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Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority.

Closed: Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority Mainstream Voucher

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority (WPCOG) last accepted Mainstream Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list applications from August 12, 2015, until April 30, 2023. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to the RHA public notice, "These vouchers are for households with a disabled person between the ages of 18-61."

To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application.

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

Selected applicants were placed on the waiting list by date and time the application was received.

For more information, visit the RHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the RHA application page on December 12, 2022 and updated on April 14, 2023.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Mainstream Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba County, North Carolina.

Last Updated on 05/10/2023.

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Closed: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba County, North Carolina Section 8 HCV

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority (RHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed.

The RHA last accepted applications for this waiting list from July 1, 2022, until August 15, 2022. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

To apply during the opening period, applicants  were required to complete the online application.

This waiting list had the following preferences:

  • (4) points are given to residents
  • (3) points are given to families with a household member who is disabled
  • (2) points are given to veterans, widowers of veterans, or families with an active duty member
  • (1) point is given to homeless individuals

Selected applicants were placed on the waiting list by date and time the application is received, weighed by order of preferences. 

For more information, visit the RHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the RHA public notice on May 31, 2022; and updated on July 27, 2022.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba County, North Carolina.

Last Updated on 12/29/2022.

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About Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority

1880 2nd Avenue Northwest, Hickory, NC | Visit Website | (828) 322-9191

Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 1,109 low and moderate income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program..

In addition, Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority offers other programs for eligible households, including:

  • Family Self-Sufficiency
  • Homeownership
  • Family Unification Program (FUP)

Housing Authority Jurisdiction

Low-income housing managed by Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority is located in:

Households with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher managed by this housing authority must rent within its jurisdiction.

Office Hours

Open today from 7:30am to 11:30am ET.

Day Hours
Monday 7:30am-5:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am-5:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am-5:30pm
Thursday 7:30am-5:30pm
Friday 7:30am-11:30am

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

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Western Piedmont Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority manages 1,084 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following table summarizes types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each as of December 31st, 2021:

Standard Homeownership Family Unification Ported Out VASH
Vouchers 1,045 6 19 7 7
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $394 $541 $484 $1,250 $408
Monthly Cost $411,447 $3,246 $9,202 $8,753 $2,854
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.