For the first time in two decades, Des Moines had to turn people away from its Section 8 wait list.
Why it matters: The surge in applications shows that many more residents can’t afford housing in the metro.
State of play: The Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency, which administers the federal Section 8 program in Polk County, received $22 million in federal funds for rental assistance this year.
- The money supports apartments that automatically accept Section 8, and vouchers that participants can use to find housing themselves.
What’s happening: In July, the agency opened its Section 8 wait list for the first time in 18 months. More than 7,500 people applied in two days for just 4,500 spots.
- Those who weren’t selected by the computerized lottery system will have to wait at least another 18 months before it opens again, Chris Johansen, executive director of the housing agency, says.
Plus: That’s just to get on the wait list — only about 35 families leave the program each month, meaning wait-listed families could spend years before they receive actual aid.
- Those who don’t get on the wait list or get assistance spend as much as 50% or more of their income on housing.
What they’re saying: “The 7,500 was way more than we ever anticipated,” Johansen says…