What we verified in “Public housing and Section 8 vouchers in Puerto Rico”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. According to Puerto Rico's Public Housing Administration (AVP), its Section 8 Program is not accepting new applications at this time, and only accepts applications for Project Based Vouchers, preferences and special programs; the form to apply for public housing in the available units of the residenciales is online at prphaenlinea.avp.pr.gov; the Section 8 participant portal lets you see your account, follow a move, complete your recertification and download documents; anyone who needs a reasonable accommodation or feels their rights were violated can call 787-759-9407, extension 3007; and AVP answers at 787-759-9407, TTY 711 and toll free 1-855-297-0139, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

   Sources 1 · AVP, home page: '¡Atención! El Programa Sección 8 no está aceptando nuevas solicitudes en este momento. Solo se están aceptando solicitudes para los Project Base Voucher, preferencias y programas especiales.'; 'Ya se encuentra disponible en línea el formulario para someter la solicitud de vivienda pública para las unidades disponibles en los residenciales en Puerto Rico. Accede a: prphaenlinea.avp.pr.gov'; 'Acceso a tu cuenta. Seguimiento al proceso de mudanza. Completar la recertificación. Descarga de documentos.'; 'Si usted o un familiar necesita acomodo razonable o siente que se le han violentado sus derechos, comuníquese al 787-759-9407 ext. 3007'; 'Cuadro: 787-759-9407'; 'TTY (Teletype): 711'; 'Libre de cargos (toll free): 1-855-297-0139'; 'Lunes a Viernes 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. According to AVP, the basic admission requirements for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) are being a family, which can be one person; being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; meeting the extremely low income limits HUD sets each year; being 18 or older; not being involved in, or having a recent history of, drug-related criminal activity or activity that threatens others' life, safety or peaceful enjoyment; and not being registered as a sex offender; the application is at the regional offices and on avp.pr.gov, available only for the preferences.

   Sources 2 · AVP, 'Requisitos Básicos de Admisión' (Section 8): 'Ser una familia (puede constar de una persona).'; 'Ser ciudadano americano o residente permanente.'; 'Cumplir con los límites de ingreso establecidos anualmente por HUD (Extremly Low Income).'; 'Mayor de Edad (18 años o más)'; 'No estar involucrado en, ni tener, historial reciente de ninguna actividad delictiva relacionadas a drogas'; 'No estar registrado como ofensor sexual'; 'disponible en todas nuestras oficinas regionales y en la página de la agencia www.avp.pr.gov'; '(Disponible solo para atender las preferencias)' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. According to AVP, its admission preferences for the voucher program are, in order: families involuntarily displaced by government action or a declared natural disaster, including those whose FEMA housing assistance is ending, who come before all other families; families referred by law enforcement agencies for having witnessed or reported crimes; families with a member with a disability aged 18 to 61 who is transitioning out of an institution, at serious risk of institutionalization, or formerly homeless and now in a permanent supportive housing or rapid re-housing program; and victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking as HUD defines them; a family evicted or displaced for not paying rent or a mortgage does not count as involuntarily displaced.

   Sources 3 · AVP, 'Programa de Vales para la Libre Selección de Vivienda/Sección 8, Criterios de Admisión por Preferencias': 'Las familias desplazadas involuntariamente por causa de una acción gubernamental o un desastre natural'; 'Esta preferencia incluye a las familias cuya asistencia de vivienda provista por la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (“FEMA”) este finalizando'; 'tendrán prioridad sobre todas las demás familias'; 'Una familia que ha sido desahuciada o desplazada por no pagar renta o hipoteca no será considerada como involuntariamente desplazada'; 'Familias referidas por agencias federales o locales de cumplimiento de la ley que han sido testigos de un crimen'; 'Familias con un miembro de la composición que sea discapacitado de al menos 18 años y menor de 62 años'; 'Están en un proceso de transición institucional'; 'Están en serio riesgo de institucionalización'; 'clientes de un programa de vivienda permanente con servicios de apoyo o de un proyecto de reubicación rápida (rapid re-housing)'; 'Familias víctimas de violencia doméstica, violencia de pareja, agresión sexual o asecho'; '24 CFR §5.2003' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. According to AVP, to apply for public housing there is an application form in Spanish and English, a list of required documents and a Personal Statement every applicant must complete; and each case is evaluated individually, so the documents may vary.

