About Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority is a Section 8 Public Housing Agency in Hickory, North Carolina.

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority serves Alexander County, Catawba County, Caldwell County, Burke County, Taylorsville, Newton, Maiden, Conover, Lenoir, Granite Falls, Blowing Rock, Hudson, Hickory, Morganton, Valdese, Connelly Springs, Drexel, Connelly Spring, Bethlehem, Cajah's Mountain, Catawba, Cedar Rock, Lake Norman of Catawba, Long View, Mountain View, Northlakes, Sawmills, Brookford, Claremont, Gamewell, Glen Alpine, Hiddenite, Hildebran, Icard, Rhodhiss, Rutherford College, St. Stephens, Salem and Stony Point.

Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority Waiting Lists

Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba County, North Carolina Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List: Open Indefinitely

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority (WPCOG/RHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open indefinitely.  This waiting list opened for application distribution on January 3, 2017, and for application submission on February 20, 2017. It was last open for more than two weeks in April 2016.

There are two ways to apply:

  1. Download and print the application online. The application is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.
  2. Pick up an application the WPCOG office, located at 1880 Second Avenue NW, Hickory, NC 28601, from 8:15 am until 5:00 pm.

Once the application has been completed, it must be:

  1. Mailed to the WPCOG at PO Box 9026, Hickory, NC 28603 on or after February 20, 2017.
  2. Hand delivered to the WPCOG at 1880 Second Avenue NW, Hickory, NC 28601, from 8:15 am until 5:00 pm on or after February 20, 2017.

This waiting list has the following preferences: Veteran, disabled, homeless, resident of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell or Catawba County.

Applicants will be placed on the waiting list by date and time of application submission, after sorting preferences.

For more information, read the WPCOG/RHA public notice, visit the WPCOG/RHA website, or call the office at (828) 322-9191.

Last Updated on 06/08/2017.

About the Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the most recent VMS report, Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority manages 1,122 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following is a summary of the types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each:

Standard Homeownership Family Unification Ported Out
Vouchers 1,085 6 19 12
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $371 $268 $497 $777
Monthly Cost $402,240 $1,607 $9,445 $9,329

Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority

Waiting List and Tenancy

According to the 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households database, the housing authority's voucher program has an annual turnover of 12% having issued approximately 85 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 6 years and 4 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 18 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2.2 persons and has a household income of $10,482 per year. 96% of households were very low income (VLI) and 68% were extremely low income (ELI). 24% of households had wages as a major source of income, 0% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 71% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

4% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 52% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 23% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 21% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 1% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

47% of households included children, 2% of which had two adults in the household. 44% of households with children have a female head of household. 86% of all households were headed by a female.

47% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 44% of all heads of households being Black and 1% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 25% include at least one person with a disability. 41% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 74% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

16% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 50% with 2 bedrooms and 33% with 3 or more bedrooms. 35% of voucher recipients are considered overhoused, meaning they occupy a rental unit larger than their family size requires.

Rent, Assistance, and Utility Allowances

The average monthly tenant contribution to rent by Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $290 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $490. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $164.



1. This Picture of Subsidized Households data field is the average wait time of those who received a voucher in the preceding 12 months. Due to special voucher programs like VASH, recent waiting list purges, or waiting list preferences the average wait time can vary significantly from one year to the next and it is entirely possible many current applicants on the waiting list have been waiting for assistance for far longer.