The Chattanooga Housing Authority this week announced it will open its Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list for the first time since 2010 in an effort to provide access to affordable housing to very low-income families, individuals with disabilities and elderly residents of Hamilton County.
The CHA has worked since 2010, when applications were last taken, to issue vouchers to residents. Now that the CHA has exhausted all applicants on the waiting list created in 2010, the CHA now plans to create a new waiting list through the use of a lottery system. The list will be open for one day only on Jan. 26, 2015, from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8, provides eligible very low-income households with opportunities to live in rental homes owned by private landlords. Participants choose where they want to live, as long as the unit is approved by CHA through an inspection and the rent is deemed reasonable. CHA pays a portion of the contracted rent in the form of a housing assistance payment to the landlord on behalf of the participant. The participant pays 30 percent of the household’s monthly-adjusted income or a monthly minimum rent requirement of $50, whichever is greater, directly to the landlord.
Those who wish to apply for a Housing Choice Voucher must submit a pre-application online at www.chahousing.org during the waiting list registration period. Following that registration period, the CHA will use third-party computer software to randomly select 1,000 names. On Feb. 2 at noon, the CHA will post the 1,000 waiting list applicants online in the order they are randomly selected. A paper listing will also be available at all CHA public housing management offices. Those who are not selected will need to reapply in the future.
Applicants may complete the Pre-Application on smart phones that have Internet Access.
Additionally, to ensure all interested applicants have access to the new online application process, there will be computers and assistance available at the Chattanooga Housing Authority office located at 801 N. Holtzclaw Avenue. Those services will be available on Jan. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Below is a list of public facilities where free computer access is available for those with library cards. A $1 fee is charged for non-library-card holders.
Northgate Library
278 Northgate Mall Dr.
Monday, Jan. 26
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
South Chattanooga Library
925 W. 39th St.
Monday, Jan. 26
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Downtown Library
1001 Broad St.
Monday, Jan. 26
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Eastgate Library
5705 Marlin Rd.
Monday, Jan. 26
11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
For more information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the registration process, visit www.chahousing.orgor call 423.752.4893.
Source: Chattanooga Housing Authority