Low Income Budgeting

KarenQVC · ‎05-13-2010

If a single person is on low SS, SSI, or SSD, or holds a low income job, often the best thing they can do is focus on getting into subsidized housing. That is the kind of housing that accepts 30% of income as full rent. Once they have that piece in place, they can budget from there.

What do you think?

Scooby Doo · ‎03-14-2010

The theory sounds good, but often it's not that easy. Low income housing may be scarce nowdays, and a long waiting list to get in. Around my area the list is so long that they are not taking applications at this time. And not every landlord wants to rent to low income.

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

SSI is a Supplement. Supplemenatal Security Income, there is a separate application for SSI but you cannot recieve SSI only. it comes with either SSDI or Social Security.

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

It's a long waiting list, here. The thing that bothers me if your income increase you don't have to move. Hud goes with the amount of income you give when you first apply. Food stamps/ medicaid (free state medical for poor, not ssi) can be cancelled etc. when income changes. Renewal is every 6 months. Hud needs to revaluate their housing income changes, and kick people out .

A person I know of applied for hud with no income. They now make more than me. Hud pays all their rent/ some of electric bill. There are NO renewals, the people don't leave.They do check the apartment each year to make sure it looks ok.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

As others have said, not a simple done deal. In most cities, demand far, far exceeds availability. In SoCal for example, the "normal" ordinary waiting period for a vacancy is *2-3 YEARS.* Nowhere that I know of is it apply, get okayed, and 1-2 months later you're in and set.

That doesn't mean one shouldn't *apply*, just that they have to have a Plan B they can handle for more than a year.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

persiflage · ‎02-16-2014

I have never faced that type of situation but that wouldn't be my strategy. If I couldn't increase my income I would rather look for some kind of shared housing situation, possibly renting a room or even moving to a less expensive area.

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libby's folly

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

In the county I live in, Section 8 housing "applications" has been closed since 1984. 2-3 yrs ago, the State took over. So now, one has to apply to the State for Section 8 vouchers.

Advocates had to take the "city" I live in to Federal court to provide "low income" housing as well as "senior citizen/disabled" housing & "affordable housing".

The "city" lost the court battle which lasted nearly a decade & was fined $2+ billion dollars by the Feds. Apparently, the whole time, the "city" had been receiving Federal housing funds but was spending it elsewhere & nowhere that had to do w/housing.

Currently, my city has 1 Section 8 housing development, 1 brand new senior housing complex & 2 brand new affordable housing units.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

@persiflage wrote:
I have never faced that type of situation but that wouldn't be my strategy. If I couldn't increase my income I would rather look for some kind of shared housing situation, possibly renting a room or even moving to a less expensive area.

I suggested FG renting a room instead. (close to shopping areas etc.) FG is not old enough for senior housing.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

I don't know anything about that. I do know that a lot of people don't realize that (depending on the area) builders are required to set aside a certain amount of housing they are building for low(er) income housing.

I think people often rule out an area because the houses/apartments are so expensive when they shouldn't rule out anything because it might be the area where the buillder has had to set aside some of the houses for lower income.

Some builders have to do that in order to build in an area. It's worth looking into.

I have seen shows about people being creative (getting together with one or more couples (all retired) and living in a large size house (pooling their money together).

I also saw a show this weekend where Americans are moving to little towns in Italy buying a tiny house for as little as $15,000. There is little or no crime and they love it. I was astounded at the number of people (all ages who are doing this).

Look at this article:

http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2012/10/15/best-places-to-retire-for-under-40000

Ms X · ‎09-13-2012

We need more good jobs to return to the USA so that more people can afford to live a decent life. Assistance with education and training could help low-income workers move up. I hope there's more to the story regarding another poster's statement that that people stay in Section 8 indefinitely. There definitely should be an upper limit for househod income. Very often women in Section 8 live with their boyfriend who has a job but hide the fact that he's there. Sometimes he's the father of their children but not on the birth certificate. The system is overloaded in part by people who are not 100% honest.