Benefits & Updates
Housing & Utilities
Housing Choice Vouchers and help with energy bills — what your household would pay, and who decides it.
Articles in this category (17)
-
Housing & UtilitiesSection 8 Housing Assistance: Who May Qualify
How a Housing Choice Voucher works: what your household would pay, what the housing authority pays, why the waiting list matters more than the income test.
-
Housing & UtilitiesHelp With Energy Bills: How LIHEAP Works
LIHEAP helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills. Federal law sets the income band; your state sets the limit, the benefit and the deadlines.
-
Housing & UtilitiesLifeline: A Discount on Phone and Internet Service
Lifeline takes up to $9.25 a month off phone or internet service for households on SNAP, Medicaid or SSI, or with low income. Who qualifies and how to apply.
-
Housing & UtilitiesPublic Housing: How to Apply and How Rent Works
Public housing is rental housing run by local housing agencies. How to apply, how rent is set near 30% of adjusted income, the income limits, and waiting lists.
-
Housing & UtilitiesFacing Eviction? What to Do First
Facing eviction? A landlord generally needs notice, a court case and a judgment. Why never to ignore a summons, and where to get free counseling and legal help.
-
Housing & UtilitiesUSDA Home Repair Loans and Grants
USDA Section 504 gives very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older. The terms and how to apply.
-
Housing & UtilitiesFHA Loans: Buying a Home With 3.5% Down
FHA loans let buyers put as little as 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or more. Who qualifies, how mortgage insurance works, and where the money can come from.
-
Housing & UtilitiesFair Housing Rights and How to File a Complaint
The Fair Housing Act protects seven groups from housing discrimination. What reasonable accommodations are, and how to file a HUD complaint (one year) or sue (two).
-
Housing & UtilitiesUtility Shutoff Notice: What to Do Before the Lights Go Out
Got a shutoff notice? Ask for a payment plan, apply for LIHEAP crisis help, request a medical certificate and call 211 before the deadline. Steps and numbers.
-
Housing & UtilitiesBehind on Your Mortgage? Options to Try Before Foreclosure
Missed a mortgage payment? Call your servicer, ask for loss mitigation, get a free HUD housing counselor and learn the 120-day and 37-day foreclosure timing rules.
-
Housing & UtilitiesReverse Mortgages: How HECMs Work and What They Really Cost
A reverse mortgage lets owners 62 and older borrow against home equity with no monthly payment, but taxes, insurance and repayment rules apply. Know the risks.
-
Housing & UtilitiesFirst-Time Homebuyer Help: Down Payment Assistance and Loans
Down payment assistance, USDA zero-down loans, FHA loans and homebuyer education can lower the cost of a first home. See what exists and how to find it.
-
Housing & UtilitiesIncome-Restricted Apartments: How Tax Credit Housing Works
Tax credit apartments cap rent and income but need no voucher. See the income limits, how rent is set, how to apply and how they differ from Section 8.
-
Housing & UtilitiesSection 202 and Other Affordable Housing for Seniors: Who Qualifies
Who qualifies for HUD Section 202 housing for older adults, the rent you would pay, how to find a property and other subsidized options for people 62 and older.
-
Housing & UtilitiesHUD Income Limits Explained: Area Median Income and Who Qualifies for Housing Help
How HUD sets the extremely low, very low and low income limits from area median income, which programs use each one and how to find the limit for your county.
-
Housing & UtilitiesHomeless or About to Be: Finding Shelter and Keeping Food, Income and School
Where to find shelter tonight, how to get on the list for housing, and how to keep SNAP, Social Security, Medicaid and your children's school with no fixed address.
-
Housing & UtilitiesHousing for People With Disabilities: Section 811, Mainstream Vouchers and Your Rights
Section 811 supportive housing, Mainstream and other vouchers for people with disabilities, accessible units and the right to reasonable accommodations at home.