Who is helped by Section 8 assistance?
The Section 8 program is targeted to renters with low incomes who need assistance. Assisted renters generally may not have incomes greater than 50 percent of the area median income. These persons pay no more than 30% of their income for rent and Section 8 subsidies cover the remainder. Section 8 housing has become one of the major supports for low-income elderly and disabled families. Aside from the Section 202 component which is 100 percent dedicated to the elderly and disabled, over 55 percent of the units in the basic Section 8 program are reserved for elderly and displaced persons. Of the total of 890,000 units in the program, about 600,000 units serve elderly and disabled tenants. In many cases, these projects contain specialized facilities and provide services for the elderly and disabled that could not be obtained by these persons in other apartments in the community. At least 20 percent of Section 8 has been allocated to rural areas and there typically is no adequate alternativ
