Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher
What is Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program?
The housing choice voucher program provides assistance to low-income families. Housing can include single-family homes, townhouses and apartments and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family's choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. The family that is issued a housing choice voucher pays 30% of their monthly income for rent and the federal government pays the landlord the remainder through a local PHA.
Who is eligible for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program?
- You must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen who has eligible immigration status, including permanent resident.
- You can apply to most nationwide waiting lists, regardless of where you currently live.
- Households must make less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the area where the voucher will be used.
How to apply for Housing Choice Voucher?
To apply for Housing Choice Voucher, visit your local Public Housing Agency (PHA) in California. Note: Some PHAs have long waiting lists, so you may want to apply at more than one PHA. Your PHA can also give you a list of locations at which your voucher can be used.
More information about housing choice vouchers, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Housing Choice Vouchers Fact Sheet