   Sources 4 · AVP, 'Solicitud de Vivienda Pública': 'Solicitud de Vivienda Pública - Español'; 'Application for Public Housing - English'; 'Documentos Requeridos para radicar Solicitud de Vivienda Pública'; 'Cada caso se evalúa individualmente. Los documentos que se le requieran pueden variar de acuerdo a las particularidades de cada solicitante.'; 'Toda persona que radique Solicitud de Vivienda Pública debe completar este formulario.' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. According to AVP's document list for public housing applications, it asks for, among others, the Personal Statement; the birth certificate and Social Security card of every member, original and copy; a criminal record certificate, or a certificate of sentence completion if there is a record; a photo of all members together; the residence card if foreign; one credit reference and two personal references; income certification; the letter from PAN (nutrition assistance) and economic assistance; the ASUME child support letter, positive or negative; evidence of the housing problem; the rent receipt and the AEE and AAA bills; a CRIM certification; and photo ID for those over 18; and if you do not present all the documents when filing, the application is not filed.

   Sources 5 · AVP, 'Documentos requeridos para radicar solicitud de vivienda pública' (Form AVP – Rev. 10/14): 'Declaración Personal'; 'Certificado de Nacimiento original y copia de todos los Miembros de la familia'; 'Presentar tarjeta de Seguro Social en original y copia de todos los miembros de la familia'; 'Certificado de Antecedentes Penales. De tener antecedentes penales presentar “Certificado de Cumplimiento de Sentencia”'; 'Retrato de todos los miembros de la familia'; 'Tarjeta de Residencia, si es extranjero'; 'Una (1) referencia de crédito (carta)'; 'Dos (2) referencias personales'; 'Certificación de Ingresos'; 'Carta del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional (PAN) y Asistencia Económica'; 'Carta de pensión alimenticia del Tribunal (ASUME-Negativa o Positiva)'; 'Evidencia Problema de Vivienda'; 'Recibo de Renta'; 'Recibo de la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica (AEE) y Autoridad de Acueducto y Alcantarillado (AAA)'; 'Certificación del Centro de Recaudación de Ingresos Municipales (CRIM)'; 'tarjeta de identificación con retrato de todos los miembros de la composición familiar mayores de 18 años'; 'De no presentar los mismos no se procederá a radicar la correspondiente solicitud.' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. AVP publishes a list of Project Based Voucher (PBV) projects, with each project's address and contact and the phone and email of the regional Section 8 office that serves it.

   Sources 6 · AVP, 'Proyectos PBV': for example, 'Golden Living Barceloneta 101 Ave Escobar, Barceloneta'; 'Égida Arecibo 787-759-9407 Ext.2510 S8-Arecibo@avp.pr.gov' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. According to HUD, public housing is for low-income families and individuals; the housing authority determines eligibility by annual gross income, whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability or a family, and U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status; HUD sets the low-income limits at 80% and very low-income limits at 50% of the area median; the authority checks your references and can deny admission to applicants expected to harm other residents; the application is in writing; and you will be asked for documents, such as birth certificates and tax returns, and to sign a release so the information can be verified.

   Sources 7 · HUD, 'Public Housing': 'Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals'; 'An HA determines your eligibility based on: 1) annual gross income; 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status'; 'HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low-income limits at 50% of the median income'; 'the HA will check your references'; 'HAs will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants'; 'The application must be written'; 'documentation is needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns)'; 'You will be asked to sign a form to authorize release of pertinent information' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. According to HUD, the housing authority must notify you of its decision in writing; if you are eligible, it puts you on a waiting list unless it can help you right away, and contacts you when your turn comes; if you are not eligible, it must say why and you can request an informal hearing; authorities may give preference to certain groups; long waits are common; and an authority may close its list when it has more families than it can help soon.

   Sources 7 · HUD, 'Public Housing': 'An HA must provide written notification'; 'your name will be put on a waiting list, unless the HA is able to assist you immediately'; 'If it is determined that you are ineligible, the HA must say why and, if you wish, you can request an informal hearing'; 'Giving preference to specific groups of families'; 'long waiting periods are common'; 'an HA may close its waiting list when there are more families on the list than can be assisted in the near future' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. According to HUD, in public housing your rent, called the Total Tenant Payment, is based on your annual gross income minus allowed deductions, and is the highest of: 30% of monthly adjusted income, 10% of monthly income, welfare rent if applicable, or a $25 minimum rent or a higher amount, up to $50, set by the authority.

