Introduction to the HCV Program
The Hialeah Housing Authority is dedicated to providing the community with quality, affordable housing that is decent, sanitary, and safe to eligible families. We shall serve our clients and all citizens with the highest level of professionalism, compassion, and respect.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federally subsidized, tenant based housing program that provides rental assistance to eligible low-income families. This is the largest assisted housing program administered by HUD, regulated by 24 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), Part 982. Eligible families find and lease a unit in the private sector and pay a portion of the rent, the housing agency pay-; the owner the remaining rent.
Selection of Families & the Housing Choice Voucher
Families are selected from a waiting list and processed for eligibility. ln determining a family eligible for the HCVP a criminal background check is performed on all household members 18 years old or older, including a search in the National Registry of Sex Offenders. The Hialeah Housing Authority will repeat this process at the time of each annual re-certification. Once approved the tenant is issued a voucher which describes the rights and responsibilities and entitles the family to search for a unit. The voucher Form 52646 certifies that the family is now eligible for the program and describes the responsibilities of the tenant and the PHA.
The family has an initial 60 day-; to find housing, extensions will be granted, if requested timely, up to a maximum of 120 day-;. When the family finds a suitable unit the landlord must complete the packet that includes the RFTA and return to the Hialeah Housing Authority as soon as possible to initiate the approval/moving process.
The amount of the monthly housing assistance payment to be paid to the owner is determined by the PHA. Generally the monthly housing assistance payment is the difference between the applicable payment standard and 30 percent of the monthly adjusted family income. ln determining the maximum initial housing assistance payment for the family, the PHA will use the payment standard in effect on the date the tenancy is approved by the PHA.
During the first year of the contract tenants cannot pay more than 40% of the adjusted monthly income, if the unit requires the tenant to pay more than the 40% they will be asked to find a unit with a lower rent. After the first year this restriction does not apply provided that the rent requested by the owner is determined reasonable.
