Information About the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Program Description
The Housing Choice Voucher (Formerly Section 8) Program is a federally-funded HUD program which subsidizes the rents of eligible low-income households.
Assistance is tenant-based. This means families are able to live in a qualifying rental unit of their choosing anywhere within the RHA jurisdiction or, if the family is eligible, they are able to "port" their voucher and move anywhere in the country.
For a unit to qualify for the program, the rent must be reasonable in comparision to other similar unassisted units in the area. The unit must also pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection and maintain HQS standards throughout the term of the contract with RHA.
The family will typically pay 30 to 40% of their monthly income for shelter (rent plus utilities). RHA will enter into a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract with the owner to pay the remaining balance.
Who is eligible for the program?
Applicants on the Rochester Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Tenant-Based waitlist.
Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by RHA and is based on the total annual gross income and family size. Eligible families cannot exceed the 50% of the median income for the Rochester area.
Eligible families must be US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. RHA will also examine the criminal background and prior Housing Choice Voucher history of any adult member of the household.
How do I apply?
The Housing Choice Voucher tenant-based waiting list is currently closed and NOT accepting applications.