With Section 8 you would still have to meet their income requirements. I know in my state (Mass) there are 2 standards.....low income and very low income.

Two years ago, when I had SSDI and WC, I would not qualify under either (and shouldn't have, that was what many people would consider pretty decent money....not that it goes far in the Boston area).

With just the SSDI that I get now, I would meet the guidlines for low income. Those with very low income would all be a higher priority in the section 8 voucher line.

Once you get a voucher, it can be used in a complex that is all section 8, or some complexes have a few section 8 apartments, or any landlord might decide to accept section 8 vouchers. For a landlord, that might mean less rent money than you could collect from someone else, but at least you are guaranteed of getting paid because the check comes from the government.

I would apply for a section 8 voucher now.....you never know what your circumstances will be in 7 years.

In addition to the federally funded section 8 program, your state has some housing available for low income, seniors, and disabled people. To pay based on income, that disabled housing probably will be mixed in with seniors or the low income. Each different town has different standards. You should be able to get more info from the housing department in your town....call your town hall for info.

Disclaimer/my story: When I said what I would be eligible for with SSDI that is excluding my husband's info. Our combined income is fine to afford our house now. I am planning for when my kids graduate high school when we will get divorced. I'm considering moving to another area of the country then.....where my money will stretch further. Not my ideal scenario because my extended family is all in this area, but I guess I'm a bit of a snob and I don't like the looks of a lot of the low income housing I've seen. That's also the point of the programs though.....it's for people who have no alternative, not for people who want to maintain their middle class lifestyle on their now reduced income.