Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Guide

What Is The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program?

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance is a federal program for low-income renters in the United States. It is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Section 8 vouchers allow tenants to pay only a portion of their monthly income for rent. But that’s not the only benefit — Section 8 tenants can rent from a private landlord that they choose.

How Section 8 Vouchers Work

The landlord gets the remainder of the unit’s monthly rent paid for by the local Public Housing Agency (commonly called a housing authority). Housing authorities manage the Section 8 HCV program, and other federal housing programs for their local service area.

Section 8 vouchers are in extremely high demand, and there are a limited number of vouchers in each area. Because of this, Section 8 HCV waiting list openings are rare in most areas of the country.

So, when there’s an opportunity to apply, it’s important to know the basics to avoid getting your application denied.

Read this guide to learn all the details about applying for the Section 8 HCV program:

Part 1 – How To Qualify For A Section 8 Voucher
Part 2 – How To Apply For A Section 8 Voucher
Part 3 – How To Find A Section 8 Apartment