The King County Housing Authority (KCHA) is accepting applications for their Housing Choice Voucher program waiting list. The deadline for applying is Tuesday, May 9.
Applications are available at the Federal Way Multi-Service Center at 1200 South 336th or the Federal Way DSHS at 616 South 348th Street, as well as online at www.kcha.org.
Also called "Section 8," after the part of the United States Housing Act of 1937 that created the plan, the nationwide program distributes funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provides rental-housing subsidies to low-income households. Eligible residents of Federal Way receive the vouchers via the KCHA, which presently helps more than 15,712 King County residents with their rent each month. In Federal Way, 1,126 residents receive vouchers.
The vouchers can be used on the private rental market, not just at public housing facilities.
This time around, only 2,500 names will be added to the existing waiting list.
In order to qualify for the program, applicants must fall under one of three categories: households that are homeless or about to become homeless through no fault of their own, families that are living in substandard housing or families that are spending more than 50 percent of their incomes on rent and utilities.
"The application is pretty simple and straightforward, and just lets us know who needs assistance. Applicants don't have to provide documentation at this time, only after they have been selected in the random drawing," said Rhonda Rosenberg, KCHA spokesperson.
"The reason we are only accepting 2,500 new applicants is one, the funding for the program is somewhat uncertain, there is no new money and we're not expanding the program. Two, last time we had 7,000 applications which we're still trying to fulfill four years later," said Rosenburg.
Rosenburg explained that demand for the program remains very strong, and the KCHA does see movement within the program. Families graduate or move out of the area, and now the KCHA is trying to keep the list fresh and recycle the vouchers to new recipients.
In addition to providing the vouchers, the KCHA also assists recipients find available housing and allows landlords who wish to participate in the program list their rental units with the agency.
