If my friend wanted to start section 8, can she put her boyfriend on?
Theoretically, yes. The application process is a pain in the ass, though, and can take a LONG time. If theyre going to be living together, its much better to be totally honest about it up front because if she applies by herself and then sneaks him in to the apartment, and they figure it out when its time to recertify, she could lose the rent subsidy for fraud. The added bonus is that they might be able to get a slightly larger apartment based on their household size (single people usually only get tiny studios). If youre in NYC, take a look at the HUD website and the HPD website for rules, guidelines & application details. People who work with an advocate (often a social worker working with a social service organization) have much better (and faster) luck.