System

MSHDA assigns extra points for **homelessness, veterans, disabled, or VAWA** survivors. Document early; preferences can shave years off the wait.

Income & Asset Limits

Voucher households must earn ≤50 % of Area Median Income (AMI) when first admitted—though 75 % of admissions must be “extremely low-income” (≤30 % AMI). After entry you can stay unless income rises above 120 % AMI.

**Adjusted income** lowers your countable figure through deductions:

$480 per dependent
Child-care expenses enabling work/school
Disability-related expenses exceeding 3 % of gross income
$400 elderly/disabled household deduction

Under-Reported Assets That Trip Applicants

Uncashed paychecks or gig-app balances
Cryptocurrency wallets (Coinbase, Ledger)
Cash-value life insurance
Venmo or CashApp balances over $100

Application Process

Michigan PHAs open wait-lists intermittently—sometimes for 48 hours. Follow them on social media or sign up for email alerts. When a list opens, follow these steps:

Create an AssistanceCheck.com account. This portal tracks your status statewide.
Submit the pre-application. Includes household size, income, Social Security numbers.
Save your confirmation code. Screenshot or print—no code, no proof.
Upload documents. State IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, proof of preferences.

Photo Tip: Take pictures of IDs in natural daylight. Glare causes upload rejections, delaying your spot.

Waiting List Tips

Michigan’s **Section 8 waiting list** routinely stretches 2–6 years, but smart moves help:

Preferences: Verify veteran, homeless, or disability status to gain ranking.
Keep contact info current. AssistanceCheck lets you update phone/email—missed letters = removal.
Know status codes. “IWL” (Inactive Wait List) means you’re in the lottery pool; “Pending” means under review.

Estimated Wait-Times by County

County	Average Wait	With Preferences
Wayne (Detroit)	4–6 years	1–2 years
Ingham (Lansing)	3–4 years	1–1.5 years
Kent (Grand Rapids)	2–3 years	8–18 months

While waiting, explore other rental-assistance programs and keep saving for move-in costs.

Voucher Math Example

This real-world calculation shows how **payment standards** and **utility allowances** turn into tenant and PHA shares.

Household: 4 people, adjusted income $36 000 / yr → $3 000 / mo.
Tenant Payment (TTP): 30 % of monthly adjusted income = $900.
Detroit 2025 payment standard: 3-bedroom = **$2 100**.
Unit rent: $1 800 + $175 utility allowance = **$1 975 gross rent**.
PHA pays: $1 975 – $900 = **$1 075 HAP**.
Tenant pays landlord: **$725 rent** + pays own utilities ≈ $175.

Takeaway: Every $100 rent increase bumps tenant share by ≤$30 until it exceeds 40 % of income at move-in.

Finding a Unit

Once your voucher arrives, the clock starts—usually 60 days (extendable). Boost success odds with these strategies:

Use housing-search engines with “voucher accepted” filters.
Email **small landlords**; corporate complexes often cap voucher slots.
Send a one-page “voucher résumé” summarizing income, references, and inspection benefits.
Negotiate repairs before submitting the **Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA)** to avoid HQS failures.

Remember, refusing a voucher can violate fair-housing laws—see our discrimination guide.

HQS Inspections

Before lease-up—and annually thereafter—the unit must pass **Housing Quality Standards (HQS)**. Inspectors check 13 categories from smoke alarms to lead paint.

Top Fail Points

Missing GFCI outlets near water
Peeling paint in pre-1978 homes
Inoperable windows or locks
Leaking plumbing under sinks
Absent or expired smoke/CO detectors

Landlords get two re-inspection chances; if they miss the deadline, HAP abates. Tenants should complete a DIY checklist (downloadable on our upcoming HQS-tool page) to dodge delays.

Tenant Obligations

Keeping your *Section 8 voucher* means following the **Family Obligations** clause:

Report income or household changes within **10 days**.
Attend annual and interim recertifications.
Pay rent on time and maintain the unit.
Give proper notice before moving—see our move-out notice scheduler.
Avoid fraud—intentional misstatements can trigger repayment + criminal charges.

Scam Warning: Public housing authorities never charge application or placement fees. Report anyone asking for money to “push your application” to the PHA fraud hotline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Portability lets you move anywhere in the United States after completing the initial 12-month lease. You submit a portability request to your current PHA, which contacts the “receiving” PHA. That agency may **bill** your original PHA for HAP or **absorb** you into its own funding. Expect to sign new paperwork, attend a briefing, and secure a unit that meets the new payment standards. Start the process at least 60 days before moving to avoid voucher expiration.

Michigan lacks a statewide “source-of-income” law, but several cities—like Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids—ban voucher discrimination. Even where legal, you can persuade landlords by stressing guaranteed HAP payments and free annual inspections. Provide your rental history and highlight that you pay your portion directly. If refusal is discriminatory (race, disability, familial status), file a fair-housing complaint through our guide.

Landlords may request a rent increase once every 12 months by giving the PHA **60-day written notice**. The PHA evaluates the new amount against market comparables and payment standards. If approved and within 40 % of your adjusted income, your share may rise modestly; otherwise you can decline and search for a different unit.

HUD rules require reporting any change that might increase or decrease household income within **10 calendar days**. Examples include new jobs, unemployment benefits, or loss of hours. Timely reporting prevents retroactive repayments and helps reduce your rent sooner if income drops. Use AssistanceCheck or the PHA change-report form.

Generally no—HUD requires at least 12 months in the initial unit unless you face an approved hardship such as domestic violence, landlord noncompliance, or a required unit transfer by the PHA. Always obtain written PHA approval before giving notice. Our lease-break guide explains additional legal exits.

About 90 days before your voucher anniversary, the PHA mails a packet requesting updated income, asset, and household info. Return it within 10 days, attend the interview (in person or virtual), and sign new HUD-50058 forms. The PHA recalculates your TTP and issues an updated voucher. Failure to complete recertification may lead to termination, so mark the date on your calendar.