Technology advancements are helping integrate Section 8 housing with a world that exists largely online.
AI programs and dedicated apps are speeding up the application and approval process.
Services provided by HUD are making sure those in Section 8 still have access to the needed technology for today’s world.
Since the turn of the 21st century, it feels as if the advancement of technology has been at turbo speed. From worldwide communications to mundane routines, so much of our day-to-day life takes place online. This applies to those living in Section 8 housing as well. From applying for vouchers to ensuring homes are connected to the web, technology is making Section 8 more accessible and livable. Here are five ways that is happening.
What is Section 8?
Before diving into how technology is changing the game for Section 8, let’s take a quick review of what the program entails. Since 1974, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has funded the housing voucher program. This program caters to those who are low-income, elderly, or living with disabilities and need rent assistance.
Applying for vouchers can be long and tedious, full of paperwork, dense logistics, and government red tape. There are ways technology is speeding up that process, though, and keeping those in Section 8 connected with the online world.
AI predicts market trends
When harnessed correctly, AI can help us connect with the world and knowledge in a previously unexplored way. That is true when it comes to real estate and Section 8 housing, as well. The hardest part about planning a move or finding investment property as a landlord is trying to predict market trends. For landlords, that’s knowing what neighborhoods will see a swing upward in desirability, the trajectory of expected rental income, and where there might be a dip in coming months that favors buyers.
For those seeking Section 8 housing, predicting market trends means figuring out where those properties might be coming from, what the expected rent prices will be (since Section 8 is a partial payment), and what might allow for long-term rentals instead of short-term rentals.
More and more in the real estate market are using AI to follow trends and predict prices, and those looking for housing can do so as well, thanks to the technology evolving to follow the field.
Dedicated Websites
If a large company or entity doesn’t have a presence online in today’s world, it’s virtually impossible to connect with them. Those looking for Section 8 housing shouldn’t have to suffer while searching for a lack of online presence.
For years, anyone applying for a voucher had to deal directly with their local housing departments, using outdated systems to find available rentals. While you still need to coordinate with your city’s department to apply for vouchers and arrange the monetary aspects of the vouchers, you can search Section 8 housing through large databases. This database allows you to review the properties already registered as open to or built for Section 8 nationwide.
Resource Apps
To quote a famous marketing tagline, there’s an app for that. Many of us carry around all the technology we need in a day right in the palm of our hand. Our phones, even the most basic designs, include smartphone apps that connect us with the companies, websites, and social media platforms we interact with most.
HUD and certain investment brokerages are making it easier than ever to live in and provide Section 8 housing by moving their world to an app. The HUD Resource Locator connects residents with affordable housing property management companies, maps of HUD field offices, public housing representatives to answer questions, and more.
Brokerage firms are doing their part to assist in providing Section 8 housing with apps such as AppFolio. The system helps landlords enter rent receipts for tenants using vouchers, enter multiple receipts for multiple properties at once, and more.
Telecommunications Relay Services
Section 8 housing provides shelter for several marginalized groups, with one of them being those suffering from disabilities. These disabilities can include blindness and deafness. Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) are in place to help landlords and HUD communicate with those groups. TRS systems range from phones that hearing-impaired users can type out messages on, TeleBraille for those with blindness to communicate, and 24/7 access to representatives. TRS systems are free to users.
These systems allow those who might not otherwise be able to live independently the freedom to do so and the peace of mind that comes with being on their own.
ConnectHome USA
If you are living in Section 8 housing, funds are likely tight. While creating a budget and deciding where to cut costs, it is easy to eliminate Wi-Fi and extraneous technology devices. While you don’t want to be frivolous, it’s almost impossible to be a part of society in today’s world without being plugged in, whether for work, school, or socializing.
ConnectHome USA provides broadband internet and devices to those in HUD housing, ensuring you are always connected.
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