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Section 8 - Housing Choice Vouchers
The Housing Authority administers the federal Section
8 Housing Voucher Rental Assistance Program.
This program helps families afford safe, decent and sanitary
rental housing that is available through private landlords.
Eligible families are given a Voucher, which can be used to
rent a house or an apartment from a participating landlord.
Under the Voucher Program, the tenant will pay at least 30%
and no more than 40% of their adjusted gross monthly income
in rent at initial lease-up. The Authority pays the remainder
of the negotiated rent. The payment goes directly to the Landlord
under a Housing Assistance Payments Contract.
Who is Eligible and how do we Select
Applicants?
York Housing Authority screens applicants for eligibility using
HUD rules. YHA then applies local preferences and ranking to
determine waiting list position. When an applicant's name comes
to the top of the list, the applicant is invited to attend a
briefing and interview to discuss their application and receive
information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Once an applicant
has been approved, they are given a Voucher. The voucher entitles
the applicant to look for housing in the private market.
Before a unit can be leased under the Housing Choice Voucher
Program, staff from the York Housing Authority check to ensure
that rents charged are reasonable for the area in which the
unit is located. The unit must also meet basic Housing Quality
Standards, through an inspection. Participants must find a
landlord/owner willing to rent to a household receiving Voucher
assistance.
Selection criteria used by private landlords varies allowing
each landlord to use his or her own criteria. The Authority
verifies a number of facts about the applicant. First YHA
confirms income information to ensure eligibility. York Housing
Authority performs criminal record checks to determine whether
applicants have a prior criminal history that may impact eligibility.
Housing Quality Standards Inspection (HQS)
Prior to an initial move-in, York Housing Authority must perform an inspection to ensure the unit is decent, safe, and sanitary. The tenant should not sign a lease until the unit has passed inspection. Following the initial inspection, YHA is required to do an annual inspection to coincide with recertification of the tenant. If there are deficiencies, landlords are given a minimum of thirty days through a written notice to make repairs (unless the deficiency(ies) is or are deemed so serious as to be life-threatening). (Any life-threatening deficiency must be corrected in 24 hours.)
Conditions or items which normally can present a problem are:
Inoperable smoke detectors, burners on the stove or oven which
do not ignite, chipping or peeling paint, and screens which
are not in good condition on all windows. The HQS inspection
covers basic items in the home such as hot and cold water, electrical
outlets in each room, refrigerator and stove, heating system
function, etc.
Landlords are encouraged to inspect their units
on a regular schedule. This should be done to monitor how the
tenant is maintaining the unit and should also make certain
that the property is in good repair. This should occur annually,
prior to the York Housing Authority inspection. Adequate time
should be provided to make any repairs that might fail the YHA
HQS inspection.
On September 15, 1999, HUD published regulations concerning
the abatement of lead paint in all types of housing. The rule
became effective September 15, 2000. The rule covers the elimination
of possible lead poisoning from houses built prior to 1978.
Questions about HUD's rule concerning lead paint may be answered
by HUD:
Lead Paint Compliance Center
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, SW
Room P3206
Washington, DC 20410-0500
Toll-free Phone: 1-866-HUD-1012
Or contact the Environmental
Protection Agency or HUD
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HOW DO I APPLY?
Anyone interested and wishing to apply for any of the Housing Authority's programs must complete a written application. The application process involves two phases.
The first or "initial" application for assistance results in the family's placement on the waiting list. The second phase is the "final determination of eligibility", which takes place when the family reaches the top of the waiting list. At this point in the process YHA verifies all HUD and YHA eligibility factors. If the family is verified as eligible, a voucher is issued and the family has 60 days to locate a house or apartment.
When the Authority anticipates being able to once again take applications for the Section 8 Program; it will be announced in the newspapers and through other kinds of public notification. Normally, when the Section 8 Applications are being accepted, anyone may pick up an application at the Administrative Offices of the Housing Authority.
Housing Authority of the City of York Income Limits
Effective March 8, 2007
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Number
of persons
in family |
Section 8
Income Limits
Very Low Income |
1 |
$22,800.00 |
2 |
$26,050.00 |
3 |
$29,300.00 |
4 |
$32,550.00 |
5 |
$35,150.00 |
6 |
$37,750.00 |
7 |
$40,350.00 |
8 |
$42,950.00 |
These income limits are established by the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and will be revised
when the changes in income limits are published by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Section 8 Housing Application
Click here to download in PDF format. |
Click here to download in PDF format. |
For 2007 HACY has 1565 vouchers available and in service for all of York Housing Authority's county-wide service area.
For more general information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program
you may also visit HUD's
web site.
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