How Does Section 8 Find Out if Someone Is Living With You?

Cindy Ellis - February 27, 2025

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as Section 8, provides rental assistance to low-income families and individuals who would otherwise struggle to find housing. Section 8 housing can be extremely valuable to certain individuals in need, but it’s important that people who are receiving a housing voucher follow all the rules and restrictions for their Section 8 housing. One of these common restrictions is limits on the number of people who can live with you in a certain unit or area of housing.

Our article tells you more about how Section 8 housing landlords might be able to discover if someone is living with you against the rules of your lease. We also give you details on why resident verification is important and what might happen if you are discovered violating the terms of your Section 8 housing voucher.

What Is Section 8 Housing?

Section 8 housing is a federally subsidized housing program officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. This program is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and individuals wishing to receive a housing voucher for rental assistance must complete a lengthy application process, including interviews and income verification. 

The waitlist for receiving a Section 8 housing voucher can be quite long, and it’s important for individuals who receive Section 8 housing assistance to follow all regulations for their specific lease and housing unit to avoid any issues or losing their voucher. 

Typically, Section 8 housing will be awarded based on family size and income amount. This means that lease regulations and rules will differ from person to person, and if you are receiving Section 8 housing, you should pay close attention to the restrictions outlined in your lease.

Who Can Live With You Under Section 8 Housing?

Who can live with you under Section 8 housing depends on your initial Section 8 housing voucher application and your family situation. Generally, if you have a large family and dependents, all of these people will be allowed to live with you in units that can reasonably accommodate your family size. 

However, Section 8 housing typically does not allow individuals not on your lease to live with you, and your Section 8 housing voucher may cover specific units that only suit one or two people, depending on your needs. This means that you may not be able to move anyone into your Section 8 housing unit without the risk of violating the terms of your lease.

How Does Section 8 Find Out if Someone Is Living With You?

There are both official and unofficial ways for Section 8 to find out if someone is living with you either on an authorized or unauthorized basis. As you apply for Section 8 housing vouchers, you may need to indicate people who you anticipate living with you in your Section 8 housing unit. 

If you sign a lease stating that only you will be living in a unit, moving someone else in on an unauthorized basis can cause issues or eviction.

Initial Application

Your initial Section 8 housing application is where you can list your family size, any dependents, and people that you anticipate living with you once you are awarded a housing voucher. During this process, you may be required to attend interviews to attest to the information in your application, and you may need to provide additional information to the Section 8 authority in your jurisdiction to show that you are a valid member of the county and to prove your identification.

This initial application process will include a review of your income and eligibility, and this is what your Section 8 housing voucher is based on. Moving someone into your Section 8 housing unit on an unauthorized basis can result in your income exceeding that of the program’s limits, and it may lead to you losing your Section 8 voucher.

Routine Inspections

The Section 8 Housing Authority in your area and landlords or property management companies will conduct routine inspections of your Section 8 unit. This allows them to verify that the unit is being used for its intended purpose and that the residents who are listed on the housing voucher are, in fact, living there. During these inspections, if there is someone unauthorized living in the home or if the housing unit is being used for commercial purposes, this may be discovered.

Landlord Reports

Typically, Section 8 housing vouchers will apply to rental housing where a landlord or property manager oversees the property. It can be discovered that someone unauthorized is living with you by what the landlord reports to the Section 8 Housing Authority in your area. The landlord may see an unauthorized individual coming in and out of your apartment, or they may notice that people they do not recognize are frequently staying in your apartment. 

While guests are allowed if you have section 8 housing, you cannot have guests stay for an extended period of time, and you cannot have a person who is not on the lease move in with you.

Neighbor Reports

Sometimes, your neighbors may report that you have an unauthorized individual living in your housing unit. While many neighbors may keep to themselves, others may have problems if there are constantly people coming in and out of the Section 8 housing unit next to them, and they may report to landlords if they see suspicious individuals moving in, or if they simply don’t recognize the people who are coming in and out of your unit. If you do have someone unauthorized moving into or living in your unit, it can be discovered this way.

Public Records

The Section 8 Housing Authority in your area may take the time to look through public records to verify who is living at your address. By searching through public records to check utility bills, listed residents, and voter registration records, they may discover that unauthorized individuals are living in your Section 8 housing unit or the unit is being used for unauthorized purposes, such as commercial use and renting.

Why Is Resident Verification Important?

Verifying the residents who are living at a Section 8 housing address is an incredibly important part of maintaining the integrity of the Section 8 housing program. By verifying residents and ensuring that the property is being used to live in, as opposed to being rented out for commercial purposes, the Section 8 Housing Authority can ensure that fraud and abuse of the program are being prevented.

Additionally, verifying certain residents who are living in housing and ensuring that lease regulations are followed properly can help the Section 8 Housing Authority make sure that housing vouchers are being distributed efficiently and effectively, helping out the most vulnerable members of an area’s population.

Can a Guest Stay With Me While I’m in Section 8 Housing?

Guests can stay with you while you are in Section 8 housing, but there are generally very strict requirements regarding who can stay with you and for how long. For example, blood relations, dependence, and spouses are typically accepted residents of a household that benefits from a Section 8 housing voucher. If an elderly relative becomes sick and unable to care for themselves, they may also be able to stay with you for a set period.

You can have a romantic partner or a friend stay with you for a few nights, but you cannot move a friend or romantic partner into your Section 8 housing unit, as this may violate the terms of your lease, and it may make you ineligible for the Section 8 housing program. If you have concerns about when guests can stay with you and for how long, look at your lease or speak to your landlord to understand more about guest procedures.

What Happens If I Violate Section 8 Housing Rules?

If you violate Section 8 housing rules, you may face a number of different consequences. Minor violations may end up with you receiving fines, while more major violations may result in revocation of your rental assistance, eviction, and hefty fines. If the violation of Section 8 housing rules was a result of engaging in illegal behavior, you may also be facing state and federal criminal charges.

Following Section 8 Housing Rules

Section 8 housing can be invaluable to many people, especially individuals who are having issues finding a suitable and affordable place to live. The waitlist to receive a Section 8 housing voucher can be lengthy, and once you are in a Section 8 housing unit, you must follow all of your lease terms and the restrictions that Section 8 housing places upon you. Failing to do this by moving in a guest, for example, can violate these terms and lead to eviction, loss of your Section 8 housing voucher, and other serious consequences.

To learn more about the rules and restrictions of your Section 8 housing voucher, don’t hesitate to speak to the Section 8 Housing Authority in your area or the landlord who oversees your Section 8 housing unit.