Low Income Section 8 Housing in San Francisco

Generally, a city targets its poor, working class and, in some cases, middle-class residents with low-cost or low-income housing. While the federal government provides two key programs, many cities, namely San Francisco, aim to increase the supply of low-income housing via additional local programs. Most affordable housing initiatives attempt to bring a low-income renter's housing expenses down to no more than 30 percent of his income, according to the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing.

Commonly referred to as "the projects," public housing units are managed by local housing authorities. As the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) explains, public housing does not necessarily come in the form of a "project"; rather, it can be dispersed throughout the city as single-family dwellings or located in high-rises serving the elderly or disabled. HUD began the HOPE VI program in the early 1990s as a way to combat the negative connotations associated with public housing. HOPE VI funding helped housing authorities across the country rebuild dilapidated public housing structures. The San Francisco Housing Authority, for instance, used over $118 million in HOPE VI monies to replace five obsolete public housing complexes throughout the city.

To qualify for public housing, a household cannot earn more than 80 percent of the median income for the area it wishes to live in. In 2010, according to HUD data, this equaled $86,000 for a family of four. Clearly, this number is significantly lower in less affluent areas. Local housing authorities have the ability to give preference poorer households.

Some renters opt for HUD's Section 8, or Housing Choice Voucher, program in lieu of public housing. Section 8 gives families the opportunity to secure a rental offered by private market landlords. This option generally gives renters more choice, since units are widely scattered throughout most cities. Unlike public housing, which sets rents at affordable levels, Section 8 provides low-income households with a subsidy generally equal to the difference between the rent for a Section 8 unit and 30 percent of their household income.

To be eligible for Section 8, families cannot make more than half of their area's median income. In San Francisco, HUD calculates 50 percent of the median income for 2010 at $53,750 for a four-person household. Seventy-five percent of a housing authority's Section 8 vouchers must go to families earning 30 percent of their area's median income or less, according to a HUD mandate.

Some cities offer programs in addition to HUD's public housing and Section 8 schemes. San Francisco, for instance, provides several options. The city, through its Below Market Rate program, requires for-profit developers to set aside a certain number of affordable units in market rate buildings it constructs. San Francisco's Redevelopment Agency provides financing to developers to erect affordable units. The San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing claims that the Redevelopment Agency is partially responsible for the construction of thousands of affordable dwellings in over 80 buildings, as of summer 2010. Various non-profit agencies in San Francisco create affordable housing and offer it directly to low-income residents.