Section 8 housing waitlist to open for the first time in more than 5 years

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Section 8 housing waitlist for the city of Tucson is re-opening on Tuesday.

The last time the waitlist was open was 2017. Applicants will be selected into the housing program in February using a lottery system.

RELATED: Section 8 waitlist opens, applicants must apply by January 24

Some of the people with the vouchers have voiced on social media that finding an apartment or housing option that accepts the voucher is difficult.

Kara Matthew described it as nearly impossible.

“Back then, it wasn’t as bad finding housing. I actually found housing pretty fast. I would say about two months after I got the voucher, I was in a place,” said Matthew.

Matthew received a Section 8 voucher in 2006.

She receives Supplemental Security Income or SSI. She lives at Tanque Verde Apartments but hopes to move closer to her mom to help take care of her.

“She’s struggling and stuff so I was going to move to help her and me and my fiancé were going to get a place together and you can’t find anything,” said Matthew.

She said most of the apartments she calls don’t accept the voucher.

“I was calling places that were listed on the Section 8 website, the list that Section 8 gives you. I was calling them and they were like ‘oh we don’t take it anymore’,” Matthew said.

Back in September, the City of Tucson passed an ordinance making it illegal for landlords to discriminate based on an applicant’s source of income.

RELATED: City passes ordinance that makes it unlawful for housing to discriminate based on applicant's income source

Arizona Attorney General, Mark Brnovich, recently announced that this ordinance violates state law. He said in 1992, a law was passed giving large cities the ability to create fair housing ordinances. However, he said the ordinances would have needed to be passed no later than January 1, 1995.

The City of Tucson’s attorney responded with a 12 page letter that states why the ordinance doesn’t violate the law and for the Attorney General to take “no further action.”

While the legal limbo continues, Matthew Continues to look for a place that accepts the voucher.

“I just wish that more apartments and more housing places would work with section 8,” Matthew said.

Tucson City Council meetings for this week have been cancelled and the next one is scheduled for January 11.

For more information on how to apply for Section 8, visit the city’s website here.