Notice of Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Waitlist Opening
In accordance with the HCV Administrative Plan and in partnership with Rural Resources Community Action, the Spokane Housing Authority (SHA) will open the following tenant-based housing waiting lists on Wednesday, March 18th, at 8:00 am:
- North Counties Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List – covering Lincoln, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties.
- Ferry County Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List – covering Ferry County.
The waiting lists will close on Tuesday, March 31st, at 5:00 PM.
Preference will be given to applicants who live in, work in, or have been hired to work in one of the counties listed above. Additional preference will be given to households identified as a Family with Dependents, Elderly, or Disabled, as defined by program guidelines. Please note that all applicants must meet applicable eligibility requirements; see below for full eligibility requirements.
To apply, click the button below. The button will appear when the waiting list opens, and will be removed when the waiting list closes.
[BUTTON WILL APPEAR HERE ON MARCH 18, 8:00 AM]
If you need assistance or additional information, please contact our office at (509) 684-8421 (Press 1 for Housing, then Press 5 for TBRA/Section 8), or email us at housing@ruralresources.org for assistance.
What is the Housing Choice Voucher program?
The HCV Program offers several benefits to participating families, as well as communities, including:
- Reducing homelessness
- Increasing housing stability
- Reducing poverty
- Helping low-wage workers make ends meet
- Giving families access to safer neighborhoods with better schools and
opportunities - Allowing senior citizens and disabled individuals to live independently.
- Reducing costs in health care and other public services
With the HCV Program, Spokane Housing Authority pays a portion of eligible families’ rent directly to a private landlord. The family does their share and pays between 30-40% of their monthly income toward rent so that they may budget and save. Families must update their household income information to ensure their portion of the rent payment is set appropriately.
This is a rent subsidy program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This program is designed to assist low-income families, disabled individuals and the elderly to find safe, decent and sanitary housing they can afford. This is a ‘portable’ voucher which can be used with any property that meets HUD Housing Quality Standards. After the initial 12 month lease, the tenant may be able move to another location.
Who qualifies for the Housing Choice Voucher program?
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. See AMIs by county here.
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:
- 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.
- Households identified as a Family with Dependents, Elderly, or Disabled.
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- 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
- a person with a disability
- a fulltime student who is 18 years of age or older.
- Elderly preference applies if the head, spouse or co-head is a person who is age 62 or older; or
- 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.
- 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:
*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.
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.
