This Tuesday, July 28, the deadline to register for the waiting list of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in Hialeah, commonly known as Plan 8, expires at 4:59 p.m. Those who have not submitted their pre-registration by that time will miss the only opportunity available in this cycle.
According to Telemundo 51, the Hialeah Housing Authority (HHA) opened the application period on Wednesday, July 22, leaving only seven days for eligible residents to complete their applications. The deadline will close definitely this Tuesday.
Online only and for citizens only
Pre-registration is accepted exclusively through the portal hialeahhousing.org. Paper applications and in-person submissions are not accepted.
This announcement introduces a significant change compared to previous editions: for the first time, the HHA excludes legal permanent residents, meaning holders of a residence card or Green Card. Only U.S. citizens over 18 years old who reside in Miami-Dade County may apply.
Julio Ponce, executive director of the HHA, explained to the Miami Herald that the restriction is in response to federal guidelines from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Trump administration: the HUD is "enforcing that you must be a citizen."
This change directly affects a significant part of the Latino immigrant community in Hialeah, including Cubans with permanent residency who were able to participate in previous calls.
Income requirements
In addition to citizenship, applicants must meet annual income limits based on household size:
- 1 person: $47,700
- 2 people: $54,500
- 3 people: $61,300
- 4 people: $68,100
- 5 people: $73,550
- 6 people: $79,000
- 7 people: $84,450
- 8 people: $89,900
To complete the application, full name, Social Security number, date of birth, citizenship status, veteran status, and disability status are required.
Drawing, not in order of arrival
Due to the expected high demand, the HHA will not allocate spots on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, an external provider will manage a random computerized lottery to select 2,500 applicants who will make up the waiting list.
HHA itself warns that "submitting the application early does not increase the chances of being selected."
Among those selected, preference will be given to seniors or individuals with disabilities, those who are in a situation of homelessness, residents of Hialeah, and those who have been displaced by federally recognized natural disasters.
Only one application per household is allowed. Those who submit more than one will be automatically disqualified.
The magnitude of the housing crisis
The figures from previous calls illustrate the housing pressure faced by South Florida. In the April 2024 Plan 8 lottery, over 51,000 people competed for just 1,000 spots on the waiting list. More than 400 families selected at that time have still not received their vouchers.
The HHA manages approximately 6,000 active vouchers and each year, on average, only 300 are reassigned to new families. Those selected in the 2026 call could begin receiving assistance in early 2027, depending on availability.
The housing situation in the area is critical. According to an analysis by RentCafe cited by the Miami Herald, "$1,500 in monthly rent in Hialeah is only enough for approximately 576 square feet, the size of a studio or a small one-bedroom apartment." Florida also faces a structural deficit of over 120,000 homes, with Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa among the most challenging cities in the state for accessing housing.
How to apply before the deadline
Those who have not yet submitted their application should visit the portal hialeahhousing.org before 4:59 p.m. this Tuesday. For additional questions, the HHA can be contacted at 305-888-9744.
Those selected in the lottery must rent a home within a 10-mile radius of Hialeah during the first year of using the voucher; however, they may later use it anywhere it is accepted.
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