HCV Program Housing

The following information is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Housing Choice Voucher Program

The Housing Choice Voucher Program (also known as Section 8) helps low-income families, elderly persons, veterans and disabled individuals afford housing in the private market. Program participants can choose any eligible housing unit, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments, with rent partially covered by a subsidy paid directly to the landlord. There are around 2,000 Local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country that administer the HCV program with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Who is Eligible?

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to qualify for the HCV program:

A family’s annual income and family size determines eligibility under the program. To see if your income qualifies, check the HUD income limits for your location. Generally, families must be extremely low-income or very low-income to qualify.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen as defined by HUD.
The head of the household must have a valid Social Security number.
Some crimes may make an applicant ineligible, please see the HCV Guidebook Chapter on Eligibility Determination and Denial of Assistance to learn more.

Resources

Rental Assistance

The Section 8 Department 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. When a family’s income changes, they notify the Section 8 Department and their rent is adjusted. Their rent may go up or down, depending on the change in gross income and deductions, during participation in the program.

Section 8 Home Ownership

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development has instituted regulations that allow Section 8 Agencies to assist families to purchase a home utilizing tenant based voucher payments as a supplement to owner qualified mortgage payments. Paducah has opted to offer a homeownership option to up 50 qualified Section 8 participants who wish to become homeowners. Current Section 8 homeownership participants are eligible to select any qualified home on the open market as long as the purchase price is within reasonable mortgage criteria according to income.

Family Self-Sufficiency Program

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a voluntary program designed to assist families in becoming economically independent and self-sufficient. With the support of local agencies, FSS combines case management, education, job training, and ongoing support through newsletters, workshops, support group meetings, and other appropriate services to aid the family in becoming self-sufficient.

Voucher Portability

“Portability” in the Housing Choice Voucher program refers to the process through which your family can transfer, or “port”, your rental subsidy when you move to a location outside the jurisdiction of the public housing agency (PHA) that first gave you the voucher (the initial PHA).

For more information contact the Section 8 Office at (270) 450-4239.

Join the HCV (Section 8) Waiting List

The demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited financial resources available to local housing agencies. Consequently, long waiting periods can be common. Check with the Section 8 staff for the current approximate wait for a Housing Choice Voucher. There are times in which the waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher program is closed. However, applications are always accepted for local preference categories including Domestic Violence, Full-time Students, Federal Disaster Displacement, Homeless Veterans and special purpose assistance programs. All applications must be placed in person by head of household, and all adults aged 18 or older must be present.

Section 8 applications must be submitted in the office on Monday or Tuesday from 8:45 am – 10:45 am ONLY.

In order for us to accurately process your application we need the following items at the time of application. Your application will not be taken without the complete documentation listed below.

PRE-APPLICATION CHECKLIST:

MARRIAGE LICENSE (if currently married or separated) OR DIVORCE DECREE on all Divorces from all states. Status should be Married, Divorced, Never Married, or Widowed.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR ALL MINORS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE (we will accept the copy given by the hospital or the certified original)
1. Custody papers on child or children under the age of 18 MUST VERIFY PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
2. If you are applying on behalf of someone and have the Power of Attorney or Guardianship the documents are needed at the time of the application.
SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS FOR ALL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS (if you so not have the SS card, apply and bring the letter verifying that you have applied with the social security number printed on the document and we will use this as proof until you receive your card)
DRIVERS LICENSE or GOVERNTMENT ISSUED PICTURE IDENTIFICATION (For all members 18 yrs. or older).
VERIFICATION OF ALL INCOME IN THE HOUSEHOLD (this includes funds from: Cash contributions, retirement benefits, veteran’s benefits, rental property income, stock dividends, and income from bank account(s), alimony, and all other sources)
1. Wages – we need your last 2 months check stubs: (8) weekly (4) bi-weekly (4) twice a month or (2) monthly, if you have not worked a full 2 months an employer verification form can be obtained from this office.
2. Self-employment – Prior year’s tax returns or personal record of income for 90 days/three months.
3. IF ZERO INCOME – Each member over the age of 18 must sign a zero-income statement in our office at the time of the application.
Student Status – Each member over the age of 18 must submit proof of full-time student status from the educational facility. (Official letter from Registrar’s office or student portal)

NOTE!

The verifications below must be dated within the last 30 days.

Social Security, SSI or Pension (on SELF, SPOUSE, OR CHILDREN) – statement must be provided on each person who receives one or both benefits.
McCracken Co office 270-554-3219 or 1-800-772-1213
KTAP, FOODSTAMPS/SNAP (PAFS 27), or WIN – must verify the amount received on each benefit. Have worker Date STAMP form. You must call 1-855-306-8959 to have the statements mailed to you.
Unemployment or Workers Compensation benefits letter from agency on benefit amount.
Child Support – (Must provide print-out for last 6-months and Court Ordered Document on all children McCracken Co District Clerks Office 270-575-7270) If child support is paid directly to you, then a notarized statement on the amount paid from each parent must be documented.
McCracken Co Office 270-444-7573

IF APPROVED...

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 and must be rent reasonable.

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.

Responsibilities

Landlord’s Obligations: The role of the landlord in the voucher program is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program’s housing quality standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with Section 8.

Section 8’s Obligations: The Section 8 Department administers the voucher program locally. Section 8 provides a family with the housing assistance that enables the family to seek out suitable housing. Section 8 enters into a contract with the landlord to provide housing assistance payments on behalf of the family. If the landlord fails to meet the owner’s obligations under the lease, Section 8 has the right to terminate assistance payments. The Section 8 Department must re-examine the family’s income and composition at least annually and must inspect each unit at least annually to ensure that it meets minimum housing quality standards.

HUD’s Role: To cover the cost of the program, HUD provides funds to allow Section 8 to make housing assistance payments on behalf of the families. HUD also pays the Section 8 a fee for the costs of administering the program. When additional funds become available to assist new families, HUD invites PHA’s (Section 8) to submit applications for funds for additional housing vouchers. Applications are then reviewed and funds awarded to the selected PHAs on a competitive basis. HUD monitors administration of the program to ensure program rules are properly followed.