SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM
Housing
choice vouchers allow very low-income families to choose and lease or purchase safe,
decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing. The federal government provides the
funds for Section 8. Recipients receive their benefits through local housing
authorities (LHAs) or regional housing agencies. There are approximately 72,000
people receiving Section 8 rental assistance in Massachusetts. The United States
Congress periodically makes more money available to HUD to fund additional vouchers.
Congress did not provide any additional voucher funding in the federal fiscal years 2003
and 2004 budgets. No housing agency in the United States received new funding to
expand their voucher program. Therefore, many agencies do not have any vouchers to issue
to applicants and other agencies only have a limited number to issue. We still
encourage you to apply. |
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Eligibility: Eligibility is based on gross
income. 75 percent of all households selected to receive Section 8 must have incomes
within 30 percent of the area median income. 25 percent of Section 8 households can
have incomes up to 50 percent of the median. In some instances these limits can go
as high as 80 percent of median although very few housing agencies serve households with
this income at this limit. Income limits vary depending on the number of persons in
the household and the region in which they live at the time they are selected for
assistance. For a listing of income limits
by city/town, you may visit HUD’s
website.
Rents: Section 8 recipients generally pay between 30 percent and 40
percent of their income for rent. The Section 8 voucher pays the difference between the
rent charged by the landlord and the tenant's contribution to the rent. |
How to Apply for Section 8: At the present time, the Attleboro Housing Authority's Section 8
Waiting List is closed. However, there is a centralized waiting list in which 43 local housing authorities
participate and you can obtain an application online. For a recorded
listing of housing authorities currently accepting Section 8 applications, please call:
(508) 778-7507 ext. 4.
Preferences: Some housing
agencies establish their own Section 8 preferences. DHCD does not use any
preferences for any applicant with an income that is 30% or less than the area median
income. However, any applicant with a higher income must meet one of the following
three preferences:
Involuntarily displaced due to
fire, natural disaster, government action,
domestic violence, landlord
action, having a disability or threats as a result of witnessing a crime;
Living in substandard housing or being
homeless (such as living in a shelter or an apartment with serious code violations);
Paying more than 50 percent of
your income for rent for more than 90 days.
Section 8 programs administered by local
housing authorities often have a preference for local residents. Section 8 programs
administered by regional housing agencies have a regional residency preference.
All housing authority selection
policies, including preferences, must be stated in their Annual Public Housing Plan and
the agency’s Section 8 Administration Plan. Both documents can be obtained by
calling the local housing authority or HUD at 617-994-8200.
Some administering agencies
collaborate with other organizations to provide special Section 8 programs designed
especially for families, battered women with children, homeless disabled persons and
families, veterans, elderly persons raising young children, veterans with substance abuse
disorders, and persons with HIV/AIDS. For more information, please ask your service
provider. |
FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM
The
Family Self-sufficiency Program (FSS) is a HUD program that encourages communities to
develop local strategies to help assisted families obtain employment that will lead to
economic independence and self-sufficiency. Public housing agencies (PHAs) work with
welfare agencies, schools, businesses, and other local partners to develop a comprehensive
program that gives participating FSS family members the skills and experience to enable
them to obtain employment that pays a living wage. |
FSS program services may include, but are not limited to:
- child care
- transportation
- education
- job training and employment counseling
- substance/alcohol abuse treatment or counseling
- household skill training
- homeownership counseling
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| Families who receive
assistance under the housing choice voucher program are eligible to participate in the FSS
program. Contract: The PHA and the head of each participating family execute an FSS contract
of participation that specifies the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The
5-year FSS contract specifies goals and services for each family. Family members must
fulfill all requirements in order to obtain full benefits.
The FSS contract requires that the family comply
with the lease, that all family members become independent of welfare, and that the head
of the family seek and maintain suitable employment. Possible sanctions for noncompliance
with the FSS contract are termination from the FSS program, forfeiture of the FSS escrow
account, withholding or termination of supportive services, and termination of housing
choice voucher assistance.
An interest-bearing FSS escrow account is
established by the PHA for each participating family. An escrow credit, based on increases
in earned income of the family, is credited to this account by the PHA during the term of
the FSS contract. The PHA may make a portion of this escrow account available to the
family during the term of the contract to enable the family to complete an interim goal
such as education.
If the family completes the contract and no
member of the family is receiving welfare, the amount of the FSS account is paid to the
head of the family. If the PHA terminates the FSS contract, or if the family fails to
complete the contract before its expiration, the family's FSS escrow funds are forfeited.
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