HCV/Section 8

Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV)

This section contains information regarding the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) in the Auburn, Lafayette, and Roanoke Housing Authority areas.

The HCV program is the federal government's major program for assisting low-income to extremely low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. HCVs 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. The HCV program consists of Tenant-Based Vouchers (TBV), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV), and Special Purpose Vouchers.

The Auburn Housing Authority (AHA) administers the following HCV programs:

• Tenant-Based Vouchers (TBV) - formerly referred to as Section 8
• Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) - Auburn and Lafayette
• Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)
• Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV)
• Mainstream Vouchers
• Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (FYI) Vouchers

Tenant-Based Vouchers (TBV):

For the TBV Program, the voucher assistance is attached to the family. The TBV Program allows participants to find their housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the program's requirements.

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 health and safety standards, as determined by the AHA and HUD regulations.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the AHA 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.

Project-Based Vouchers (PBV):

The PBV Program is another component of AHA's HCV program. For the PBV Program, the voucher assistance is attached to specific housing units. When a family moves out of a PBV-assisted unit, the PBV housing assistance for the family ends. A housing subsidy is paid to the housing agency managing the PBV unit directly by AHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the managing agency and the amount subsidized by the program.

The Auburn and Lafayette Housing Authorities converted their public housing units to PBV units through the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. Residents of RAD properties may be eligible to receive a Choice-Mobility Transfer if they have resided in the unit for at least 12 months and pending the availability of a Tenant-Based Voucher.

Special Purpose Vouchers:

Special Purpose Vouchers are tenant-based vouchers explicitly reserved for special populations. The AHA currently administers the following Special Purpose Vouchers: Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Vouchers, Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), Mainstream Vouchers, and Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (FYI) Vouchers. As with regular TBV, the housing assistance for special purpose voucher holders remains with the families; however, only families qualifying under the designated group for the special purpose vouchers will be eligible. 

For more information on the special purpose vouchers administered by AHA, click on the link for Special Purpose Vouchers on the options bar to the left. 

AHA HCV Contact Information:

The following contact information applies for the Housing Choice Voucher Program administered by Auburn Housing Authority: