Housing Choice Vouchers

What is a housing choice voucher?

The housing choice voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.

Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.

A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family's choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. This unit may include the family's present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.

am i eligible?

in general, the family's income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county where the family chooses to live. To find out whether your household income would qualify, please visit this year's income limits summary.

Households with members who have a criminal history including Meth production in a public housing program or Life-Time Sex Offender status may not be eligible for assistance from the program.

Families are screened for eligibility when they reach the top of the waiting list.

 

How do i apply?

Waitlist application opportunities are announced as they become available on our website and monthly e-newsletter, which you can sign up to here.

You can also create an applicant account to receive an e-mail notification.

To check on the current status of wait list openings, please see their housing voucher waitlist page..