Housing Choice Voucher Program Applications Accepted Soon

The County of Hawai’i has announce that it will be accepting applications for its Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) waiting list beginning:

THURSDAY, MAR. 15, 2021 9 AM THROUGH FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 4 PM

Applications must be completed and submitted electronically through the OHCD’ s online application portal, accessible with any computer or smartphone with internet access at:
https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/office-of-housing

AFTER APRIL 30TH, APPLICATIONS WILL BE RESTRICTED.

Applications will be accepted by REFERRAL ONLY for specific funding criteria through the US Veterans Administration for the HUD-VASH program; Continuum of Care-Coordinated Entry System for homeless families; the Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Services Branch for homeless youth under age 25, and other approved third party agencies.

There is no cost to apply. Only one application per family, per waiting list will be allowed. No hardcopy applications will be provided at the agency, except for persons with disabilities that limits the ability to access the on-line application process. You may contact the OHCD at (808) 959-4642 to request a reasonable accommodation.

What are housing choice vouchers?

The housing choice voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very-low income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Federal funds are received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the County of Hawai’i to administer the voucher program.

An eligible family that is issued a voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit where the owner agrees to rent under the program. A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the OHCD on behalf of the participating family for rental units that meet minimum standards of health and safety. The family pays the difference allowed between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. If authorized by the OHCD, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home. Applicants interested in the Homeownership Option Program, or rental property owners interested in learning about our program may contact the OHCD at (808) 959-4642 or email inquiries to [email protected].

Am I eligible?

Eligibility is determined by the OHCD based on the total gross income and family size. Assistance is limited to US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status.

In general, the family’s income may not exceed 50 percent of the median income for Hawai’i County. By law, the OHCD must provide 75 percent of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income.

Families must be at or below: 2020 HUD Income Limits
Area Median Family Income (AMI) $75,200

• One family member: $29,200
• Two family members: $33,350
• Three family members: $37,500
• Four family members: $41,650
• Five family members: $45,000
• Six family members: $48,350
• Seven family members: $51,650
• Eight family members: $55,000

The OHCD will contact the applicant family when it is time to begin the application process. During the application process, the OHCD will collect and verify information on family income, assets, and family composition to determine program eligibility and the amount of subsidy.

Local Preferences

The demand for housing assistance exceeds the limited resources available to the OHCD, therefore waiting periods are common. Due to limited funding availability, only 200 applicants will be selected using a lottery system and ordered by local preference and lottery number. *Families who qualify for any local preferences move ahead of other families on the list who do not qualify for any preference.

Not all applicants will be placed on the waiting list. By randomly selecting the applications received for placement on the waiting list, ensures that the process is fair and equitable. The date and time of receipt of the application has no bearing on whether an application will be placed on the waiting list. There is no advantage to applying immediately after the list opens.