Housing Choice Voucher Program– (Section 8)
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a tenant based rental assistance program eligible to families within Lauderdale County that are income qualified. Families may use their voucher with private landlords throughout our jurisdiction in Lauderdale County.
Our objective is to empower families to improve our community. A family interested in participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program may apply to the wait list by clicking here and submitting an online application.
Applicants are placed on the waiting list, and when the applicant’s name reaches the top of the list, the applicant is contacted for an interview. They must provide income verification, asset verification, family composition, birth certificates and social security numbers for all family members and other information used in determining eligibility. Applicants must pass a criminal background screening.
Applicants must attend a briefing to receive their Housing Choice Voucher. They will receive information such as family obligations and the number of bedrooms for which they qualify. This briefing is about two hours and teaches families how and where to find a unit, how to maintain the unit, how to remain in the program, along with additional information on tenancy.
* Participants are responsible for locating their own rental unit.
An initial inspection is conducted, and the unit must meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). The rent is set by the owner of the property, however rent charged must be reasonable and in accordance with FHA and HUD guidelines.
The participant and the landlord will sign an assisted lease agreement. The landlord must provide a lease that is the same agreement used for unassisted tenants. FHA is not a party to the lease. Rather, the landlord and FHA execute a housing assistance payment contract (HAP). Families are not parties to the HAP contract.
After the unit passes the inspection and all required documents are signed, the family may move in and HAP will begin. Payments are made the first week of each month.
More information is available by contact the Housing Choice Voucher Department at 256-740-5217.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a landlord, visit the HCV Landlord Resources website.
HCV Program Resources
The housing choice voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.
A family that is issued a housing 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 PHA.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA 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. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.
Housing Vouchers – how do they function?
Housing vouchers, often provided through the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), help low-income families afford housing in the private rental market. Participants in the program receive a voucher that covers a portion of their rent based on their income, with the aim of making housing costs affordable. Voucher holders choose a rental property that meets program standards, and the housing authority pays the subsidized portion directly to the landlord, while the tenant covers the remaining rent. This program increases housing options for low-income families by allowing them to find homes in a variety of neighborhoods.
Roles – the tenant, the landlord, the housing agency and HUD
In the Housing Choice Voucher Program, each party has a distinct role. The tenant is responsible for finding a rental property that meets the program’s standards and for paying their portion of the rent, typically about 30% of their income. The landlord provides safe, compliant housing and receives the subsidized portion of rent directly from the housing agency. The housing agency administers the program locally, screens tenant eligibility, manages voucher distribution, and oversees payments. Finally, HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) funds the program, sets regulations, and monitors agencies to ensure the program runs fairly and effectively.
