• 2008 Section 8 Administrative Plan

  • Table of Contents and Chapters 1 - 9

  • Chapters 10 - 20

• Effective 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 13, 2007, the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) will suspend taking applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List.  All applications postmarked on or before July 13, 2007, will meet the deadline.   A notice will be published when we can resume taking applications.  We do not anticipate that this will occur within the next thirty-six months (3 years).

• We have a new Section 8 form for reporting changes to your income or family.  It is available for download here: Interim Personal Declaration

• Use the GoSection8 database to find listings or to list your Section 8 property. 

• HUD SUBSIDIZED UNITS -- A document containing a list of properties that participate in the Section 8 program are now available by clicking here.  The document also includes emergency contact resources and other housing authorities in the Hampton Roads area.
• Click here for Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance Program information

The Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program (HAP) is a federally funded program that provides assistance to very low income families, elderly, handicapped, disabled person or other single person seeking to rent affordable housing in the private market.

Section 8 is a three-way contract, a triangle, between the Housing Authority (HA), the Owner and the participant.  The participant and HA sign a Voucher Contract, the participant and owner sign the lease and the owner and HA sign a Housing Assistance Payments Contract.  These three documents outline the responsibilities of each party.

The Section 8 recipient pays a portion of their income towards the rent to their landlord and the Housing Authority pays a portion to the landlord.

The Section 8 recipient chooses their own unit and location and makes application to the owner.  The owner selects tenants according to their own screening criteria.

One goal of the Section 8 Program is to provide housing assistance to the participant so they can concentrate on achieving economic self-sufficiency.  The Family Self-Sufficiency Unit is helping participants achieve this goal by providing education and job skills training to eligible participants.
 

Frequent Questions

Owner Responsibilities

Housing Authority Responsibilities

Participant Responsibilities

Participant Rules

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List Questions

Is the Section 8 waiting list open for new applications?  No, the waiting list is closed and we are not accepting applications.  Whenever the waiting list reopens an advertisement appears in the local section of the Daily Press and New Journal and Guide. 

If I apply (or applied) for Section 8 Housing, will my name be placed on the Public Housing Waiting List?  No, you must complete a separate application for public housing.  We have color coded Public Housing applications and they are now blue.  

If I mailed my application at the same time as someone else and they received an appointment letter, will I receive one?  Not necessarily, you may have mailed your applications at the same time but that doesn’t mean they arrived here at the same time.  Each application was date and time stamped in the order it was received.  Minutes and even seconds can make the difference in time.  Hundreds of applications were received each day the waiting list was open.  We received approximately 5,000 applications.   

How long will I have to wait for a Housing Choice Voucher if I applied during the open enrollment period?  The wait is determined by the date and time your application was received, the number of applicants on the waiting list, the amount of funds available and whether we need to income target.  Based on the current status of our waiting list, we estimate the wait to be anywhere between 2 months and 5 years.  

What is income targeting?  Income targeting is a HUD requirement that Housing Authorities must serve 75% of its new admissions from the extremely low income limit tables.  If a Housing Authority has not met this requirement, it must skip over applicants with the higher incomes.   

Are there any exceptions for housing emergencies?  Unfortunately not, we must follow federal regulations and our Administrative Plan when accepting applications and managing the waiting list.  All applications go through the same procedure and wait their turn on the waiting list.  Other agencies that may be of assistance are listed below.  

What happens if my name comes up to the top of the list and funds are available?  You will receive a letter scheduling you to attend an eligibility interview.  At the interview you will provide verification of your total household income, assets,  household composition, child care and possibly medical expenses.  If you are determined eligible you will be scheduled to attend a briefing session to learn the program rules and if all information remains the same, you will receive a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher.

What information is available about moving?

• Our process takes 60 - 90 days.

• You may attend a pre-movers briefing to learn more.  Sign up at the front desk of our Section 8 office at 1 South Armistead Ave.

• You must give your landlord a proper written vacate notice.  Please have your landlord sign your vacate notice.

• You must be recertified before you can receive your voucher and moving packet.

• The voucher will be issued for only 60 days.

• You must be approved by a landlord and have the briefing packet (including the RFTA) completed before it is determined if the rent is affordable under the 40% rule.

• If you qualify for the unit, the utilities must be turned on and the inspection will be scheduled.

• The unit must pass inspection before you move in.

