Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.

Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program. 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. This unit may include the family's present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA. A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA 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.

2021 Housing Choice Voucher Briefing Presentation

Q. Who is eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the PHA based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to U.S. citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family's income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. By law, a PHA must provide 75 percent of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income. Median income levels are published by HUD and vary by location. Follow the link to see the eligibility income requirements for the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Q. How do housing vouchers function?

The Housing Choice Voucher Program places the choice of housing in the hands of the individual family. A family is selected by the PHA to participate and is encouraged to consider several housing choices to secure the best housing for its needs. A voucher holder is advised of the unit size for which it is eligible based on family size and composition.

The housing unit selected by the family must meet an acceptable level of health and safety before the PHA can approve the unit. When the voucher holder finds a unit and reaches an agreement with the landlord over the lease terms, the unit must pass a PHA inspection and the rent requested must pass a rent reasonableness test.

HUD sets payment standard amounts, which are generally the cost to rent a moderately-priced unit in the area. This amount is used to calculate the amount of housing assistance a family will receive. However, the payment standard does not limit the amount of rent a landlord may charge or the family may pay. A family which receives a housing voucher can select a unit with a rent that is below or above the payment standard. The family must pay 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities and may pay more if the unit rent is greater than their payment standard. When a family moves to a new unit where the rent exceeds the payment standard, the family may not pay more than 40% of its adjusted gross monthly income for rent.

Q. How is the rent subsidy calculated?

The PHA calculates the maximum amount of housing assistance allowable. The maximum housing assistance is generally the lesser of the payment standard or gross rent (rent plus utilities) and then 30% of the family's gross monthly adjusted income is subtracted from that amount. All participants must pay a minimum rent unless they have qualified for a hardship exemption.

Income includes all monetary amounts received on behalf of the family except for those that HUD excludes. Income includes wages, self-employment, alimony and child support, social security, SSI, cash assistance, unemployment, workers compensation, military pay, pensions, regular contributions and gifts, income from assets, etc. Deductions may be given for dependents, elderly or disabled heads/spouses/co-heads, medical expenses, child care expenses, or disability assistance expenses.

All changes in income and family composition must be reported within 10 days in writing.

Q. Who establishes the contract rent for the program?

Owners may request any reasonable rent for their units. The PHA must make a rent reasonableness determination by comparing the rent being requested by the owner to rents for comparable unassisted units in the area and to rents being charged by the owner for comparable, unassisted units on the premises.

If the proposed rent is determined to be too high and does not meet the rent reasonableness limitation, the PHA will offer a reasonable rent. If the owner does not wish to accept a lower rent, then the paperwork on the unit will be cancelled and the family must look for a new unit. For this reason, it is recommended that the owner should not allow the family to move in to the unit prior to the rent being established.

Q. Who is responsible for any security deposit?

The cost of the security deposit is not covered under the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The family is responsible for any security deposit requested by the owner. The security deposit cannot be more than one month’s contract rent.

Q. Can a family move and continue to receive housing choice voucher assistance?

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is designed to allow families to move without the loss of housing assistance. Moves are permissible as long as the family notifies the PHA ahead of time, terminates its existing lease within the lease provisions, and finds acceptable alternate housing.

Q. Can a family have visitors stay at their HCVP unit?

Visitors may stay overnight no more than 15 consecutive days and no more than 60 total days in a twelve month period. Visitors who remain past this time without PHA approval will be considered unauthorized persons and may be a violation of the family’s lease.

Q. Can a family add or remove a family member from their household?

Yes. All changes in income and family composition must be reported within 10 days in writing.

To add a minor (under 18): The head of household must notify the PHA in writing, complete the required paperwork, and provide the minor’s proof of birth, proof of social security number, and any income received by or on behalf of the minor.

To add an adult (over 18): The adult to be added must complete a background check. Once the background check has passed, the family will complete the required paperwork and provide the adult’s proof of birth, proof of social security number, photo identification, and any income received by the adult. The family must also provide a letter from the landlord approving the adult to be added to the lease.

To remove a family member: The head of household must notify the PHA in writing, complete the required paperwork, and provide proof that the family member is no longer living at the unit.

Q. What are the roles for the tenant, the landlord, the housing agency, and HUD?

Once a PHA approves an eligible family's housing unit, the family and the landlord sign a lease and, at the same time, the landlord and the PHA sign a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract that runs for the same term as the lease. This means that everyone, tenant, landlord and PHA, has obligations and responsibilities under the voucher program.

Tenant's Obligations: When a family selects a housing unit, and the PHA approves the unit and lease, the family signs a lease with the landlord for one year. The tenant may be required to pay a security deposit to the landlord. After the first year the landlord may initiate a new lease or allow the family to remain in the unit on a month-to-month lease.

When the family is settled in a new home, the family is expected to comply with the lease and the program requirements, pay its share of rent on time, maintain the unit in good condition and notify the PHA of any changes in income or family composition.

Please see the full list of family obligations.

Landlord's Obligations: The role of the landlord in the voucher program is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program's housing quality standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the PHA.

Please see more information on HCVP landlords.

Housing Authority's Obligations: The PHA administers the voucher program locally. The PHA provides a family with the housing assistance that enables the family to seek out suitable housing and the PHA enters into a contract with the landlord to provide housing assistance payments on behalf of the family. If the landlord fails to meet the owner's obligations under the lease, the PHA has the right to terminate assistance payments. The PHA must reexamine the family's income and composition and must inspect each unit to ensure that it meets minimum housing quality standards.

HUD's Role: To cover the cost of the program, HUD provides funds to allow PHAs to make housing assistance payments on behalf of the families. HUD also pays the PHA a fee for the costs of administering the program. When additional funds become available to assist new families, HUD invites PHAs to submit applications for funds for additional housing vouchers. Applications are then reviewed and funds are awarded to the selected PHAs on a competitive basis. HUD monitors PHA administration of the program to ensure program rules are properly followed.

Q. Can rent increases be obtained through the program?

Yes. Owners may request rent increases in writing, but rent increases cannot be granted more than once every 12 months. Owners must give the PHA at least 60 days advance notice of any changes in the amount of rent to owner. The request should include the name of the family, address, requested rent, and requested date for the change. The allowed rent increase is the lesser of the following:

  • The reasonable rent as determined by the PHA, which could result in a rent decrease.
  • The amount requested by the owner.

Q. How do participants receive utility reimbursement payments?

If a participant is eligible for a utility reimbursement, then the payment will be paid through a Key Bank debit card. If a participant previously received a utility reimbursement on a Key Bank debit card, then that card will be reactivated for any future utility reimbursement payments. If a participant loses their card or has a question regarding their card, they should contact Key Bank at 1-866-295-2955.