# Ask the man using Section 8 to get his own place for the 1st time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189 "2012-09-28T22:11:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/1 "2012-09-28T22:11:16Z")
I applied to Section 8 10 years ago (Non Yanks: a housing subsidy program for poor/disabled) and received my voucher last week. (10 years is appearantly typical) I now have 60 days to find a new apartment. Once I move, I will be living alone for the 1st time. (I’m 34) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/2 "2012-09-28T23:07:56Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I applied to Section 8 10 years ago (Non Yanks: a housing subsidy program for poor/disabled) and received my voucher last week. (10 years is appearantly typical) I now have 60 days to find a new apartment. Once I move, I will be living alone for the 1st time. (I’m 34) Who have you been living with up until this point? And, it’s a bit of a tangent, but how’s your book coming? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/3 "2012-09-28T23:31:27Z")
My book is spinning its wheels. I’ve lived with roomies thus far. Most recently feelow SL support consumers. Before that, my brother and roomies. P.S. If you’re gonna be a smartass, please put me on ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Razrak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/razrak/32/5888_2.png) [@Razrak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razrak)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/4 "2012-09-28T23:33:50Z")
Are you disabled? If so what is your disability? Are you excited to have your own place for the first time? How much square footage? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/5 "2012-09-28T23:39:12Z")
I have Spina Bifida. Unsure of size of apartment yet (haven’t seen any quite yet) Ecstatic to live alone finally! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/6 "2012-09-28T23:42:35Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > My book is spinning its wheels. I’ve lived with roomies thus far. Most recently feelow SL support consumers. Before that, my brother and roomies. > > P.S. If you’re gonna be a smartass, please put me on ignore. I only included the emoticon because I have asked that question before (in more appropriate threads) and you never answered me. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/7 "2012-09-28T23:48:31Z")
BTW- SL means “Supported Living”. Meaning living in your own home but with the help of social service agencies. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/8 "2012-09-28T23:56:38Z")
What’s one thing you’re looking forward to doing once the door closes behind them and you’re alone in your own place? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/9 "2012-09-29T00:09:37Z")
Not being woken up by my roomie talking on the phone (speaker phone) with random people, especially people he talked to yesterday, if not earlier that day. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/10 "2012-09-29T00:42:37Z")
What happens if you don’t find a place within 60 days? Another decade wait? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/11 "2012-09-29T00:47:22Z")
To get your Section 8, did you pretend to be crazy by wearing women’s clothing? ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/12 "2012-09-29T00:50:53Z")
Congratulations! Given your disability, will the housing agency provide any sort of transportation assistance to help you get around to look at housing? Do they have listings of places that have good wheelchair access? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/13 "2012-09-29T01:41:15Z")
Congratulations! How often do the SL people come by to help you out? What difficulties do you foresee about living alone for the first time? How are you planning for them (if there are any)? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/14 "2012-09-29T02:11:50Z")
I have PCAs come in for a couple hours a day. I can get an easy 30 day extension, then another one with a Dr. note. Didn’t have to pull a Klinger to get the voucher. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/15 "2012-11-06T19:25:28Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I applied to Section 8 10 years ago (Non Yanks: a housing subsidy program for poor/disabled) and received my voucher last week. (10 years is appearantly typical) I now have 60 days to find a new apartment. Once I move, I will be living alone for the 1st time. (I’m 34) That must be about 40 days - have you found an apartment yet? Or seen some really awful ones you can tell us about? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/16 "2012-11-06T20:53:43Z")
Can you tell us some things, _in general_, about that loooooong wait for Section 8? If you think you (generic _you_) will run out of money some years in the future and be unable to afford housing, do you apply for Section 8 _now_ and hope you get it by the time you need it? Or do you have to wait until you actually need Section 8 before you can even apply for it? And if that is the case, does it mean that applicants must necessarily become homeless (possibly for many years) before they will have a place to live? In many areas, it’s a crapshoot whether you can even get on the waiting list. Around here, they have “open sign-up” days – As far as I can tell, this happens only one day at a time, maybe twice a year. They take names on a strictly first-come first-serve basis (so be sure to get there at 3:00 in the morning!) until their list is full – and that’s just to grab an open slot at the end of their 8-year waiting list! Scratch that about lining up at 3:00 in the morning. Come to think of it, there was a rule on the announcement that anyone lining up before opening time was automatically disqualified! ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_Cello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Clark\_Cello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_Cello)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/17 "2012-11-06T21:24:07Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > To get your Section 8, did you pretend to be crazy by wearing women’s clothing? Dammit! I came here to make that lame joke! ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/18 "2012-11-06T22:10:30Z")
**Ask the man using Section 8 to get his own place for the 1st time** OK: Would you please get your own place for the 1st time? (Sorry, that’s how I parsed the thread title the first time I saw it :)) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/19 "2012-11-07T03:17:26Z")
I was on Section 8 for a few years when I started working for my current employer so I have no questions but will offer some advice. Be prepared to take a day off work once a year so a Section 8 worker can inspect whichever apartment you choose; any little crack in the wall can result in a second inspection after the crack is fixed. I voluntarily removed myself from Section 8 when my income was close to the cut off and I got tired of needing two days off each year for inspection. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189/20 "2012-12-03T13:26:03Z")
Congratulations on getting [your own place](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15733191&postcount=40), **etv78**! Do you have any advice for other Dopers who might be using Section 8 in future? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-man-using-section-8-to-get-his-own-place-for-the-1st-time/636189.md?page=2)