The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Choice
Voucher Program is the key to owing a home for low-income families.
To learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program, visit
the US Department of Housing and Urban Development website.
For more information on this program please contact the Section 8 Office.
What are Homeownership Vouchers?
What do monthly expenses include?
Do all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have a homeownership program?
How much financial assistance can PHAs provide in each voucher?
What is the family’s monthly payment?
How long can a family receive assistance?
What is Pre-Assistance Homeownership Counseling?
Are there limitations on a home purchased under the program?
What are Homeownership Vouchers?
The Housing Choice Voucher Ownership Program is a component of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The homeownership option provides vouchers to assist first-time homeowners with their monthly home ownership expenses in lieu of a rental subsidy.
What do monthly expenses include?
- Mortgage principal and interest
- Mortgage insurance premium
- Real estate taxes and homeowner insurance
- PHA allowance for utilities
- PHA allowance for routine maintenance costs
- PHA allowance for major repairs and replacements
- Principal and interest on debt to finance major repairs and replacements for the home
- Principal and interest on debt to finance costs to make the home accessible for a family member with disabilities
- Co-op or condo operating charges or maintenance fees (if applicable)
Do all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have a homeownership program?
PHAs may choose to have a homeownership program but are not required to do so.
How much financial assistance can PHAs provide in each voucher?
The PHA uses its normal voucher program payment standard to determine the amount of subsidy. A PHA can make the housing assistance payment (HAP) to either the family or the lender.
What is the family’s monthly payment?
When calculating the financial assistance to be provided by the PHA, the family’s monthly payment is generally deemed to be 30% of its adjusted monthly income. However, if the monthly expenses of purchasing a home exceed the total financial assistance, the family is responsible for paying the additional amount.
How long can a family receive assistance?
There is no time limit for elderly and disabled households. For all other families, there is a mandatory term limit of 15 years if the initial mortgage for the home is 20 years or longer. For all other cases, the maximum term of homeownership assistance is 10 years.
Which families are eligible?
- Current Housing Choice Voucher participants
- First-time homeowner or cooperative members
- A family where no member of the family has owned or had ownership of their residence for at least 3 years
- A family who, except for cooperative members, has no ownership interest in a residential property
- The family must meet the PHA employment requirement
- The family must attend and satisfactorily complete the PHA’s pre-assistance homeownership and housing counseling program
- The family must also meet additional eligibility requirements set by the PHA
How does a family apply?
If a family feels they meet the eligibility requirements, they should contact their local PHA.
What is Pre-Assistance Homeownership Counseling?
An eligible family must participate in a homeownership counseling program. The program may be administered by the PHA or another entity that is approved by the PHA.
Topics may include:
- Home maintenance
- Budget management
- Credit counseling and credit repair
- Financing
Are there limitations on a home purchased under the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program?
The home must pass both an initial housing quality standards inspection conducted by the PHA, as well as an independent home inspection prior to the PHA’s approval for purchase.
A family may purchase a home outside the administering jurisdiction if:
- The PHA in the new jurisdiction administers a homeownership voucher program and receives new families into the program.
- The family is income-eligible in the area where they are purchasing the home.
The PHA may establish time limits for a family where they are purchasing the home.
To learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership program, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Choice Voucher Program website.