Eligibility
Anyone can apply for the housing choice voucher program, however, not all applicants may be eligible.
Placement on the waiting list does not ensure eligibility for a voucher.
U.S. Citizenship or Eligible Immigration Status
To be eligible for the HCV Program, at least one member of your household must be a U.S. Citizen or have Legal Immigration Status and a valid Social Security number.
Income Limits
You may be eligible for the HCV Program if your gross family income (before taxes, if any) is less 50% of the area median income (Very-Low income limits) for the housing authority which chooses you from the wait list. At least 75% of all vouchers issued by a housing authority must be targeted to households whose total income does not exceed 30% of the area median income (Extremely-Low income limits). The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) establishes these income limits.
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html
Background checks
HUD has mandatory denials of assistance. For example, if you are selected from the waiting list, you will be denied assistance if any member of your household:
- Owes money to any housing authority. If you do, now is the time to contact that housing authority and make arrangements to pay the debt BEFORE you are pulled from this wait list.
- Has been convicted of manufacturing or distributing methamphetamines in public housing.
- Is subject to a lifetime registration on any sex offender list.
Each housing authority has its own eligibility standards in addition to HUD’s. Eligibility for the HCV Program will be verified at the time your application is selected from the waiting list. You will be told what verifications of income and family member information you must provide at that time.
