Housing

Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)

The Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist is currently CLOSED.
Other Community Resources

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. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.

Housing choice vouchers 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.

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 standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA 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. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home.

If you applied during our open application period in 2010 and would like to know if you are still on our waiting list or need to update your information please contact us at 616-632-7950 or visit our office.

  • HUD-VASH

    HUD-VASH is a collaborative program between HUD and the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs combining HUD Housing Choice Vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless, and their families, find and sustain permanent housing.

    Through the Kent County Housing Commission, HUD provides rental assistance vouchers for privately owned housing to Veterans who are eligible for VA health care services and are experiencing homelessness. VA case managers may connect these Veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment and substance use counseling to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community. Among VA homeless continuum of care programs, HUD-VASH enrolls the largest number and largest percentage of Veterans who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness.

    If you are a Kent County Veteran facing homelessness, contact Healthcare for Homeless Veterans at (616) 356-1746 for more information about the VASH program.

  • Family Unification Program

    Kent County Housing Commission administers the FUP voucher in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the Public Child Welfare Agency (PCWA) who is responsible for referring FUP families and youths to the PHA for determination of eligibility for rental assistance. Once the PCWA makes the referral the PHA places the FUP applicant on its waiting list, determines whether the family or youth meets HCV program eligibility requirements, and conducts all other processes relating to voucher issuance and administration. There is no time limitation on FUP family vouchers.

    The Family Unification Program (FUP) is a program under which Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) are provided to two different populations:

    • Families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in:
      • The imminent placement of the family’s child or children in out-of-home care, or
      • The delay in the discharge of the child or children to the family from out-of-home care.
    • For a period not to exceed 36 months, otherwise eligible youths who have attained at least 18 years and not more than 24 years of age and who have left foster care, or will leave foster care within 90 days, in accordance with a transition plan described in section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act, and is homeless or is at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older.