(DailyAnswer.org) – The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is a popular subsidy program designed to help very low-income families and vulnerable members of society (elderly, disabled) afford safe and sanitary housing, especially in the private market. HCV is widely known as Section 8 since it was passed under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act in 1974.
Typically, the federal government funds the Housing Choice Voucher Program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HUD coordinates the HCV program through local public housing agencies (PHAs), who issue vouchers to eligible applicants.
How Does HCV Program Work
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is meant to help extremely low-income and low-income families afford rent in the private market. Once you apply for HCV, your local PHA will verify your information and, if eligible, put you on a waiting list. In most cases, these waiting lists are often full and open for a limited time due to the many people needing assistance and limited resources.
The placement on the waiting list is on a first-come, first-served basis. However, local preferences may exist depending on your local PHA, e.g., people without homes or veterans.
Once a name is reached on the waiting list, the PHA will inform the person. The person is then responsible for searching for a house of their choice in the private market, where the landlord agrees to HCV guidelines. Additionally, the house must be safe, clean, and pass inspection.
If successful, the tenant and the landlord will sign a rental lease agreement that’s at least 12 months. The rent is paid partly by the voucher and partly by the family. If the landlord requires a security deposit, the tenant is to pay.
Note that there is an exception if the voucher is a project-based public housing program. In this arrangement, the eligible applicants get housed in public housing instead of choosing an apartment by themselves.
Who Qualifies for Housing Choice Voucher Program
Eligibility criteria depend primarily on where the family lives and its income. Generally, the family’s adjusted gross annual income should be less than 50% of the median income in the county or metropolitan area where the applicant lives. Other qualifications for application include the following:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or with eligible immigration status
- Should not have a criminal record in the last five years
- Have no eviction history during the previous three years, especially those related to drug crimes
- Must be living within the jurisdiction of the local PHA
Other qualification requirements might vary from one local PHA to another. If you are unsure whether you qualify to apply for HCV, contact your local PHA.
How to Apply
First, your local PHA must have an open waiting list to accept an application. You can learn whether there is an open waiting list by contacting the PHA. You may also hear about an open waiting list from your local media publications. Some PHAs may also support an online application.
Local PHA will require documentation showing the information about the family during application. This includes the size and composition of the family, annual household income, and other details they may need to verify eligibility. If you’re successfully verified to be eligible, your name is added to the waiting list unless help is available immediately.
When your name is reached on the waiting list, your local PHA will contact you and issue the voucher.
How Much Rent Does Section 8 Voucher Pay?
The amount the HCV pays depends on the rent and your household’s income. Generally, the local PHA determines the rent standard for the house a family may rent, depending on the size of the family. Typically, HCV tenants pay 30% of their monthly adjusted gross income toward rent and utilities, while the local PHA pays the remaining rent directly to the landlord.
However, if a family opts for a house with a higher rent than the standard level determined by the local PHA, they’re to pay the difference, but their total payment cannot exceed 40% of their monthly adjusted gross income.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program helps thousands of households in the United States afford sanitary housing in the private housing market. To learn more about your eligibility or apply for the HCV program, get in touch with your local PHA or local HUD office.
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