FAQ for the Housing Choice Voucher Program

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is a rental assistance program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program assists low income households with safe, decent and affordable housing at privately owned properties. Rental units must pass an inspection before the monthly housing subsidy can be paid to an owner.

With a voucher, the household pays a portion of their adjusted income toward their rent and utilities and New Hampshire Housing pays the remainder directly to the landlord.

Eligible applicants must:

• Have an annual income at the time of admission that does not exceed the income limits established by HUD.
• Meet the HUD requirements on citizenship or eligible immigration status.
• Provide documentation of Social Security numbers for all family members.
• Pay any money owed NHHFA or any other Housing Authority.
• Not be subject to state lifetime sex offender registration requirements.
• Not have any household members who are engaged in any criminal activity that threatens the life, health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents.
• Not have any household members who have been arrested or convicted of a drug-related or violent criminal act.

More specific requirements can be found in the income eligibility guidelines and/or our Administrative Plan.

Los solicitantes elegibles deben:

• Tener ingresos anuales en el momento de la admissión al Programa que no excedan los limites establecidos por el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (US Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD).  Usted encontrará éstos límites si visita nuestra página de Internet al www.nhhfa.org.
• Cumplir con los requisitos de ciudadanía y estado migratorio eligible impuestos por HUD.
• Proporcionar verificación de los números de Seguro Social de todos los miembros del hogar.
• Devolver dineros que se le deben a NHHFA or a cualquier otra Oficina de Vivienda Pública.
• No estar sujeto a registrarse con el estado de por vida debido a algún delito sexual cometido.
• Firmar fomularios de autorización para que NHHFA pueda verificar los diferentes requisitos para participar en el Program de Sección 8.
• No tener miembros en la familia involucrados en actividades criminales que pongan en peligro la vida, la salud, la seguridad o el derecho a disfrutar de manera pacífica del vecindario a los demás residentes.
• No tener miembros en el hogar que han estado detenidos o quien tiene convicciones por actividades criminales relacionadas con las drogas o actividades criminales violentas.

Se pueden encontrar requisitos más específicos en las pautas de elegibilidad de ingresos y / o nuestro Plan Administrativo.

Fill out the online application here, download and print an application, or call 1-800-439-7247 and request that an application be mailed to you.

New Hampshire Housing manages about 4,300 Housing Choice Vouchers across the state of New Hampshire. However, since the demand for vouchers is greater than the supply of vouchers available from HUD, there is a 6-8 year waiting list.

• Apply anyway because the list is open at this time and that may not be true in the future. Also, there are sub-lists and preferences which you might qualify for and you will only know about those if you apply.
• Call 2-1-1 or visit 211NH.org for resources for housing.
• Check the Directory of Assisted Housing which lists subsidized housing.

New Hampshire Housing does not have an emergency assistance program. The Community Action Programs (CAP) have outreach workers who do in-take interviews and case management for emergency assistance. Call 2-1-1 for the phone number of the CAP in your area. The various CAP offices will be able to tell you the requirements and guidelines for assistance. Town Welfare offices also can help with short-term assistance.

• Call 2-1-1 or visit 211NH.org for information on shelters and other housing information.
• Contact Town Welfare for your town because they are obligated to provide you with support under specific guidelines.

• Yes, there is help through The Veterans Administration. Each VA facility has walk-in clinics to address housing issues.
• If you are homeless, you may qualify for a special housing voucher program. The VA would be able to go through a qualification process with you.