Housing Choice Voucher
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program provides rental assistance to help low income person(s) obtain decent, safe and affordable housing. HCV Programs are funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and administered by public housing agencies authorized under federal and state law to operate housing programs within an area or jurisdiction. The Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA) is a housing agency that administers an HCV Program throughout Fairfield County.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program comprises the majority of the FMHA’s Section 8 rental assistance programs. FMHA administered vouchers help 949 families pay their rent each month. Eligibility for the HCV program is based on a family’s household income. The voucher covers a portion of the rent and the tenant is expected to pay the balance. The tenant’s share is an affordable percentage of their income and is generally calculated to be 30 percent of their monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities.
The voucher recipient searches for housing in the private market. Eligible housing units for the program include single family dwellings, town houses, apartments and mobile homes. When the recipient finds a unit from a landlord who accepts the voucher, the Housing Authority determines if the family financially qualifies using the 40% rule (the gross rent, including utilities must not exceed 40% of the family’s adjusted gross income). FMHA will inspect the rental units to ensure it meets housing quality standards (HQS) for the program. If the unit passes the standards for health and safety and the requested rent is deemed appropriate for comparable rents for that size unit, the family and the landlord may execute a lease agreement. At the same time, the landlord and the Housing Authority will sign a housing assistance payments (HAP) contract for rental subsidy amount to be paid to the landlord directly from the FMHA on behalf of the participating family. The family pays the difference between the actual rent charge by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program.
Landlords must comply with the lease agreement signed with the tenant and the HAP contract signed with the FMHA. Should the landlord fail to meet their obligations, the Housing Authority may suspend or terminate payments.
The family is required to comply with the lease, Section 8 program requirements, pay its share of the rent on time, maintain the unit is good condition and notify the Housing Authority of any changes in their family composition or income. A family can move and continue its participation in the program as long as they notify the Housing Authority ahead of time, follow the “moving” process and terminate the existing lease within the lease provisions. The family is then free to seek another housing unit in Fairfield County or the family may exercise the portability option and move outside of FMHA’s jurisdiction.
Please click on “How to Apply” to see the application process.
Mainstream Vouchers
Mainstream Vouchers are a special allocation of vouchers designed to assists families with disabilities. The Mainstream program vouchers are targeted toward persons with disabilities who face difficulties in locating suitable, accessible housing and desire living independently in the private market. Only a family that includes a disabled person and is income eligible may receive a Mainstream voucher. FMHA administers 20 Mainstream vouchers for special needs clients. Mainstream program recipients are selected form the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List.
Family Unification Program
The Family Unification Program (FUP) is a special set-aside of Section 8 Vouchers administered by the FMHA in partnership with the Fairfield County Job and Family Services’(FCJFS) Department of Child Protective Services. Family Unification vouchers are targeted specifically to families who are separated or facing separation. The Family Unification Program is designed to assist families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the separation, or threat of imminent separation, of children from their families or in the prevention of reunifying the children with their families. Youths at least 18 years old and not more than 21 who left foster care at 16 or older and do not have adequate housing are also eligible. A FUP voucher issued to such a youth may only be used to provide housing assistance for a maximum of 18 months.
The FCJFS Child Protective Services Department must refer the FUP eligible family to the Housing Authority. The family must meet all Section 8 Program eligibility requirements to qualify.
Shelter Plus Care
The Shelter Plus Care (S+C) program was developed specifically to provide housing assistance to our community’s disabled homeless population. The program provides rental assistance for a variety of houses choices, accompanied by a range of supportive services funded by other sources. The program is designed to service a population that has been traditionally hard to reach – homeless persons with disabilities, such as mental illness, chronic substance abuse, and/or AIDS and related diseases. The S+C program was built on the premise that housing and services need to be connected in order to ensure the stability of housing for this population. Through the S+C grant, FMHA will provide rental assistance while other local agencies provide an equal value of supportive services appropriate to the target population. Lutheran Social Services will coordinate these services. Goals of the S+C program are to assist homeless individuals increase their housing stability, skills and/or income, and self-sufficiency.
Portability
Section 8 Portability refers to the option whereby a Section 8 participant who receives rental subsidy from one housing authority is allowed to move to the jurisdiction of another housing authority and still retain their voucher. A participant in good standing can transfer their Section 8 assistance to anywhere in the United States where there is an Agency administering the Section 8 program. Section 8 families who are currently residing in Fairfield County can request a portability transfer at any time, assuming the proper notification of the intent to vacate was given to the current landlord. A new voucher recipient who was not a Fairfield County resident at the time they were placed on the Waiting List must live in Fairfield County for at least one year before they can exercise the portability option.