HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER
Section 8 Program
Housing Choice Vouchers allow very low-income families to choose and lease safe, decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing.
Marion County Housing Authority, under contract with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers this rental assistance program for the areas of Marion County which are outside the Urban Growth Boundary of the City of Salem. Click here for map of covered cities.
A family wanting help with rental assistance must qualify within the income limits provided by HUD. Click here for the income limits. Tenants are selected from the wait list in chronological order by date and time of receipt of pre-application.
As of June, 21 2010 the Section 8 waiting list will be Re-Opened. Application for Section 8 will be accepted Monday June, 21 2010@ 8 am and will remain open until further notice.If the family qualifies, they select a rental unit from the open market. It is the responsibility of a family to find a unit that meets their needs. Units can be found in local newspapers, community boards, or even just by driving around. Our front desk keeps an updated list of available units that are willing to accept Section 8 Vouchers. We encourage our tenants to choose carefully, as they will be signing a one-year lease at the unit they have chosen.
The amount of assistance given to a family is dependent upon a number of factors: the family's income, the amount of rent requested by the landlord, tenant-paid utility costs, etc. Generally, a family will pay approximately 30% of their monthly income toward the rent.
Prior to providing assistance on behalf of any family, all proposed housing units must pass a Housing Quality Standards inspection to insure that the unit is decent, safe and sanitary. Also, an evaluation must be performed to insure that the rent being proposed by the landlord is "reasonable and comparable" to other similar-type units in the area.Violence Against Women Act The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law in January 2006. VAWA applies to residents of public housing and Section 8 multifamily housing programs. Among other things, it prohibits the removal of subsidy assistance and eviction of Section 8 residents if the grounds for taking the action is an instance of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. Owners and tenants are encouraged to read more about VAWA 2005 at: United States Department of Justice. Section 8 Administrative Plan REVISED 6/2007 Housing Choice Voucher Fact SheetFamily Obligations The rules each Section 8 Voucher holder must follow. Eligibility ProcessGo to Links for Housing Search information.
Apply For Section 8