HUD Section 8

HUD Tenant-Based Portable Voucher Program

The MCDA administers 128 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV). The Tenant-Based Housing Choice Voucher Program allows low-income families to live in privately owned homes of their choice by subsidizing a portion of their rent. This program gives families the flexibility to choose their own, safe apartments at an affordable cost. Voucher holders are responsible for finding an apartment that accepts Housing Choice vouchers in the private market.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program.
Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs), like the MCDA.
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.

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5-Year Plan

The MCDA produces a 5-Year PHA Plan to provide a source of policies, rules, and requirements regarding the MCDA's operations, programs, and services as well as the MCDA's mission for serving low-income and very low-income families.

Download the MCDA's current 5-Year PHA Plan (PDF).

FAQs

How do I apply?

If you are interested in applying for a voucher, contact the local PHA. For further assistance, please contact the HUD Office nearest to you.

Download an application.

Housing vouchers - how do they function?

The housing choice voucher program places the choice of housing in the hands of the individual family. A very low-income family is selected by the PHA to participate is encouraged to consider several housing choices to secure the best housing for the family needs. A housing voucher holder is advised of the unit size for which it is eligible based on family size and composition.

The housing unit selected by the family must meet an acceptable level of health and safety before the PHA can approve the unit. When the voucher holder finds a unit that it wishes to occupy and reaches an agreement with the landlord over the lease terms, the PHA must inspect the dwelling and determine that the rent requested is reasonable.

The PHA determines a payment standard that is the amount generally needed to rent a moderately-priced dwelling unit in the local housing market and that is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family will receive. However, the payment standard does not limit and does not affect the amount of rent a landlord may charge or the family may pay. A family that receives a housing voucher can select a unit with a rent that is below or above the payment standard. The housing voucher family must pay 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and if the unit rent is greater than the payment standard the family is required to pay the additional amount. By law, whenever a family moves to a new unit where the rent exceeds the payment standard, the family may not pay more than 40% of its adjusted monthly income for rent.

The Rent Subsidy

The PHA calculates the maximum amount of housing assistance allowable. The maximum housing assistance is generally the lesser of the payment standard minus 30% of the family's monthly adjusted income or the gross rent for the unit minus 30% of monthly adjusted income.

Am I eligible?

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the PHA based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to U.S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. Median income levels are published by HUD and vary by location. The PHA serving your community can provide you with the income limits for your area and family size.

During the application process, the PHA will collect information on family income, assets, and family composition. The PHA will verify this information with other local agencies, your employer and bank, and will use the information to determine program eligibility and the amount of the housing assistance payment. If the PHA determines that your family is eligible, the PHA will put your name on a waiting list, unless it is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the PHA will contact you and issue to you a housing voucher.

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HUD Section 8

HUD Tenant-Based Portable Voucher Program

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5-Year Plan

FAQs

The Rent Subsidy

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