FAQs (HCV)

Q: What are tenant-based vouchers?
A: Tenant-based vouchers increase affordable housing choices for very low income families with a tenant-based voucher choose and lease safe, decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing.

Q: What organizations are eligible to apply for tenant-based voucher funding from HUD?
A: PHA's authorized under State Law to develop or operate housing assistance programs may apply for funding.

Q: How do PHA's apply for tenant-based voucher funding?
A: PHAs respond to notices of funding availability (NOFAs) published in the Federal Register, each NOFA identifies allocation areas, amount of funds available per area, and criteria for rating and ranking applications

Q: What families are eligible to apply for tenant-based vouchers?
A: Very low income families (i.e. families with incomes below 50% of area media, these include a few specific categories of families with incomes up to 80% of the area median include families that are already assisted under the 1937 U.S. Housing Act, these include families physically displaced by public housing demolition, and owners opting out of tenant-based vouchers to section 8 housing assistance payments (HAP) contracts. (HUD determines levels for each area annually.)

Q: How does a PHA determine if a family is income eligible?
A: The PHA compares the family's annual income (gross income) with the HUD established very low or low-income limit for the area. The family's gross income cannot exceed this limit.

Q: How do families obtain tenant-based vouchers?
A: Families apply to local public housing agency (PHA) that administers the program. When an eligible family comes to the top of the PHA housing choice voucher waiting list, the PHA issues a housing choice voucher to the family.

Q: How does a family obtain an apartment once they have a voucher?
A: It is the responsibility of a family to find a unit that meets their needs and that meets the housing quality standards, the rent is reasonable, and meets the other program requirements, the PHA executes a HAP contract with the property owner. This contract authorizes the PHA to make subsidy payments on behalf of the family. If the family moves out of the unit, the contract with the owner ends and the family can move with continues assistance to another unit.

Q: How much rent do vouchers cover?
A: The PHA pays the owner the difference between 30% of the adjusted family income and the PHA determined payment standard or the gross rent for the unit, whichever is lower. The family may choose a unit with a higher rent than the payment standard and pay the owner the difference.

Q: What regulations cover this program?
A: Regulation 24 CFR Part 982 can be found here.