Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)

To qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, households must have 50% or less of area median income (AMI). AMI is the midpoint income for the local area. It is determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and means that half of the people earn more than the median, and half of the people earn less.

SHA is also required to ensure that at least 75% of the households admitted to the Housing Choice Voucher Program have incomes at or below 30% of the AMI.

Preferences are:

1. Residency Preference. Applicants who live, work or have been hired to work in the SHA jurisdiction served by the waiting list for which they have applied must provide a minimum of three (3) of the following documents: leases, employer or agency records, social security award letter, school records, drivers’ licenses, voter registration records, or credit reports that reflect an address located in the relevant jurisdiction. For families who have been hired to work in the jurisdiction of the SHA, a statement from the employer will be required.
2. Institutionalization, Homeless and At-Risk Preference. Individuals being released from institutional or other segregated settings, individuals at serious risk of institutionalization, individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
3. Households identified as a Family with Dependents, Elderly, or Disabled.
   1. Family with Dependents preference applies if a member of the family other than the head or spouse (except foster children and adults) who is any of the following: under 18 years of age; or a person with a disability; or a fulltime student who is 18 years of age or older.
   2. Elderly preference applies if the head, spouse or co-head is a person who is age 62 or older; or
   3. Disabled preference applies if the head, spouse or co-head are one or more of the following:

• Receives Social Security or Supplemental Security benefits or otherwise meets the definition of disabled as defined under Section 223 of the Social Security Act
• Has a physical, mental or emotional handicap
• Has a developmental disability as defined in Section 102(7) of the Developmental Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.

*Pre-applications will be placed on the waiting list by time and date of receipt of the pre-application and preference. Applicants without a preference will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list according to the date of receipt of the application.  Preferences will be verified and must be valid when an applicant reaches the top of the waiting list. Household with these preferences will be served first.

* Preferences will be verified and must be valid when an applicant reaches the top of the waiting list. Household with these preferences will be served first.

IMPORTANT: Housing Choice Voucher applicants will be notified by mail once they have come to the top of the Wait List. For this reason, it is very important that the applicants on the Wait List notify us, in writing, of any changes in mailing address, household composition, and/or household income. Applicants with returned/undeliverable mail will be removed from the Wait List.