How to Find Apartments That Accept Housing Vouchers
Practical steps to find landlords and listings that take Section 8 and other rental vouchers.
Where to search for voucher-friendly apartments, how to ask landlords, what payment standards mean, and how your rights vary by state.
Once you have a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) or another rental voucher, the next step is finding a unit whose landlord will accept it and whose rent fits the program. Here is how to search effectively.
Where to look
- Your housing authority's listing service. Many authorities partner with a free site where voucher-friendly landlords post units.
- HUD resources. HUD's resource locator and affordable-housing finders list subsidized and tax-credit properties that work with vouchers.
- Filter major rental sites for "income restricted," "Section 8," "voucher," or "housing assistance accepted."
- Public-housing and project-based properties, which are income-based by design.
How to ask a landlord
When you contact a landlord, say up front that you have a voucher and ask two things: will they accept it, and is the rent within the program's payment standard? The payment standard is the maximum the program will pay for your unit size in that area; your housing authority can tell you the current figure.
What the program checks
Before you move in, the unit must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection and the rent must be found reasonable. The authority pays its share directly to the landlord; you pay your share, generally about 30% of your income.
Know your rights
Whether a landlord must accept your voucher depends on where you live. A growing number of states and cities have source-of-income laws that prohibit turning away a renter for using a voucher — including New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Maryland, Washington, and the city of Philadelphia. Many places, including Ohio and Texas, have no such protection. Check your state and city before you assume.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does "Section 8 accepted" mean?
- It means the landlord is willing to rent to a Housing Choice Voucher holder and to work with the housing authority on the lease, the inspection, and direct payments.
- Why do some landlords not accept vouchers?
- Where there is no source-of-income law, acceptance is voluntary and some landlords decline. Where source-of-income laws apply, most landlords cannot refuse a voucher.
- Can I use my voucher in a different city?
- Often yes, through a process called portability, but you must coordinate with both housing authorities. Ask your caseworker before you move.