The Housing Choice Voucher program (formerly called the Section 8 Program) is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income individuals, families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private rental market.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the Housing Authority 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.
The Housing Choice Voucher program offers two options, each with its own waiting list: tenant-based vouchers and project-based vouchers
Tenant-Based Vouchers (HCV)
Tenant-based vouchers allow participants to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. The Housing Authority receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.
A family that is issued a tenant-based 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 health and safety, as determined by the Housing Authority.
Project-Based Vouchers (PBV)
The project-based voucher (PBV) program is a component of the HCV program. The project-based voucher program offers rental housing options at specific housing locations. When a unit is available, the Housing Authority will offer it to someone who is on the PBV waiting list. This is different from the tenant-based program because if you accept PBV assistance, you do not get to choose the unit you live in nor do you get to keep your PBV benefit if you move, the assistance stays with the unit.
However, in some cases, after one year of assistance in a project-based unit, if a family is in good standing, they may apply to switch to the tenant-based voucher program and exercise portability if they choose, with some restrictions. You will have to speak to your Housing Specialist for more details.