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Vermont State Housing Authority

1 Prospect Street, Montpelier, VT

There are three waiting lists open now offered by Vermont State Housing Authority.

Vermont State Housing Authority Waiting Lists

Waiting ListStatus
State of Vermont Disaster and Transitional Housing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Open Until Further Notice
State of Vermont Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Open Until Further Notice
Vermont State Housing Authority Section 8 Project-Based Voucher Open Until Further Notice
State of Vermont Mainstream Mainstream Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Closed

Vermont State Housing Authority offers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs in Vermont but does not serve Montpelier.

Go to the Vermont Section 8 Waiting Lists page or the Vermont Public Housing Waiting Lists page for more nearby housing applications.

Open Until Further Notice: State of Vermont Disaster and Transitional Housing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List

Please Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list for households that qualify for the Disaster and Traditional Housing preferences is currently open. Applications are being accepted from April 1, 2018, until further notice.

Please note: To qualify, households must be eligible for one of the following preferences:

  • Disaster Preference: This preference is available to families who are displaced due to fire, flood, natural
    disaster, or condemnation by a local, State, or Federal Agency.
  • Transitional Housing Preference: This preference is available to individuals and families who are Transitioning from one of the following programs administered by the Vermont State Housing Authority:
    • HUD’s Family Unification program for Youth In Transition;
    • The Vermont Rental Subsidy Program (a 12 month rapid rehousing initiative administered by the Vermont Agency of Human Services). Applications for this preference will be accepted only after 9 months of participation in VRS;
    • Individuals/families transitioning from a Domestic Violence Transitional Housing Program (currently on or eligible to be on the Continuum of Care Homeless Inventory Chart for homeless beds);
    • HUD’s Continuum of Care Programs administered by VSHA (Shelter plus Care and Rapid Rehousing)

There are three ways to apply during the opening period:

  1. Download and print the application online here. Select the "Full Application for Assistance" link next to the "Housing Choice Voucher Program" bullet point. If an applicant does not have access to the Internet, they can use a computer at a local library.
  2. Pick up an application from the VSHA office, located at One Prospect Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
  3. Call the VSHA intake office at (802) 828‐1991.

This waiting list has the following preferences: Disaster; Move-on; Homeless Families with Case Management Support; Non-Elderly persons with disabilities transitioning out of institutions; Vermont Residents.

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

For more information, visit the VSHA website.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (802) 828-3295.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 08/08/2019.

Open Until Further Notice: State of Vermont Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List

The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) State Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open.

The PHA is accepting applications for this waiting list from October 1, 2022 at 7:45 am ET, until further notice.

There are four ways to apply during the opening period: 

  1. Complete the online application here.
  2. Print the paper application available here.
  3. Pick up the application from the VSHA, located at One Prospect Street, Montpelier, VT, between the hours of 7:45 am to 4:00 pm. Monday through Friday.
  4. Call the Housing Program Administration Intake Division at (802) 828-1991.

This waiting list has the following preferences:

  • Disaster Preference: This preference is available to Vermont families who are displaced due to fire, flood, natural disaster, or condemnation by a local, State, or Federal Agency
  • Housing Instability Preference: This preference is available to families with incomes at 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) or below who are at risk of homelessness or housing instability and meet the following definitions:
    • One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing: 1.
      1. A past-due utility or rent notice, or eviction notice; and/or
      2. Documentation of unsafe or unhealthy living conditions; and/or
      3. Expiration of time-limited rental assistance benefits operated by a program located in Vermont (examples: Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Rapid Rehousing Housing, etc.); or
      4. Any other evidence of risk, as determined by the PHA.
  • Move-Up Preference: This preference is available to families with incomes above 30% of AMI up to 50% of AMI who meet the following criteria:
    • actively receiving rental assistance benefits through a VSHA administered rental assistance program;
    • family is certified to be in compliance with benefit program & tenancy requirements.
  • Preference for non-elderly persons with disabilities transitioning out of institutions.
  • Preference for Vermont Residents.

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

For more information, visit the VSHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the VSHA public notice on September 16, 2022.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in State of Vermont.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (802) 828-3295.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 10/01/2022.

Open Until Further Notice: Section 8 Project-Based Voucher Waiting List

Please Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) Section 8 Project-Based Voucher waiting list is currently open. Applications are being accepted since at least July, 2019, until further notice. Waiting lists for a specific community or bedroom size may be closed.

To apply during the opening period, download and print the application online here. Select the "Pre-application for assistance" link next to the "Project Based Voucher Program" bullet point. If an applicant does not have access to the Internet, they can use a computer at a local library.

This waiting list has the following preferences: Disaster; Move-on; Homeless Families with Case Management Support; Non-Elderly persons with disabilities transitioning out of institutions; Vermont Residents.

It is not known how applicants will be placed on the waiting list.

For more information, visit the VSHA website.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (802) 828-3295.

IMPORTANT: This is not the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Section 8 Project-Based Voucher tenants are required to live in a specific apartment community or scattered site. After one year of occupancy, a Project-Based Voucher tenant may request to be placed on a waiting list to receive the next available Housing Choice Voucher or similar tenant-based rental assistance.

Last Updated on 08/08/2019.

Closed: State of Vermont Mainstream Mainstream Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List

The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) Mainstream (Non-Elderly Disabled) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from August 1, 2019, until January 1, 2020. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to the VSHA, "An eligible family will be composed of one or more non-elderly person with disabilities (meeting HUD’s
definition of disability) and be a person 18 years of age or older and less than 62 years of age."

There were three ways to apply during the opening period:

  1. Open and print the application online.
  2. Pick up the application from the VSHA office.
  3. Call the VSHA's intake office.

This waiting list had the following preferences: Disaster; Move-on; Homeless Families with Case Management Support; Non-Elderly persons with disabilities transitioning out of institutions; Vermont Residents.

It is not known how applicants were placed on the waiting list.

For more information, visit the VSHA website.

Last Updated on 01/09/2020.

About Vermont State Housing Authority

Website: http://www.vsha.org/.

Phone: (802) 828-3295.

About the Vermont State Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Vermont State Housing Authority manages 3,500 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 Tenant Protection Ported Out VASH Non-Elderly Disabled
Vouchers 2,596 65 318 80 13 160 268
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $663 $585 $907 $575 $999 $535 $638
Monthly Cost $1,721,284 $38,034 $288,410 $46,001 $12,992 $85,546 $171,115
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 10% having issued approximately 357 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 8 years and 9 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 8 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2 persons and has a household income of $14,272 per year. 96% of households were very low income (VLI) and 74% were extremely low income (ELI). 19% of households had wages as a major source of income, 8% 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, 44% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 26% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 27% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 2% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

35% of households included children, 8% of which had two adults in the household. 31% of households with children have a female head of household. 71% of all households were headed by a female.

5% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 2% of all heads of households being Black and 0% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Vermont State Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 37% include at least one person with a disability. 58% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 72% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

47% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 33% with 2 bedrooms and 20% with 3 or more bedrooms. 11% 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 Vermont State Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $360 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $745. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $110.

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.