Section 8 Program Details
The Section 8 Program provides assistance for low-income families in the private rental market through the Housing Assistance Payments Program. Program participants normally pay no more than 30% of monthly adjusted income towards rent and utilities.
Housing Choice Voucher holders select a unit from the private rental market. Rental assistance makes market rate housing affordable. The Housing Assistance Payment subsidizes the balance of the rent to the property owner.
Eligibility
Eligibility for a Housing Choice Voucher is based on your total yearly income and how many people are in your household. To apply, you must be a U.S. citizen or certain noncitizens who have eligible immigration status.
In most cases, your household income must ber less than 50% of the median income in the county or area where you want to live. These income limits are set by HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and vary depending on location. Our staff can provide you the exact income limits for your family size and area.
Learn more in our Section 8 FAQs
How Do I Apply?
The Section 8 waiting list is currently closed, Osceola County is not accepting applications at this time.
When we open for Section 8 applications, we will announce it on both our Housing Programs page, and in the local newspaper.
Application Process
When you apply, we will require the below information.
- Your household’s income
- Any assets you own (like savings or property)
- Who lives in your home
We verify this information with other local agencies, your employer, and your bank. We will use this information to determine whether you qualify and the amount of rental assistance you can receive.
If we determine that your family is eligible, your name will be added to our Section 8 waiting list. When your name is selected from the waiting list, we’ll contact you and give you a Housing Choice Voucher.
Living Accommodations
Rental Search
Once your family has been issued a Housing Choice Voucher, you can search the private rental market in your community for a housing unit that is decent, safe and sanitary according to Housing Quality Standards (HQS) established by HUD.
View the HUD booklet "A Good Place to Live!" to guide you in finding a unit that meets these standards.
Inspection
When you have found a suitable unit and the owner agrees to lease the unit to your family under the Housing Choice Voucher program, the Osceola County Housing Office will inspect the unit to assure that it is suitable.
1-Year Agreement
After the unit passes the HQS inspection and the rent has been approved, the landlord and tenant enter into a lease for an initial term of one year. Osceola County Housing Office and the landlord sign a Housing Assistance Payments Contract through which the rent is assisted on your behalf.
Note: You will be responsible for the monthly payment of the difference between the total rent and Housing Assistance Payment.
Term of Lease and Contract
After the initial 12 months, the lease is renewed yearly. The unit may be vacated with written notice after the term of the lease expires. If the tenant remains in the unit, they are re-certified for program eligibility and the unit must pass the Housing Quality Standards inspection. The landlord may request a rental increase by submitting in writing no less than sixty (60) days prior to lease renewal or by completing the Rental Increase Request Form(PDF, 224KB). This request must be approved by the Osceola County Housing Office .
What if I Move?
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is designed to allow families to move without the loss of rental assistance. Moves are allowed as long as the family notifies the Osceola County Housing Office ahead of time, terminates its existing lease with the appropriate provisions, and finds acceptable alternate housing.
New Voucher Holders
If you are a new Housing Choice Voucher holder through Osceola County, your ability to move depends on where you lived when you applied for assistance:
- If you lived in Osceola County at the time of your application: You may use your voucher to rent a unit anywhere in the United States where the Housing Choice Voucher program is accepted.
- If you did not live in Osceola County when you applied: You must first lease a unit within Osceola County for at least 12 months before you can move to another jurisdiction.
If you are considering a move to a different area, you must contact our Housing Office to review the procedures and requirements. We will guide you through the process and help ensure your move complies with federal and local program rules.
Responsible Parties: Tenant, Landlord, Housing Agency, and HUD
Tenant's Responsibilities
When a family selects a housing unit, and the Housing Authority approves the unit, the family signs a lease with the landlord for at least one year. The tenant may be required to pay a security deposit to the landlord. After the first year, the landlord may initiate a new lease for one year. When the family is settled in a new home, the family is expected to comply with the lease and the program requirements, pay its share of rent on time, maintain the unit in good condition and notify Osceola County Housing Office of any changes in income or family composition.
Landlord's Responsibilities
Section 8 landlords must provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program's housing standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the Housing Authority.
Housing Authority's Responsibilities
The Housing Authority (Osceola County Housing Office ) administers the voucher program locally. The HA provides a family with the rental assistance that enables the family to seek out suitable housing and the HA enters into a contract with the landlord to provide rental assistance payments on behalf of the family. If the landlord fails to meet his/her obligations under the lease, the HA has the right to terminate assistance payments.
HUD's Responsibilities
To cover the cost of the program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funds to allow Housing Authorities to make housing assistance payments on behalf of the families. HUD also pays the HA a fee for the costs of administering the program. When additional funds become available to assist new families, HUD invites Housing Authorities to submit applications for funds for additional rental vouchers. Allocations are then reviewed and funds are awarded to the selected Housing Authorities on a competitive basis.