BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — With new federal housing policies rolling out this year, Section 8 residents across Bakersfield are bracing for change many unsure if they’ll still have a place to call home.
For Yolanda Cordero, stability didn’t come easy.
“I ended up at the shelter, me and my younger daughter,” she said.
After two years of homelessness, Cordero finally found relief through the federal Housing Choice Voucher program commonly known as Section 8.
Since 2024, that assistance has given her and her daughter a chance to rebuild their lives.
But the memory of those difficult days still lingers.
“I don’t want to go through that again because living in the shelter is difficult,” Cordero said.
Now, after three years in the program, she faces a new wave of uncertainty.
Proposed policy changes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development could significantly reshape the program.
One proposal would require non-disabled adults between the ages of 18 and 61 to work or participate in job training for up to 40 hours a week to maintain their housing assistance.
Those who fail to meet the requirement could see their benefits reduced or eliminated altogether.
If approved, the rule could be implemented quickly.
Following the changes by the Trump administration proposed last year.
At the Housing Authority of the County of Kern, officials say the impact could be widespread.
Around 4,000 residents in Kern County currently rely on Section 8, while nearly 20,000 more remain on a waiting list.
“We’re looking at it in ways different than just saying you need a job or work a certain number of hours,” said Assistant Executive Director Heather Kimmel. “We’re asking why can’t they work more hours? Why can’t they find a job? A lot of times, it’s not that simple.”
Kimmel says the challenges go beyond employment. Funding is also a growing concern.
With resources already stretched thin, potential budget cuts at the state and federal levels could limit how many people receive help moving forward.
“Nobody should be concerned that their current assistance is going to suddenly end that’s not what we’re seeing,” Kimmel said. “But what is realistic is that we may not be able to issue additional vouchers.”
For residents like Cordero, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“I think it’s been hard for people of all ages to get a 40-hour-a-week job in the economy we’re living in now,” she said. “I’ve seen people trying for two and a half years and nothing.”
For now, the proposed changes remain optional, and local housing authorities will decide whether to adopt them.
Officials in Kern County encourage residents to reach out directly to understand how these policies could affect them.
For Cordero and thousands of others, one thing is clear the stability they’ve fought for now feels uncertain once again.
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