History of Section 8 (housing) in Timeline

Section 8, part of the Housing Act of 1937, is a US government program that provides rental assistance to low-income households. It's overseen by HUD and administered by local PHAs, with a significant portion of the aid directed towards seniors, families with children, and people with disabilities. This program enables eligible tenants to rent housing in the private market by subsidizing their rent payments directly to landlords.

1937: Housing Act of 1937 Enactment

In 1937, Section 8 of the Housing Act was enacted, which provides rental housing assistance to low-income households in the United States by paying private landlords on behalf of the tenants. This program is overseen by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

1937: United States Housing Act of 1937

In 1937, The 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act authorized funding under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

1937: Amendment to United States Housing Act of 1937

On July 29, 2016, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) amended the United States Housing Act of 1937.

1965: Section 236 Leased Housing Program Amendment

In 1965, the Section 236 Leased Housing Program amended the U.S. Housing Act, serving as a predecessor to the modern Section 8 program. Under this program, housing authorities selected eligible families, placed them in available housing, and covered the difference between the tenant's rent and the market rate.

1970: Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970

In 1970, the Housing and Urban Development Act introduced the federal Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP), and authorized larger outlays for housing subsidy programs and rent supplements for moderate-income households.

1974: Housing and Community Development Act of 1974

In 1974, Congress passed the Housing and Community Development Act, which amended the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 to create the Section 8 Program. Tenants under Section 8 pay about 30 percent of their income for rent, with the remainder paid using federal funds.

1978: Moderate Rehabilitation Program Added

In 1978, the Moderate Rehabilitation Program was added as a subprogram to Section 8.

1983: Voucher Program Added

In 1983, the Voucher Program was added as a subprogram to Section 8.

1990: Economic Factors and Crime in Memphis

In 1990, male unemployment almost doubled in Memphis, which may have led to an increase in crime.

1991: Project-based Certificate program Added

In 1991, the Project-based Certificate program was added as a subprogram to Section 8.

1998: Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998

In 1998, as part of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act (QHWRA), the Earned Income Disallowance (EID) was enacted. This allows disabled people in Section 8 subsidized dwellings to have their rent frozen for a specified time if they are working part-time below a certain income level, fostering self-sufficiency.

2000: Male Unemployment Doubles in Memphis

Between 1990 and 2000, male unemployment almost doubled in Memphis.

2001: Marr Study on Housing Placement Specialists

In the Summer of 2001, Matthew Marr published a study of the Los Angeles housing market. The study examines the effects of housing placement specialists on the Section 8 voucher program, and finds that specialists help increase the mobility of Section 8 voucher recipients.

2003: Criticism of Section 8 in Manhattan Institute Book

In 2003, Howard Husock, vice president for policy research at the Manhattan Institute, criticized Section 8 in a book on housing policy, arguing it exports inner city social problems to the suburbs.

December 26, 2007: 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act Enacted

On December 26, 2007, the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act allocated $75 million for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program.

2008: Rosin Article on Section 8 and Crime

In 2008, Hanna Rosin published an article in The Atlantic arguing that Section 8 has led to crime being more evenly spread out across U.S. metropolitan areas, linking it to a crime wave in Memphis, Tennessee. Rosin's article has been influential among politicians in cities claiming to be negatively affected by Section 8, such as Lancaster, California.

2008: HUD-VASH Voucher Program Funded

In 2008, the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program was funded, combining HUD Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical service support provided by the Veterans Affairs administration.

2010: HUD Coordinates SAFMR Demonstration Project

In 2010, HUD coordinated a demonstration project for Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR), involving several Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) including The Housing Authority of the County of Cook (IL), the City of Long Beach (CA) Housing Authority, the Chattanooga (TN) Housing Authority, the Town of Mamaroneck (NY) Housing Authority, and the Housing Authority of Laredo (TX).

2012: Fair Market Rent Examples in 2012

In 2012, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 1-bedroom housing unit in San Francisco was $1,522, while in New York it was $1,280. In many other places in the US, the FMR was less than $500.

July 29, 2016: Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 Signed into Law

On July 29, 2016, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) was signed into law, amending the United States Housing Act of 1937 and making changes to several federal housing programs, particularly Section 8.

January 2017: Small Area Fair Market Rents Program Implemented

In January 2017, HUD officially implemented the Small Area Fair Market Rents Program (SAFMRP), which examines metropolitan area FMRs by ZIP code.

October 1, 2019: SAFMRs Mandatory Use Delayed

On October 1, 2019, the requirement for the use of Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs) was delayed.

2019: Early Examination of SAFMRP Published

In 2019, Vincent Reina, Arthur Acolin, and Raphael W. Bostic published an early examination of the new SAFMRP, finding varied results across different metropolitan areas. Dallas, TX, and Chattanooga, TN were the highest and lowest performing cities in the study, respectively.

2022: Section 8 Voucher Usage in 2022

In 2022, approximately 2.3 million out of 5.2 million households receiving rental assistance in the US utilized Section 8 vouchers. Landlord participation remains voluntary in most areas, although some states prohibit source of income discrimination.