Section 8 Housing Assistance Program
Each participant in the Section 8 program has TWO employees to assist them. The Field Representative performs inspections and is the liaison between the landlord and VSHA. The Rental Assistance Specialist does the annual recertifications. These lists are provided to make sure each participant knows who to speak to about any issues that may arise.
Rental Assistance Specialist Caseloads – Updated 09 September 2024
NOTICES
The Housing-Choice Voucher Waiting List will close at 4:30pm on 31 January 2025. 1.31.2025 closing of wait list public notice
The Housing-Choice Voucher Waiting List will open to those eligible for the Disaster and Move-Up Preferences beginning at 8am on 01 April 2024. See 4.1.2024 public notice to open HCV list
Section 8 Housing Assistance Program
The Section 8 Existing program provides rental assistance to help eligible families live in safe and decent housing of their choice. With funding provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by local public housing authorities, as well as VSHA, this program utilizes privately owned existing housing stock.
Families, elderly, disabled and single people whose income falls within the income guidelines qualify for this program. After a person applies and is determined eligible, they are placed on a waiting list until funds become available to assist them. When funding becomes available, a certificate or voucher is issued.
A voucher is the written guarantee of VSHA to the tenant or prospective landlord that the voucher holder is eligible for participation in the program. The voucher is used by the holder in locating a house or apartment of his/her choosing. The voucher sets forth the bedroom size the family needs and outlines the family’s obligations under the program and the period of time the family has to locate suitable housing.
VSHA also administers a Project-Based Voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation program. Both of these programs are project specific housing rather than open market. Tenants are selected from the existing waiting list, owners and/or managers determine suitability and VSHA determines eligibility for participation in the program. The subsidy is attached to the UNIT and NOT to the family. Therefore, if a family vacates a Project-Based Voucher or Moderate Rehabilitation unit and still wishes to have a subsidy, they must reapply under a different program. Agents and Owners of a Project-Based Voucher will want to read the latest notice regarding the program by clicking here (Updated 9 May 2023).
The Family Unification program promotes family unification by providing rental assistance to 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. Program eligible households are referred to VSHA by the Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services.
The Mainstream Housing program funds rental assistance for non-elderly disabled families. Its primary purpose is to enable disabled families to rent affordable private housing.
Tenants in the Section 8 Existing Housing Choice Voucher program are free to select their own housing unit anywhere in the state where VSHA has the authority to operate, provided the unit meets housing quality standards and certain rent limitations. Housing quality standards help to ensure that housing rented under this program is decent, safe and sanitary. There are two kinds of housing quality standards under Section 8 Existing:
1. Things that a home MUST HAVE in order to be approved by the VSHA.
2. Additional features that a family should take into consideration when renting to cover special needs of the family.
For more information on the Housing Choice Voucher program, please see this page by HUD: HCV Tenants.
New Construction/Substantial Rehabilitation
This program was designed to create new and rehabilitated housing for low-income families and the elderly in communities without sufficient housing that is rated safe, sanitary and adequate. Since the early 1980’s, no new housing has been constructed or rehabilitated under this program.
VSHA is the contract administrator for the project. Staff conduct regular inspections to monitor the management activities of the owner, ensure the buildings are well maintained, and determine the needs and/or satisfaction of tenants. The owner selects the tenants. VSHA reviews all applications to ensure each applicant’s eligibility, and to ensure that tenants are being charged the proper amount of rent.
The Administrative Plan
The Administrative Plan provides detailed information on policies and procedures of the Section 8 programs.
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- Title Page
- Glossary
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 (Overview)
- Chapter 2 (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)
- Chapter 3 (Eligibility)
- Chapter 4 (Applications, Waiting Lists and Tenant Selection)
- Chapter 5 (Briefings and Voucher Issuance)
- Chapter 6 (Income and Subsidy Determinations)
- Chapter 7 (Verification Procedures)
- Chapter 8 (National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate and Rent Reasonableness Determinations)
- Chapter 9 (General Leasing Policies)
- Chapter 10 (Moving with Continued Assistance and Portability)
- Chapter 11 (Reexaminations)
- Chapter 12 (Termination of Assistance and Tenancy)
- Chapter 13 (Owners)
- Chapter 14 (Program Integrity Addendum)
- Chapter 15 (Special Housing Types)
- Chapter 16 (Program Administration)
- Chapter 17 (Project-Based Vouchers)
Additional Resources
- Income Limits – Go here (Effective 01 April 2025)
- FY 2024 Fair Market Rents – Go here
- FY 2025 Voucher Payment Standards – Go here (Effective 01 Dec 2024)
- Section 8 Single-Family Utilities Worksheet – Go here (Effective 01 Dec 2024)
- Section 8 Multi-Family Utilities Worksheet – Go here (Effective 01 Dec 2024)
- Tenant Briefing Packet (2021) – Go here
- Voucher (Existing Program) – Go here
- Standard Owner-Occupant Lease (Existing and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs) (HUD Form #52635-L and 52641-L) – Go here
- Housing Assistance Payments Contract (Existing and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs) (HUD Form #52635 and 56641) – Go here
- Family Self-Sufficiency Contract (Existing Program) (HUD Form #52656) – Go here
- HUD Regulations: 24 CFR 812,813,882,887,888,966 (Existing and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs) – Go here
- HUD Handbook 7420.3 and 7420.7 (Moderate Rehabilitation Program) – Go here
- Notice of Non-Discrimination and Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities – Go here
- Five Year and Annual Plan – Go here
- Mainstream Extraordinary Administrative Fees Policy – Go here
- Vermont Housing Resource & Rental Assistance Guide 2.0 – Go here
- The Definitive Guide to Renting in Vermont (2023) – Go here
- HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook – Go here
Commonly Used Forms
- Annual ReExam/Recertification Packet – Go Here
- Interim ReExam/Recert Packet – Go Here
- Asset Self Certification Form – Go Here
- Request for a Reasonable Accommodation – Go Here
- VSHA General Release of Information – Go Here
- Inspection Form (Agency of Human Services) – Go Here
- Packet for New Landlords (Transfer of Ownership, Direct Deposit, W-9) – Go here