   Sources 7 · HUD, 'Public Housing', 'How is rent determined?': 'Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP)'; 'based on your family's anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any'; 'The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following'; '30 percent of the monthly adjusted income'; '10 percent of monthly income'; 'welfare rent, if applicable'; 'a $25 minimum rent or higher amount (up to $50) set by an HA' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. According to HUD, if you accept a public housing unit you sign a lease with the housing authority and may have to pay a security deposit; the authority reexamines the family's income at least once every 12 months; and in general you may stay in public housing as long as you comply with the lease.

    Sources 7 · HUD, 'Public Housing': 'you will have to sign a lease with the HA. You may have to give the HA a security deposit'; 'Perform periodic reexaminations of the family's income at least once every 12 months'; 'In general, you may stay in public housing as long as you comply with the lease.' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. According to HUD, the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) helps low-income families, elderly people, veterans and people with disabilities afford housing in the private market: you choose an eligible home, such as a house or an apartment, and a subsidy paid directly to the landlord covers part of the rent; because of high demand and long lists, you may need to apply to several authorities' waitlists; once you get the voucher you have at least 60 days to search, 60 to 120 depending on the authority, and you can ask for an extension; the home must pass an inspection; to keep the voucher only the family members listed on it may live with you; and with Project Based Vouchers the assistance stays with the unit, not the family.

    Sources 8 · HUD, 'Housing Choice Voucher Tenants': 'helps low-income families, elderly persons, veterans and disabled individuals afford housing in the private market'; 'with rent partially covered by a subsidy paid directly to the landlord'; 'you may need to apply to multiple Public Housing Agency waitlists'; 'This voucher will have a search time of 60 to 120 days, as determined by the Public Housing Agency'; 'you will have at least 60 days to search for a rental unit'; 'request an extension of your voucher search time'; 'your local housing agency will conduct inspections of your unit'; 'Only allow family members listed on your voucher to live with you'; 'the assistance is tied to the specific unit rather than the tenant' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. HUD publishes contact information for public housing authorities by state, and Puerto Rico is on its list.

    Sources 9 · HUD, 'PHA Contact Information': 'To view contact information for Public Housing Agencies in your city and state, select your state from the list-box'; 'HA Contact Information by State (List)'; '… Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island …' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR 982.353), a family with a voucher may lease anywhere in the jurisdiction of the authority that issued it, and has the right to use it outside that jurisdiction, anywhere in the United States, in the jurisdiction of another authority with a voucher program; the authority must not provide that portable assistance if the family moved out in violation of the lease, unless it did so to protect a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking; and if neither the head of household nor the spouse had their legal residence in the authority's jurisdiction when they applied, during the first 12 months in the program they have no right to portability, although the authority may allow it.

    Sources 10 · 24 CFR 982.353(a)–(c): 'The family may receive tenant-based assistance to lease a unit located anywhere in the jurisdiction'; 'a voucher-holder or participant family has the right to receive tenant-based voucher assistance'; 'to lease a unit outside the initial PHA jurisdiction, anywhere in the United States, in the jurisdiction of a PHA with a tenant-based program'; 'The initial PHA must not provide such portable assistance for a participant if the family has moved out of the assisted unit in violation of the lease'; 'victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking'; 'if neither the household head nor spouse of an assisted family already had a “domicile” (legal residence) in the jurisdiction of the initial PHA'; 'during the 12 month period'; 'The family does not have any right to portability'; 'The initial PHA may choose to allow portability during this period' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. According to Puerto Rico's Judiciary, subsidized homes under the programs the Department of Housing administers, including HUD and Section 8 housing, have regulations governing eviction, and some require an administrative process before the lawsuit is filed.

    Sources 11 · Poder Judicial, 'Guía informativa comunitaria: proceso judicial de desahucio': 'Vivienda HUD o Vivienda de Sección 8, ¿se tiene que seguir el mismo procedimiento?'; 'tienen reglamentos que regulan el proceso de desahucio que tiene que cumplirse'; 'Algunos de estos reglamentos exigen que se realice un procedimiento administrativo antes de que se someta la demanda de desahucio' · Checked October 31, 2026