Applications for Section 8 Housing in Georgia open this month for the first time since 2021

People who need help paying for their housing in Georgia can apply for rental assistance this month – but there is a very small window of opportunity. 

The wait list for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Housing Choice Voucher Program – also known as Section 8 – will be open for applications from midnight on October 17 until 11:59 p.m. on October 20.  

The Housing Choice Voucher program helps low-income renters find housing on the private market by paying the difference between what they’re able to afford and what landlords charge for rent. Families must earn less than 50 percent of the area median income in order to qualify for a voucher, and three quarters of vouchers are reserved for “extremely low-income” renters who earn less than 30 percent of the area median income. 

Families who meet the requirements will be placed on a waiting list until vouchers are available. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, approximately 76 percent of eligible applicants are on a waiting list at any one time. 

Applicants are required to attend a briefing to learn about the program’s rules and obligations.  

This is the first time since 2021 that the Georgia wait list has been opened for new applicants. 

When a family receives a voucher, they are responsible for finding housing that meets their voucher requirements. It then must pass HUD’S housing quality standards.

The Program’s published per-county “Payment Standard” is an amount used to calculate the monthly housing assistance payment for the Voucher program. It is based on the county’s Fair Market Rent (FMR) and established individually for each bedroom size.  The Payment Standard amount can not be greater than 110% of the county’s Fair Market Rent, and is, in most situations, not less than 90% percent of the Fair Market Rent. The program may approve a payment standard up to 120% of the Fair Market Rent as a reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 

The Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Stephens County in 2023 is $822 per month – nearly 16 percent higher than the $709 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment in 2022.

In Stephens County, the payment standards are set at $682 for a studio, $686 for a 1-bedroom rental, $904 for a 2-bedroom, and the rate steps up, by bedroom number, to a top end of $2,097 for a 7-bedroom rental. 

Throughout Georgia, the Section 8 rental subsidy is generally calculated as the difference between 30% of the household’s adjusted gross income and the applicable payment standard.

To learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher Program, visit dca.ga.gov.