About Section 8

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program—commonly known as “Section 8”—provides rental assistance to eligible families, helping make housing in the private market more affordable. Through this program, participants can choose to rent a house, apartment, duplex, or mobile home from a private landlord who agrees to accept voucher-assisted tenants.

Under the HCV program, rent is based on 30% of a household’s adjusted gross income, ensuring housing costs remain manageable. All assisted rental units must meet federally established Housing Quality Standards and pass an inspection to confirm they are safe, decent, and sanitary. All inspections are conducted by a Virginia HRA Inspector.

The program offers flexibility and choice, allowing eligible families to rent anywhere within the HRA’s service area. In some cases, participants may also move to another Section 8 administrator’s service area through a process called portability. Once a family is determined eligible and funding is available, the HRA issues a voucher. The family then searches for suitable housing and selects a unit. The HRA enters into a contract with the property owner while the family signs a lease.

Assisted households are required to pay at least 30% of their adjusted monthly income toward rent.

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The United States Housing Act of 1937 (the “Act”) is responsible for the birth of federal housing program initiatives.
The Housing and Community Development (HCD) Act of 1974 created a new federally assisted housing program – the Section 8 Existing program (also known as the Section 8 Certificate program).
The Housing and Community Development (HCD) Act of 1987 authorized a new version of tenant-based assistance – the Section 8 Voucher program. The Voucher program was very similar to the Certificate program in that eligible families were able to select housing in the private rental market and receive assistance in that housing unit.
In 1998, the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act (QHWRA) – also known as the Public Housing Reform Act – was signed into law.
The transition of assistance from the Certificate and Voucher programs to the new HCV program began in October 1999. By October 2001, all families receiving tenant-based assistance were converted to the HCV program we now operate today.