What is Section 8?
The Section 8 Rental Voucher Program increases affordable housing choices for low-income households by allowing families to choose privately owned rental housing. The public housing authority (PHA) generally pays the landlord the difference between 30 percent of household income and the PHA-determined payment standard-about 80 to 100 percent of the fair market rent (FMR). The rent must be reasonable. The household may choose a unit with a higher rent than the FMR and pay the landlord the difference or choose a lower cost unit and keep the difference. There are a variety of Voucher types including:
Tenant-Based
Tenant-based vouchers increase affordable housing choices for very low-income families. Families with tenant-based vouchers are able to lease safe, decent, and affordable privately owned rental housing with the help of their housing subsidy. After the initial lease period, they may move to an apartment of their choice in the city or town where they currently live, or they may “port” to an apartment in another city in the United States and its territories. The Albany Housing Authority currently has 2188 tenant based vouchers.
Project-Based
Project-based vouchers stay at the location where they have been approved. Project based vouchers can be in privately owned housing or in New York State assisted public housing. These vouchers frequently are a component of a typical housing choice voucher program. AHA has received HUD approval to project-base 90% of Townsend Park (a NYS-assisted public housing development for seniors) and 50% of the units at Creighton Storey Homes (a NYS-assisted family development). The AHA has converted 212 of the above listed housing choice vouchers to project based vouchers for this purpose. The AHA also converted an additional 40 of the housing choice vouchers listed above to project based vouchers that will be used by a private corporation that also was approved in the competitive request for proposals by HUD.
**The Albany Housing Authority is not currently accepting applications for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). Please check back periodically for updates. We will publish a notice prior to reopening the list to accept applications.**
Contact
For information regarding the Rental Assistance Department please contact:
Nancy Meus
Section 8 Manager
Albany Housing Authority
Albany, NY 12202
Phone: (518) 641-7500
Fax: (518) 641-7548
