Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program was established as part of the Federal Housing Act in 1976 and is operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Village of Ossining. It was designed to help needy families pay their rent. Eligible families and individuals receive rent subsidies called Housing Choice Vouchers.

The HCV program is 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.

In general, the family's income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live.

A family which receives a housing voucher can select a unit with a rent that is below or above the Payment Standard (PS), which is calculated based upon Fair Market Rents, increased by 10%. The housing voucher family must pay 30% of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and if the unit rent is greater than the PS the family is required to pay the additional amount. By law, whenever a family moves to a new unit where the rent exceeds the payment standard, the family may not pay more than 40% of its adjusted monthly income for rent.

Under the voucher program, new voucher-holders may choose a unit anywhere in the United States if the family lived in the jurisdiction of the PHA issuing the voucher when the family applied for assistance.  

Staff Contacts

Name Title
Marilyn D. Geraldo Director of Section 8 Program