Section 8 Statistics 2022-2023, 2021-2020 Housing Assistance Facts / Trends (2024)

• Less than 3% of the US population lives in section 8 housing
• 83% of families HUD housing make less than 20,000 annually
• Whites are 49% of project-based housing according to ACS
• New housing units have dropped by 24% from Oct.21 – Oct.22
• Funding for HUD in the fiscal year 2022 is $214.10 billion
• Section 8 housing tenants pay 30% of their income for rent
• Elderly tenants are 38% of section 8 housing tenants
• Section 8 housing serves 2.1 million people in 1.2 million households

Section 8 Facts 2022-2023

Less than three percent (2.84%) of the American population lives in low-income housing, at a total of 9.3 million people. This housing is managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of these millions of people, the average rent paid is $347 per month which totals $4,164 a year. About a quarter (22.21%) of the HUD residents live in Section 8 project housing, totaling 2.07 million. More than half of all tenants (56.02%) receive Section 8 vouchers through the Housing Choice Voucher program, at 5.23 million. Public Housing is 19.53% of the section 8 community. The elderly constitute of 1.41% of the benefactors. Disabled tenants make less than half a percent (0.37%). Individuals undergoing rehabilitation make 0.35%, and other miscellaneous categories are 0.11% of the total.

Section 8 tenants (Housing Choice Voucher Program Section 8) with a median income of 30% for their area have a tend to succeed within the system, depending their household needs and dynamics. Most of the families (84%) that live in HUD housing have an income of less than $20,000 per year. The average eligible household has 2 members. And their average stay in assisted housing last for 6 years. Less than halve of these households (43%) are families with kids. Also, less than half (43%) of these families have a female head of household.

Housing Assistance Stats 2022-2023

According to some charts by the American Community Survey, non-Hispanic whites are 71% of all households in the U.S. Whites are also 56% of renters and 47% of Extremely Low Income (ELI) renters. Blacks are 12% of all households, 19% of all renters and 26% of ELI renters. Hispanic households make up 12% of all households, 18% of renters and 19% of ELI renters. When it comes to project-project-based section 8 housing, 49% of households are white. Likewise, 33% consist of black households. Hispanics make 13% while other races make up 5% of the rest. Public housing is made of 45% black households, 32% white, 21% Hispanic, and 2% of others. Black households consist of 45% of voucher recipients, whites make up 35%, Hispanics 16%, and 3% of other races.

A lot of HUD housing comes from new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places. From October of 2021 -2022, the total number of available units has dropped 10.1 %, from 1,698 to 1,526 overall. By units, singles have dropped 22.1%, 2 to 4 raised 3.8%, 5 or more raised 11.2 % from 569 to 633. Across the board, every region saw a drop in total units and available single units from October 21 to Oct 22, with the northeast -11.8% and -16.4%, Midwest -10.3% and -18.7%, south -3% and -24.4%, and the west -24.1% and 30.1%.

The available units and households in need have to get assistance from somewhere, and that somewhere is funding from the federal government. HUD breaks down into 8 separate sections which receive federal funds. For the fiscal year (FY) 2022, HUD is funded $214.10 billion dollars. This equals 2.1% of the US Federal Budget. Of that funding, 67.82% is set aside for total obligations leaving 71% ready to be used as needed. HUD has $54.81 billion in award obligations that it has to manage. That amount turns out to be 80.8% of its total obligations. Of that $54 billion, 76.9% goes to direct payments while 37.5% goes to grants.

When it comes to how much tenants of Section 8 housing pay out of pocket costs, the math is simple. Households that meet income requirements pay 30% of their income to a privately owned residence while PHAs (Public Housing Authorities) supplement the rest. The budget is roughly $25 billion, at the latest count. HUD has the same deal, 30% of income to subsidized rent, for households that receive tenant-based rent assistance. Its budget is $14 billion. Households in public housing pay 30% income for rent while local PHAs manage the properties directly. This require a budget of $4 billion. For the elderly and disabled, federal authorities fund programs using $14 billion yearly.

If it seams like Section 8 housing some kind of advantage, a closer look at the neighborhoods is needed. Many of these households, 700,000 projected-based HUD units, are in high-risk areas for natural disasters. The neighbors themselves are vulnerable or at high risk. The 4.6 million section 8 tenants mainly consist of the elderly, families with children, and adults with disabilities. The elderly constitute of 38% of Section 8 tenants. Adults with children make up 29% of the community. Disabled adults are 22% of the total. Adults without children are 11%.

The statistics surrounding project-based Section 8 households are noteworthy numbers. These housing units serve 2.1 million people in 1.2 million households. Most of these households (63%) are 1 person. Two-person households make 18% while 3-person families constitute 10%, 4-person or more households are 9% of the tenants. As for specific ages, 50% if residents are 62 years of age, 30% are ages 25-50, 51-60 years old adults constitute 15%, ages 85 are 7%, and 6% are 24 years old. When it comes to HOH, 24% are women with children, the elderly make 50%, non elderly adults with disabilities are 16%.

Stats Sources

1. https://ipropertymanagement.com/research/public-housing-statistics#:~:text=9.3%20million%20or%202.84%25%20of,in%20Section%208%20Project%20Housing
2. https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/homeowners-insurance/section-8-housing-statistics/
3. https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/HousingSpotlight2-2.pdf
4. https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/newresconst.pdf
5. https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-housing-and-urban-development?fy=2022
6. https://www.pgpf.org/blog/2022/06/how-does-the-federal-government-support-housing-for-low-income-households
7. https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Americas_Rental_Housing_2022.pdf
8. https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CFO/documents/Consolidated_2022CJ.pdf