In both Charlottesville and Albemarle County, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program last opened three years ago during an intense stretch of the economic recession, then swiftly shut. The city accepted applicants for a mere week, from September 10 to 16, then the waiting list closed, and has remained shut since. Prior to that, Charlottesville last accepted voucher applicants in 2004.
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Friendship Court, a local low-income housing site on Garrett Square, hosts a number of residents who qualify for Section 8 vouchers. |
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Section 8 is a federal rent subsidy program created to help low-income residents secure safe housing. Residents enrolled in the program—households whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of the median income, about $32,000 for a family of four—pay 30 percent of their income in rent and utilities. The vouchers pick up the balance.
However, making progress on the list can be slow.
“In the past 12 to 15 months, probably less than 20 people have been assisted, because there has been little turnover in the program,” says Ron White, director of the Albemarle County Department of Housing.
The total number of local units that support Section 8 vouchers is unclear. Many prominent area landlords, such as Woodard Properties and Mallside Forest Apartments, participate in the program and may require voucher recipients to meet an additional layer of eligibility requirements, including credit and background checks.
Randy Bickers, executive director of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, says that the majority of the people on the waiting list are not homeless, contrary to popular belief. “Some are with us in public housing and are looking for an alternative,” he says. “Some are probably living with relatives or friends.” In contrast, Bickers said that more homeless individuals apply for public housing, whose waiting list is always open.
Section 8 rental voucher program, by the numbers
Last time waiting list was open:
Charlottesville – 2008
Albemarle – 2008
Number of applicants on the 2008 waiting list:
Charlottesville – about 600
Albemarle – about 700
Number of applicants on the current waiting list:
Charlottesville – 207
Albemarle – about 300
Number of vouchers currently available:
Charlottesville – 371
Albemarle – 429
Number of vouchers currently funded:
Charlottesville – 300
Albemarle – 375
Annual funding for vouchers:
Charlottesville – $2.09 million
Albemarle – about $2.5 million