What is affordable housing? Housing that costs a household no more than 30 percent of its income, and in practice the programmes and buildings that keep rents there for people under an income limit: vouchers, tax-credit buildings, income-restricted apartments and public housing.
The federal definition is arithmetic: housing is affordable when rent and utilities take 30 percent or less of a household's gross income, and a household paying more is cost-burdened (severely so above 50 percent). By that measure about half of American renters live in housing that is not affordable to them. The phrase in daily use means the housing built or subsidised to meet the definition for households below a set share of the area median income (AMI), commonly 50, 60 or 80 percent of it.
There are four main kinds, and they have different waiting lists. Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) follow the tenant and pay a private landlord part of the rent; the lists are years long and often closed. Low-Income Housing Tax Credit buildings and project-based Section 8 attach the subsidy to the building, with each property keeping its own list. Income-restricted apartments rent at a capped price to households under the limit with no voucher, and they are the largest and fastest pool. Public housing is owned by the housing authority and is the smallest.
Nevada's housing authority for Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County is the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, and 211 is the referral line for all of it. Kouzr's rental pages show the market-rate side; income-restricted buildings are found through the authority and each property directly.
A worked example
The area median income for a Las Vegas family of three is set each year by HUD. A tax-credit building restricted to 60 percent of AMI might rent a two-bedroom at about $1,150 to a household earning up to roughly $52,000, against a market rent of $1,600 for the same unit two streets over. The building keeps its own waiting list and takes applications directly.
What 30 percent of your income is
Questions people ask
Who qualifies for affordable housing?
Households under an income limit set as a share of the area median income, commonly 50, 60 or 80 percent, adjusted for household size. Each programme and building sets its own limit and its own list.
How do I apply for affordable housing in Las Vegas?
For vouchers, through the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority when its list is open. For tax-credit and income-restricted buildings, directly with each property. 211 is the referral line for both.