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Housing Services
Section 8

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE SECTION 8 PROGRAM: The DMMHA is currently issuing vouchers ONLY as participants leave the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. As a result, if you are currently on the Section 8 waiting list, the wait time may be longer than anticipated dependent upon the number of participants that leave the Program each month.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental assistance to low-income families and elderly or disabled individuals who rent from a private landlord. Eligibility for the Section 8 program is determined by family composition and income guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides the program funding. Some of the eligibility requirements are as follows:

• One member of the household must be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen with eligible status
• Applicants for the Section 8 Program must be age 18 at the time of the application opening period to be eligible to apply
• Must meet income eligibility requirements as established by HUD
• Must successfully pass screening criteria which includes, but is not limited to: no negative past participation in Federally subsidized programs, acceptable arrest history and does not owe any money to a federally subsidized housing program.

Participants in the Section 8 program pay 30-40% of the household's monthly adjusted gross income toward their housing expenses. Eligible applicants for Section 8 program are given a Housing Choice Voucher and 60 days to find an approved rental unit. The Section 8 program provides rental assistance to participants who want to rent from a private landlord. Participants may choose the type of housing they wish to rent. Prior to being placed under the program and at least annually thereafter each unit must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection to ensure that the unit is a safe and decent place to live. Approximately 3,000 households are served through Section 8 programs. The DMMHA administers the Section 8 program throughout Polk County.

For more information, contact the Housing Services Department at (515) 323-8950.