The Chattanooga Housing Authority closed its Housing Choice Voucher Program application process Monday at 11:59 p.m. There were 6,533 applicants.
CHA will randomly select 1,000 of those names on Monday, for the voucher program waiting list. Anyone who is not selected will need to apply again in the future.
The Housing Choice Voucher program is a federal government program for assisting low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford "decent, safe, and sanitary housing" in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
The Chattanooga Housing Authority receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to administer the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the Chattanooga Housing Authority on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. The family is required to pay at least 30 percent of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities.