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What are Housing Choice Vouchers?
The Housing
Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the federal government's largest
program for assisting low-income, the elderly, and the disabled
to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Families who are
awarded vouchers use them to help pay the cost of renting
housing on the open market. Because vouchers are provided to
particular tenants to live where they choose, they are often
referred to as “tenant-based” assistance. Under certain
circumstances vouchers can also be used to help families buy
homes.
Participants are free to choose any housing that meets the
requirements of the program and where the owner agrees to rent
under the program. The rental unit could include the family's
present residence. Rental units must meet the Housing Quality
Standard as determined by MSHDA.
Am I eligible?
Eligibility is determined by total
annual gross income, family size, citizenship and specified
categories of non-citizens who have immigration status.
Income eligibility requirements are 100% of federal poverty
level, you must live in the county to which you apply and no
one in the household can recently be convicted of a felony.
How much assistance can I receive?
CNH will calculate the maximum amount of
assistance allowable based on the payment standard for the
county and your adjusted gross income.
How do I apply?
To apply for an application to be on the
waiting list for the Newaygo County Housing Choice Voucher
Program please call: CMA at
231-796-8883.
If you are a Newaygo County resident and
are currently homeless you can apply directly to NCCS
for a HARP Voucher. Contact Kristine at 231-924-0221 ext.
142.
The waiting list for Muskegon County is
currently closed and applications are not being accepted at
this time.
Since there is such a high demand for
housing assistance it is common to be on the waiting list
for a long period of time. In some instances there may be more
families on the waiting list than can be assisted in the
near future and the waiting list may be closed.
For more information
about Housing Choice Vouchers visit HUD's website by clicking
here.
What is the HCV Family Self
Sufficiency (FSS) Program?
The purpose of the
FSS Program is to “Empower individuals and families today
for a better tomorrow!”
Family
Self-Sufficiency is a federally funded program that
encourages HCV
families to obtain employment that will lead to economic
independence and self-sufficiency.
Establishing an
escrow account
The FSS Program
provides for the establishment of an escrow account. The
escrow monies become available to the family when the FSS
participant has fulfilled their obligations under the FSS
Contract of Participation.
What is the FSS escrow account?
An interest-bearing FSS escrow account is
established for each participating
family. An escrow credit, based on increases
in earned income of the family, is credited
to this account during the term of the FSS
contract.
If the family completes the contract and no
member of the family is receiving cash
welfare assistance, the amount of the FSS
account is paid to the head of the family.
If the PHA terminates the FSS contract, or
if the family fails to complete the contract
before its expiration, the family's FSS
escrow funds are forfeited.
What if I don't live in Newaygo County?
CNH provides FSS services to Newaygo,
Muskegon, Oceana, Lake, Montcalm and Mason
counties.
How do families
apply to the HCV FSS program?
Families currently receiving
assistance through the housing choice voucher program
should request an application from a CNH
counselor. To contact a CNH counselor
click
here.
For more information about the FSS
program visit HUD's website by clicking
here.
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