• The Section 8 assistance will not begin until the 1st of the month following the passed inspection.

• Our subsidy standards have changed.  You will be issued a voucher size equal to 1 bedroom for every 2 persons in your family.

• Please check with your Technician before you decide to port to another locality as we now have restrictions on porting to a higher cost area.

Note: additional answers to frequently asked questions are available on our FAQ page.

return to the top

• Pre-screening to decide if the family is suitable for tenancy of the unit

• Performing all of the owner's obligations under the HAP contract and the lease

• Performing all management and rental functions for the assisted unit

• Maintaining the unit in accordance with HQS, including performance of ordinary and extraordinary maintenance

• Complying with equal opportunity requirements

• Preparing and furnishing to the HA information required under the HAP contract

• Collecting from the family:

  • (a) any security deposit

  • (b) the tenant rent

  • (c) other tenant charges for damages to the unit

• Enforcing tenant obligation under the lease

• Paying for utilities and services (unless paid by the family under the lease)

return to the top

• To comply with the consolidated ACC, the application, HUD regulations, other requirements, and the HA administrative plan

• Receive applications from families, determine eligibility, maintain the waiting list, select applicants, issue a voucher to each selected family, provide housing information to families selected

• Determine who can live in the assisted unit at admission and during participation

• The HA must give the owner:

  • (a) the family's current address (as shown in the HA records)

  • (b) the name and address (if known to the HA) of the landlord at the family's current and prior address

• Inspect the contract unit and premises before assisted occupancy and at least annually during the assisted tenancy

• Determine the amount of the housing assistance payment for a family

• Make timely housing assistance payments to an owner in accordance with the HAP contract

• Examine family income, size, and composition at admission and during the family's participation in the program

• Establish and adjust HA utility allowance

• Administer and enforce owner compliance with HAP contracts and take appropriate action in cases of noncompliance or default

• Determine whether to terminate assistance to a participant family for violation of family obligations

• Administer a Family Self-Sufficiency program

• Affirmatively further fair housing goals and comply with equal opportunity requirements

return to the top

• Supply any information that the HA or HUD determines to be necessary including evidence of citizenship or eligible immigration status, and information for use in a regularly scheduled reexamination or interim reexamination of family income and composition.  All information the family supplies must be true and complete.

• Disclose and verify social security numbers and sign and submit consent forms

• Supply any information requested by the HA to verify that the family is living in the unit or information related to family absence from the unit.

• Promptly notify the HA in writing when the family is away from the unit for an extended period of time (more than 30 consecutive days).

• Allow the HA to inspect the unit at reasonable times and after reasonable notice.

• Give written notice to the HA and the owner before the family moves out of the unit or terminates the lease.

• Promptly give the HA a copy of any owner eviction notice.

• Use the assisted unit for residence by the family.  The unit must be the family’s only residence.

• Promptly notify the HA within ten (10) days of the birth, adoption, or court awarded custody of a child.

• Request HA approval to add any other family member as an occupant of the unit, before they move in.

• Notify the HA, in writing, within ten (10) days if any family member no longer resides in the unit.

• Pay utility bills and provide and maintain any appliances that the owner is not required to provide under the lease.

return to the top

The family must not:

• Commit any serious or repeated violation of the lease.

• Sublease or let the unit or assign the lease or transfer the unit.

• Own or have any interest in the unit (other than a cooperative, or the owner of a manufactured home leasing a manufactured home space).

• Commit fraud, bribery, or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with the program.

• Participate in illegal drug or violent criminal activity.

• Receive Section 8 tenant-based program housing assistance while receiving another housing subsidy, for the same unit or a different unit under any other Federal, State or local housing assistance program.

• Damage the unit or premises (other than damage from ordinary wear and tear) or permit any guest to damage the unit or premises.

• Receive Section 8 tenant-based program housing assistance while residing in a unit owned by a parent, child grandparent, grandchild, sister or brother of any member of the family, unless the HA has determined (and has notified the owner and the family of such determination) that approving rental of the unit, notwithstanding such relationship, would provide reasonable accommodation for a family member who is a person with disabilities.

• Engage in illegal use of a controlled substance; or abuse of alcohol that threatens the health and safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents.

return to the top

Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Housing Office
1 South Armistead Avenue
Hampton, VA 23669

Telephone: 757-727-1111
Fax:  757-727-1291

return to the top