What are housing choice vouchers?
The housing choice voucher program is the government's major program for assisting very-low-income families to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Participants are able to find their own housing, including apartments, townhouses, and single-family homes. The participant is free to choose any private rental housing that meets the requirements of the program. Section 8 housing choice vouchers are federally funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and are administered locally by over 40 public housing agencies (PHAs) across the state and statewide by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) and its agent, J. D’Amelia & Associates (JDA). JDA subcontracts operation of the DSS housing choice voucher program to seven local PHAs and one community action agency throughout Connecticut.
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 quality and safety as determined by HUD. A housing subsidy is paid by the PHA to the landlord directly 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.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined based on the household's annual gross income and the PHA's definition of a family. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family's income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. [By law, a PHA must provide 75 percent of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income.] Median income levels are published annually by HUD and vary by location within the state.
During the application process, information on family composition, income, and assets will be collected by the PHA. The PHA will verify this information and use it to determine the family's eligibility and the amount of their housing assistance payment. If the PHA determines that a family is eligible, the PHA will place the family on a waiting list. Once a family is chosen from the waiting list, the PHA will contact them and issue them a housing voucher.
How does a family apply?
The Department of Social Services will re-open the waiting list to accept applications when most people on the waiting list have been served. When the list is about to be opened, a notice and pre-application form will be placed in local newspapers and media outlets as well as on the DSS website. The waiting list is currently closed.
What special types of Section 8 vouchers are available?
There are several special programs within Section 8. In addition to meeting any special requirements noted below, applicants must also be determined eligible by the PHA for Section 8 rental assistance.
Family Unification Program
Through the linkage of DSS and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) with the Section 8 contract administrator (JDA), the Family Unification Program (FUP) provides a comprehensive array of services to certain families. These families have been identified and referred to the Section 8 contract administrator by DCF as families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child or children in out-of-home care, or in the delay of discharge of a child or children to the family from out-of home care. They are placed on the waiting list until a FUP voucher is available.
Mainstream Housing Opportunities Program for Persons With Disabilities
The Section 8 Mainstream Housing Opportunities Program for Persons With Disabilities enhances the State of Connecticut’s continuing efforts to provide safe, decent, sanitary housing to persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities may apply when the Section 8 waiting list is open. The Section 8 waiting list identifies applicants who meet Mainstream eligibility requirements.
Nursing Facility Transition Preference
The Department of Social Services, working in collaboration with Connecticut Association of Centers For Independent Living (CACIL), will make available Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers specifically for persons with disabilities transitioning from licensed nursing facilities (as defined in SEC 1919. [42 U.S.C. 1396r]) into a private rental unit. If a person with a disability who is on the Section 8 waiting list and who resides in a licensed nursing facility develops a service plan and is determined eligible by the public housing authority to receive a housing choice voucher, the person will be invited to participate in the program in accordance HUD regulations and other program requirements.
The waiting list -- what is it and how does it affect me?
Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to HUD and the local housing agencies, long waiting periods are common. In fact, DSS closes its waiting list when it has more families on the list than can be assisted in the near future. As noted above, DSS will re-open the waiting list to accept applications when most people on the waiting list have been served. When the list is about to be opened, a notice and pre-application form will be placed in local newspapers as well as on the DSS website.
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 selected by the PHA to participate is encouraged to consider several housing choices to secure the best housing for its needs. A housing choice voucher holder is advised of the unit size for which their family is eligible, based on family size and composition. The housing unit selected by the family must meet an acceptable level of quality 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. This payment standard is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family will receive. The payment standard does not limit the amount of rent a landlord may charge, but it does limit the amount of rent a tenant may pay. A family receiving 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 percent of its monthly adjusted income for rent and utilities. 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 percent of its adjusted monthly income for rent for the first year.
The rent subsidy
The PHA calculates the maximum amount of housing assistance which a family may receive.
