Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program
Section 8 offers rental assistance to persons with low-income who wish to live in homes in the private market, but cannot afford market rental rates.
History of Section 8 tenant based Rental Assistance Program
The 1974 Housing Act authorized the Section 8 Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program. It is a federally regulated and funded program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that assists people in paying their rent and utilities. It offers rental assistance to persons with low-income who wish to live in homes
In the private market, but cannot afford market rental rates. The objective of the program is to provide affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing for eligible households while increasing mobility and choice.
Who is eligible?
Each family must have annual income below the following income limits in order to qualify for assistance.
Family Size Maximum Income
1 $25,150
2 $28,700
3 $32,300
4 $35,900
5 $38,750
6 $41,650
7 $44,500
8 $47,400
How many families are served by this program?
Arvada Housing Authority has contracts with HUD to subsidize 508 families. Arvada Housing Authority seeks additional funding for the residents of Arvada on an on-going basis. As families become economically self-sufficient and go off the program, or when additional funding becomes available, applicant names are pulled from the Wait List and are offered a Housing Choice Voucher.
Wait list information
Applications for the Section 8 Wait List are available only when the wait list is open.
Notice will be posted here and will appear in the legal section of a newspaper of general circulation when the Waiting List is reopened.
What happens once I am contacted?
When the family is contacted regarding their status on the Wait List they must provide eligible citizenship status documentation on all family members for the following: birth certificates, social security cards and verification of all household income. A criminal background check is made on all of the head of household members 18 years of age or older. Once the family is determined eligible for the program, a Housing Choice Voucher
is issued. The family can now search for a suitable housing unit of their choice-as long as the owner agrees to rent to them under Section 8 program.
What should I expect once I have found housing?
Once the participating family selects a suitable housing unit, a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) is completed by the landlord and the participating family and then is submitted to the Housing Authority. Arvada Housing Authority reviews the proposed owner’s lease to ensure it does not contain any prohibited provisions. AHA will then conduct a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection of the unit. The landlord and participating family then enter into a lease and AHA and the landlord enters into a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract.
How is rent determined?
The Tenant’s portion of rent is calculated on 30% of adjusted gross monthly income but no more that 40%. The tenant is required to pay the calculated amount directly to the landlord. The portion AHA pays in the difference between the actual contract rent and the portion the tenant pays. This is called the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and is paid directly to the landlord.
The Arvada Housing Autority, Section 8 Housing Voucher Rental Assistance Program is closed to new applicants at this time.
