A home is a necessity for everyone as it gives you a place to grow as a person, build your family, make new memories and enjoy your life. Every person deserves to have a roof over their head, a roof that will provide shelter with safety and stability. A roof will let you focus on other essential things in life and allow you to build your life as you wish.
However, not everyone has a chance to live a life like that. Not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy life and make unforgettable memories with their family. Many people live without a roof over their head or fear that they will lose the home they’ve been living in. And if something like that is happening, there’s no time to think about dreams and wishes or how your kids are feeling, as you are struggling to pay rent.
If you are in a situation like that, if you have financial problems and don’t know how to pay the next month’s rent, maybe affordable housing can help you. If you’ve never heard about it, keep reading this article to find out. We will talk about affordable housing, how it works, and who is eligible for it.
What Exactly Is Affordable Housing?
Affordable housing is a family support program where local governments agree with real estate owners or developers to offer rental units at much lower rates to those who need them. The local government provides an opportunity for low-income people, and the owners or developers are also getting tax credits.
A place of residence is considered affordable housing if a low-income individual or a family can afford it for 30 % or less of their total income. And like that, many individuals and families can afford to live decently in places they couldn’t afford in normal circumstances.
Are You Eligible for Affordable Housing?
High rents are a severe problem that can ruin a person’s life and chance to grow. If someone pays high rent and doesn’t have a high income, the problem arises when they need to pay for other necessities. If a lot of money is being spent on housing, there’s not a lot of money left for other essentials like food, medical care, hygiene products, clothes, or even transport. Does this sound too familiar to you?
If you spend more than 30 % of your income on your rent, you may be eligible for affordable housing. And you are not alone; almost 12 million households barely pay rent or mortgage and are spending more than 50 percent of their annual income on it.
However, not everyone is eligible for affordable housing. There are a lot of conditions that have to be met, and it all depends on the area where you live. The Area Median Income is set for every region in the country by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. And it determines if you really can afford to rent based on your location and income.
If you are spending more than 30 % of your income, it doesn’t mean that you are eligible for affordable housing, as you may not be considered a low-income individual or a household. And to be considered low-income, you have to earn less than 80 % of the median income of the area where you live.
There are cases where people can’t afford rent, but they earn more than the area median income, so they are not eligible.
How Does the Affordable Housing Program Work?
Although affordable housing is not easy to get as the demand is high, it’s a straightforward idea and program. And there are a few things that this program can cover.
The most crucial part for many people is the rent-controlled apartments. These apartments are primarily popular in cities like New York and San Francisco, as the rents are increasing rapidly. Rent control offers the limitation of the amount the rent raises and its frequency.
There are also housing vouchers that help people pay their rent. No matter the rent, the family will pay only 30 % of their household income, and the voucher covers the rest. However, not everyone is eligible for this offer, and the number of opportunities is limited.
We hope that we cleared a bit of the mystery surrounding affordable housing and that you will check if you are eligible for it if you are struggling to pay rent. You deserve to live decently and not worry about losing the roof over your head.
