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@ Dec 31
Housing Choice Voucher Programs (HCVP)
Main Programs
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Housing Choice Voucher Program
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Moderate Rehabilitation Program
“Set-a-side” Voucher Programs
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Family Unification Program (FUP)
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Transitional Housing Program (THP)
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Mental Health Program (MHP)
Tenant Programs
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Home-Ownership Program (HOP)
Housing Choice Voucher Program
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) provides “tenant-based” rental assistance to eligible families so they may obtain housing from private landlords. The rules and regulations of the program are determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HCVP offers low income families mobility in the housing market by subsidizing their rent. Once eligibility is determined the applicant(s) is/are issued a voucher, they can lease a rental unit anywhere in ARHA’s jurisdiction, as long as the landlord’s rental unit is found to be decent, safe and sanitary and the rent being asked for is deemed reasonable. Once these requirements have been met, the voucher holder can then sign a lease with the landlord and move into the rental unit. After moving into a unit, the voucher holder becomes a tenant in the HCVP and they are required to meet at least annually with the HCVP to determine continued eligibility and amount of rent to be paid. The rental units are managed and maintained by HCVP landlords. However, they are inspected on at least an annual basis by ARHA to ensure that all units are being properly maintained by both the landlord and resident and that they continue to be decent, safe and sanitary.
After the Tenant has been with ARHA for a specified amount of time and if funding is available, HCVP tenants can rent anywhere in the United States that has a HCVP program. This is referred to as “portability”.
To participate in the HCVP applicants must submit an HCVP provided application. Once the application is submitted, the name of the family is added to the waiting list. Once on the waiting list, specific preferences do apply to a family’s place on the list. These include but are not limited to; Alexandria residents, the elderly/disabled’, veterans, etc. Once a family’s name comes to the top pf the waiting list they are called into the HCVP office and they must provide various documents. These documents include, social security cards, birth certificates, income information, asset information, etc., as well as all adults must pass a criminal check performed by the HCV program. For more detailed information on eligibility and the HCVP in general, please go to the Policy and Procedures section. (Direct link to the HCVP Administrative Plan).
Currently the HCVP is NOT accepting applications. When the HCVP waiting list is scheduled to open again, this information will be posted online.
Moderate Rehabilitation Program
The Moderate Rehabilitation Program (Mod Rehab) was established through the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) (formerly known as Section 8) and the Community Development Amendment of 1978. The Mod Rehab program is designated to provide assisted housing in areas where low income families have not previously been able to find housing and/or to assist lower income families to remain in areas where private rehabilitation is increasing rents.
The ARHA Moderate Rehabilitation program includes 109 apartment units in the Hopkins Tancil area of “Old-Town” in the City of Alexandria. This program is “Unit-Based”. Although it is administered like an HCVP case, assistance is based on the unit and not the individual via a voucher. A voucher is not issued. This means that assistance cannot be transferred to another unit. All Moderate Rehabilitation units are owned and managed by ARHA. Just as in the HCVP, Moderate Rehabilitation participants are required to visit the HCVP office at least once a year to determine continued eligibility and rent to be paid. If interested in this program you can download an application here.(LINK to Mod Rehab Application).
“Set-a-side” Voucher Programs
“Set-a-side” vouchers are vouchers that have been designated for use by various State and Federal agencies so they may refer families to programs administered by the HCVP department. Because families are referred for these vouchers there is no waiting list maintained for them. However, like other regular voucher programs, these families have the same eligibility requirements as those coming off of a waiting list. Also, the amount of vouchers available for these programs depends upon existing funding.
Family Unification Program (FUP)
The main goal of the Family Unification Program is to keep low income families together. Eligible families that have children placed with the Department of Human Resources (DHS) and/or the Department of Social Services (DSS) and are in compliance with these departments but have no permanent and/or adequate housing to which their children can be returned are referred to ARHA’s HCVP to apply for a voucher. Even though families are referred rather than placed on a waiting list they still must be determined eligible to participate according to basic HCVP rules and regulations.