Housing help for families that need a stable place to live.

Section 8, formally called the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, pays a portion of your rent directly to a private landlord. You generally pay 30% of your adjusted household income toward rent, and the voucher covers the difference up to a local "payment standard."

Vouchers are administered by more than 2,000 local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). Each PHA sets its own waitlist rules, and demand almost always exceeds supply — many waitlists are closed at any given time, and open lotteries can fill in a matter of hours.

What to do while you wait: apply at every PHA within reach (you can be on multiple waitlists), and ask about preferences for veterans, working families, victims of domestic violence, or people experiencing homelessness — these can move you up significantly.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the reason most new affordable apartments get built. Rents are capped based on the area's median income, and units are reserved for households under specific income limits.

Unlike Section 8, you apply directly to each apartment community. Search "LIHTC apartments" in your county, and call each property to ask about openings and current income limits. Waits can range from immediate move-in to 6–12 months.

LIHEAP (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) helps pay heating and cooling bills, plus emergency reconnection when service has been shut off. It runs seasonally — funds usually open in October–November for winter heat and again in the summer for cooling in southern states.

The federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) sends contractors to insulate, seal, and improve efficiency in low-income homes — permanently reducing bills. And many states have winter shutoff moratoriums that prevent utilities from cutting service during cold months.