Rep. Barragan Joins HACLA in Spreading the Word on Section 8 Housing Waitlist

On Oct. 25, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) attended the Housing Authority for the City of Los Angeles’ (HACLA) Section 8 Waitlist Sign Up at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in the city of Carson.  Baragan spoke with HACLA staff and constituents seeking assistance. The waitlist application process is coming to an end on Oct. 30.

Barragán’s visit was one of many libraries in the harbor area during the last week of the application being open. The waitlist for the city’s public housing hasn’t been open for five years.

“I think there’s a real need for people right now, clearly a need for affordable housing,” Barragán said. “So we are seeing a large number of applicants in this go around. So we would encourage people to apply now, even if they don’t know if you’re going to need the housing in one to five years. You at least want to get on the waiting list [because] it’s been five years since they opened up a waiting list.”

Barragán said that people who make it on the waitlist usually end up being selected for housing. She wasn’t sure of the timeframe the selection would be made but acknowledged that those on the waiting list usually are called within five years.

She said that she hears the current waiting list will be cleared by the end of the year. Everyone who applied and got on the prior waiting list would have been given an opportunity for public housing within the five-year limit that was mentioned.

The selections are according to the city’s standards for people who fall into the very low-income category. The most one person can generate annually is $41,700 to be considered for public housing. A family of four is allowed to make $59,550. There are some priorities given in the selection process to city workers and veterans who were discharged honorably, but besides that the process is random.

When it comes to immigration status, the application process is said to be discrete. Immigration officials or workers will not be given any information regarding the application for public housing. One member of the family must have legal immigration status in the U.S. in order for their families to qualify for public housing. As long as at least one person maintains a legal immigration status, then no matter how big their family is, they’ll be considered for the waiting list.

Families who try to get on the waiting list, but aren’t successful have a few different options. Barragán said that there are other forms of city housing opportunities. If anyone is having trouble finding the information she invites them to call her office and points them in the right direction.

HACLA will be at the public library in Wilmington on Oct. 26 to give the same presentation to anyone inquiring. Again, the deadline to register for the waitlist is Oct. 30. Families who think they might have any problems or verification issues should still sign up for the waiting list because they won’t know when they’ll be called and so they’ll have that entire time to get their affairs and documents in order.

For information regarding the city’s public housing authority, you can visit their website at www.hacla.org