Relentless Rents Leave Few Choices for Americans Relying on Assistance
Renters under the Section 8 voucher program are struggling to find apartments that meet their needs and fall within a tight budget
After becoming wheelchair-bound at age 53, Valerie Savedra struggled to find a new home that her Section 8 voucher would cover in Tucson.
Photographer: Cassidy Araiza/Bloomberg
Government programs designed to support the lowest-income Americans have been no match for the relentless post-Covid US rental market.
Already plagued by years-long wait times, those who receive so-called Section 8 housing choice vouchers are struggling to use them to find apartments with rents at or near records nationwide. While demand for assistance soared to historic levels in 2022, the share of tenants successfully finding housing dropped, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which funds the program that supports more than 2 million households annually.