State to Open Wait List for Housing Choice Voucher Program
HUD-funded system provides funds to support individuals and families with safe, affordable housing
ATLANTA (April 9, 2021) – The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced applications for the Housing Choice Voucher Program will be open from April 22-26. Formerly known as Section 8, this HUD-funded program assists low-income families, the elderly, and disabled individuals to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. David Whisnant, DCA’s Division Director for Housing Assistance, said the waitlist has been closed since May 2018 in order to accommodate the approved applicants.
“The Housing Choice Voucher program offers a tremendous benefit by providing financial means to secure stable housing. For the past five years, our team has worked vigorously to accommodate the thousands of Georgians who were on our wait list for this program,” Whisnant said. “For years, this program has addressed a deficit in resources and accessibility for a fundamental need – an adequate place to live – so we are in a position to support more people in this endeavor.”
The online preliminary application window will be available 24 hours each day of the open period, and DCA can extend the timeframe as necessary. Applicants are encouraged to have the following information available for all household members: names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, annual income, and assets.
Eligibility is determined by the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. The family’s income may not exceed 50% of the media income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live.
A lottery system will be used to select those approved for funding assistance (instead of a first-come, first-served basis). The system will randomly select the pool of potential participants and randomize their order after applying their preference selection. Once their name is at the top of the wait list, DCA will contact the applicant to complete additional information and attend a briefing.
Approved applicants will receive assistance as long as it is needed, and they maintain compliance with program requirements. Applications can only be submitted when the waiting list is open. For more information on the Housing Choice Voucher program, visit dca.ga.gov, https://applygadca.com/, or email dcawaitlist@dca.ga.gov.
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About the Department of Community Affairs
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) partners with communities to build strong and vibrant neighborhoods, commercial and industrial areas through community and economic development, local government assistance, and safe and affordable housing. Using state and federal resources, DCA helps communities spur private job creation, implement planning, develop downtowns, generate affordable housing solutions and promote volunteerism. DCA also helps qualified Georgians with low and moderate incomes buy homes, rent housing and prevent foreclosure and homelessness. For more information, visit www.dca.ga.gov.
