The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program allows you to choose your own rental unit anywhere in the NRHA seven-county region. The landlord must agree to be a participant in the program and sign a contract with the Housing Authority. The rental unit must then pass a Housing Authority inspection, and the Housing Authority must approve the rent charged by the landlord as a reasonable rent.

There are two types of Section 8 assistance available through NRHA - tenant-based and project-based. A tenant-based Section 8 voucher can be transferred from one rental unit to another if the tenant chooses to move and follows the proper procedures outlined by the Housing Authority. A project-based Section 8 voucher is linked to a specific housing project (development) and remains with the project (development) rather than transferring with a tenant who chooses to move outside of the project.

Under a public housing program, the respective housing authority is the owner/landlord of the property. Public housing units are available for rent at below the market rate, based on your income level. Although the NRHA does not provide public housing programs, we do offer vouchers under the Section 8 program. 

The demand for Section 8 rental assistance far exceeds the number of available vouchers. Vouchers become available only when current Section 8 participants leave the program.

Your wait time depends on the availability of vouchers, your position on the waiting list, and any special needs you may have that would qualify you for selection preferences.