Section 8 in the Hands of Localities, Not Feds
- Author: Kelly Cooke
- Posted: 2024-09-20
The Section 8 Housing Act of 1937, commonly just called Section 8, is a government program that was created to ensure that no American needed to be homeless.
In theory, the program was created in order to take those without resources and to put them in homes that the government paid for, in part or in full, using taxpayer money.
It started as a social program, and for a few years it was working out well.
Since the 1960s, however, Section 8 has been coming apart at the seams, and nothing seems to be able to fix it.
Technically, it is now part of the Department for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Section 8 has become little more than a band-aid thrown on the problems of black poverty and illegal immigration.
Those are the groups that take up most of the resources here. we will put in a request to fix with high priority
What's even worse for Section 8 now is that the federal government seems to be outright ignoring its own program. States are making decisions about Section 8, which is supposed to be illegal.
In America, in 2022, things that are "supposed" to be never really are.
In theory, states are not supposed to be able to dictate things about Section 8. In practice, every state has been treating this HUD program however they want, and this has led to Section 8 being one of the most poorly funded and narrow housing programs in America.
It started as this grand program with great promise, but today it's a shell of its former self and is struggling to even exist in some states.
For people looking for Section 8 assistance, or just wanting to know information in general, searching for this info can be very confusing.
This is because different states are doing different things with the program, and there is no unifying standard behind Section 8 anymore.
The Spinning Wheel of the Social Safety Net
Long ago in America, and in other countries, governments used to hold lotteries to see which lucky family or families would be treated to life-saving aid.
The idea behind a program like Section 8 was to specifically offer real help and not just some lotto system.
Though with an economy that's about to fully collapse in on itself, it's really no surprise to see just how damaged Section 8 is.
Depending on where you look, you will find a different story entirely.
Some places are suspending it and making it harder to get assistance, while others are trying to expand it.
Section 8 has become a mess, especially in the past two years, and the government is ignoring it entirely to focus on Ukraine and elections.
Increased Available Here
In states like Iowa and Illinois, they're trying to do certain things to increase the availability of Section 8 properties to those that need them most.
These states are looking for ways to get more and more people into these homes, as the economy continues to flounder and people continue to suffer.
No new homes are being built, but advocacy groups are working with local government officials to expand the application criteria for those seeking Section 8.
Some states are even taking abandoned homes and are offering them for Section 8 residents.
Granted, these places aren't exactly going to win awards for curb appeal, but they're still trying to do what they can in order to house people who desperately need it. That's a lot more than can be said for some other states in America.
Pulling the Plug There
Other states, however, are pulling the plug entirely on some things related to Section 8, such as housing choice vouchers.
In Florida, for instance, they want to limit Section 8 entirely to houses that the government picks out.
Part of the reason Section 8 was considered the gold standard of safety net programs for so many years was that it did not stigmatize people who needed assistance.
A person could apply for Section 8 for any home, and a decision could be made to pay the rent or mortgage. Florida has decided that this should not be allowed. New York state is rumored to try the same.
The federal government has ignored Section 8 for so long that states have taken over, and now what you have is a mess that is wholly dependent on which state you live in. If you need Section 8, be sure to research which states are trying to expand and keep it running.
