Eligibility for Rental Assistance

Eligibility for Section 8 Rental Assistance is based mainly on household income. To receive Section 8 rental assistance, an applicant's gross annual income must be at or below the HUD-published limit that corresponds to their household size.

HUD's Section 8 Income Limits

 (Effective December 1, 2011)

Eligible Section 8 applicants will be placed on a waiting list according to their date of application. Preference in selection will be given to applicants according to where they live or work.

Eligible Section 8 applicants will be required to submit evidence of US citizenship or eligible status at the point of selection from the waiting list.

In accordance with federal regulation, any household that includes a member who is subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender is ineligible to receive Section 8 Rental Assistance.

Applying for a Section 8 Voucher

There are three ways to apply for a Section 8 Voucher:

1. Download an application from this website.

Select the application that meets your needs from the list below; print, complete, sign and return it to any Belmont Housing Resources office.

Application/Fact Sheet for Erie County PHA Consortium Section 8 Voucher Program

Aplicacion/Hoja Del Hecho para Erie County PHA Consortium Section 8 Voucher Program

Application/Fact Sheet for City of North Tonawanda Section 8 Voucher Program

Aplicacion/Hoja Del Hecho para City of North Tonawanda Section 8 Voucher Program

2. Call Belmont Housing Resources for WNY (884-2358 Ext.305/TDD 711) and ask that an application be mailed to you. Completed application can be mailed to any Belmont Housing Resources office or you can drop it off.

3. Go to any Belmont Housing Resources office during regular business hours and complete an application right there.

Once your application is received and reviewed, you will be sent either a Waitlist Placement Letter or a Notice of Ineligibility. If you don't receive any correspondence from Belmont Housing Resources within two weeks of submitting an application, please call our Waitlist/Housing Information Specialist at 884-7791/TDD 711.

Section 8 Voucher Waiting List

Unfortunately there is not enough funding to give everyone a Section 8 Voucher immediately. So, once an applicant household is determined eligible, their name must be placed on a waiting list according to their application date. Belmont Housing Resources maintains two waiting lists; the "Erie" list and the "CNT" list (City of North Tonawanda).

If you live or work anywhere in Erie County, your best chance of receiving a Section 8 Voucher is through the "Erie" Program. You will be given "preference" on this list.

If you live or work in North Tonawanda, your best chance of receiving a Section 8 Voucher is through the "CNT" Program. You will be given "preference" on this list.

You are welcome to apply to both programs if you wish.

It is extremely important to keep your Section 8 application information up-to-date while you're waiting for a voucher, especially your address and phone number. If you can't be located when your name comes to the top of the list, you will lose your chance to receive a voucher.

There are several ways that you can update your Section 8 application information or check your waitlist status:

• Go to: https://www.waitlistcheck.com; enter your birth year and social security number. The software will calculate your approximate wait in months. While you're using the waitlist-check website, you may update any of your information by clicking the e-mail button and submitting your corrections.
• To update your address or phone number by phone, call 884-2358 Ext. 307/TDD 711.
• To find your place on the waitlist by phone, call 884-2358 Ext. 311/TDD 711, OR
• Stop by any Belmont Housing Resources office during regular business hours and staff will be glad to check your status or revise your information.