Facts Disqualify You From Section 8: I Bet You Never Knew About
Below we’ll discuss about what will disqualify you from section 8, including:
- Types of felonies that will affect your eligibility
- How to navigate the application process
- Additional resources to help you through the process
Types of Felonies That Will Affect Your Eligibility
If you or a family member has been convicted of certain felonies, you may lose your eligibility for Section 8 housing indefinitely. The specific types of convictions that will lead to this outcome include:
- Drug-related felonies
- Violent crimes
- Crimes against children
- Sexual assault or rape
- Illegal weapons possession
How to Navigate the Application Process?
If you have a felony, here’s how to navigate the application process.
Apply online. If you are concerned that your criminal background may affect your employment opportunities, you can explain the circumstances in detail on your application form.
Prepared to explain yourself at the interview. You may be asked to explain why you were convicted of a crime and what steps you have taken to keep it from happening again.
Be prepared with references and other information about your character. If possible, provide references who can speak about your character and potential for employment.
Additional Resources to Help You Through the Process
This website is intended to help you through the process. We do not guarantee that any of the information on this website will work for you. We can only tell you what has worked for others.
If you have a felony and would like to be employed, here are some things you can do:
- Make sure your lawyer has told you how long it will take for your criminal record to be cleared
- If you have a probation officer, make sure they know about your criminal record and that your lawyer has told you it is OK to apply for jobs
- Ask your probation officer if there are any other restrictions on your employment
- Have applied for a job and been turned down because of your criminal record, ask the employer to reconsider their decision in writing
- Ask if there are any jobs available in your area that do not require a criminal background check or if there are places where you can find out more information about employment opportunities
- All else fails, look online at websites like Craigslist or Monster.com (but beware of scams!)
