Pasadena to Open Section 8 Housing Waiting List on June 1

The City of Pasadena Housing Department (CoPHD) announced that it will open the waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program on June 1 at 9 a.m., through June 15.. The program provides rental assistance to eligible households, helping them afford housing.

To be eligible for the program, households must meet certain income and family size requirements. The CoPHD will also give preference to households that live or work in Pasadena, veterans, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness.

Interested households must apply online during the open waiting list period. Applications may be submitted using a computer, smartphone, or internet-connected tablet.

Section 8 Vouchers allow the voucher holder to select a rental unit of their choice that meets acceptable levels of health and safety standards and is approved by the CoPHD. The household will pay approximately 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, with the CoPHD paying the difference based on the payment standard for the area. If the rent exceeds the area standard, the family must pay the additional amount, up to 40% of their monthly income.

Submitting an application does not guarantee a place on the waiting list. The CoPHD will only be able to accept 7,500 applications. If more than 7,500 applications are submitted, a random computerized selection process along with the CoPHD waiting list preferences will be used to determine which applications get accepted to the waiting list and the order in which the applications are placed. 

The date and time of application submission do not increase the likelihood of being selected for the waiting list, the City said.

After the lottery takes place, an email will be sent to all applicants regarding the outcome of the application submitted with instructions for the selected applicants regarding where to check their application status.

To be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the applicant household’s total gross annual income must be at or below the very low-income limit for the household size. The very low-income limit for FY 22-23 for Pasadena (subject to change in May 2023) is $41,700 for a household size of 1, $47,650 for a household size of 2, $53,600 for a household size of 3, $59,550 for a household size of 4, $64,350 for a household size of 5, $69,100 for a household size of 6, and $73,850 for a household size of 7.

Applications will only be available online and can be submitted online only at www.cityofpasadena.net/housing. Applicants must have a valid email address to complete the application and must keep that email address active during the time they remain on the waiting list. Each application submitted must have a unique email address. Duplicate applications are not permitted.

For access to a computer to complete the online application, visit any of the libraries in Pasadena or contact one of the community partner sites for assistance. The Pasadena Citizen Service Center is available for any questions on how to submit an online application for the Section 8 program.

Those with questions on how to submit your online application for the Section 8 program may contact the Pasadena Citizen Service Center at (626) 744-7311 for more information.