HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER SECTION 8
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s primary program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Qualified households use Section 8 vouchers to subsidize the rent they pay to landlords of privately owned properties.
A family issued a housing voucher is responsible to find a suitable housing unit of the family’s choice where the owner agrees to rent to the tenant under the program. This unit may include the family’s present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the CHA.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the CHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program.