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SUBSIDIZED HOUSING NEWS AND TIPS
SOME RECENT INFO: (There are over 200 “non-portable Section 8" sites in Connecticut. Most of these will accept applications for their waiting lists. The following is just a sample of sites accepting applications. This is not a complete list. We do not have a way to keep current info about all subsidized housing wait lists. Call your local Public Housing Authority for more information!)
- BRISTOL HOUSING AUTHORITY (BHA) will be accepting preliminary applications from July 14, 2008 through July 23, 2008 for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program. Preliminary applications can be obtained at the Bristol Housing Authority, 164 Jerome Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010. The income limits to be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher Program are as follows:
Household size |
Income |
1 |
$28,400 |
2 |
$32,450 |
3 |
$36,500 |
4 |
$40,550 |
5 |
$43,800 |
6 |
$47,050 |
7 |
$50,300 |
8 |
$53,550 |
BHA will place applicants on the waiting list based on preference and date of receipt of application. The following preferences will be also be used: (1) Disaster affected households, (2) Older adult households, (3) Veteran households, (4) Live and/or work in Greater Bristol. These preferences will be verified prior to the issuance of a Section 8 voucher and failure to provide proof will place your name at the bottom of the waiting list.
ALL PRE-APPLICATIONS MUST BE MAILED AND POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN JULY 23, 2008 TO THE BRISTOL HOUSING AUTHORITY, 164 JEROME AVENUE, BRISTOL, CT 06010. FAXED OR HAND DELIVERED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. IN ADDITION, APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITH A POSTMARK DATE AFTER JULY 23, 2008.
All members of the household, 16 years of age or older, must obtain and include with the pre-application a Police Report from the City/Town you currently reside in. At the time that a Section 8 voucher becomes available, you will be required to sign a release form to allow a national criminal background check. (Updated July 3, 2008)
- HARTFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY (HHA) will open the waiting list for its three (3) and four (4) bedroom units on April 14, 2008. The closing date will be October 17, 2008, OR until HHA has a sufficient number of applications in its application pool.
The following are the occupancy standards by bedroom and family size, and by income guidelines:
BEDROOMS |
FAMILY SIZE |
3 |
3-6 persons |
4 |
4-8 persons |
Income guidelines:3 persons-$55,350; 4 persons-$61,500; 5 persons-$66,400; 6 persons-$71,350; 7 persons-$76,250; 8 persons-$81,200.
To qualify for placement on the waiting list applicants must be determined eligible under HUD and HHA rules and regulations. HHA has local preferences for residency, working families, veterans and for elderly/disabled individuals who qualify for senior housing. HHA has reserved the right to accept applications from applicants that qualify under the working preference only. Also, households with a member who has a disability, who qualify for the size units mentioned above, will be given the same consideration as the working families. Pre-applications are available at the Hartford Housing Authority, 180 Overlook Terrace, Hartford, CT. For families that are challenged please contact HHA through RELAY 711, and/or 1-800-842-9710 TTY. In addition, copies of the pre-application can be downloaded from http://www.hartfordhousing.org
(Updated April 15, 2008)
- HARTFORD GRANDFAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT is now accepting applications. Located in the city of Hartford’s Northeast Neighborhood, it is a new community consisting of 24 two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments for grandparents raising their grandchildren and 16 one-bedroom units of affordable housing for Seniors.Comprehensive support services are available for all 40 families. Senior housing residents must be of age 62 and older. Grandfamily households must provide documentation of legal custody. All applicants must be income qualified and a U.S. citizen, national or eligible non-citizen. The monthly rent is based on guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD-Section 8) and Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information contact: Lourdes Ortiz at Broad-Park Development Corporation, 860-249-0649. (Updated November 7, 2007)
- HARTFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY (HHA) currently has one bedroom and efficiency SENIOR Low Income units, and two bedroom FAMILY Low Income units available. In the HHA Moderate Income Section 8 Program (Bowles Park) the authority is currently accepting rental applications for one and two bedroom Family units, from Section 8 Voucher holders. In the Family Moderate Income Program (Bowles Park & Westbrook Village)
one and two bedroom Family units currently available. Also, at New Community Campus of Learners, applications now available for this lease – with – the – option – to – purchase working Family community. Availability is subject to change. For more information or applications contact the HHA Housing Department at (860) 723-8400 or visit any business day between 9:30am and 4:30pm, at 180 Overlook Terrace, Hartford, CT 06106.This information is also available online at http://www.hartfordhousing.org/content/58/default.aspx (Updated October 15, 2007)
- BRIDGEPORT HOUSING AUTHORITY (BHA) currently has vacant apartments available to rent. Most of the apartments are in P.T. Barnum Apartments and Greene Homes. For more information on the vacancies, and how to apply, contact BHA at 203-337-8900. (Updated September 25, 2007)
- The HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN OF GREENWICH (HATG) is accepting applications for its FAMILY Public Housing. Applications are available at the HATG main office at 249 Milbank Avenue, M-F: 8:30am to 4:30pm, or you may request an application be mailed to you by calling (203) 869-1138, M-F: 8:30am to 4:30pm. Applicants with disabilities who need assistance completing the application can get assistance at the HATG main office. (Updated October 29, 2007)
- HAMDEN HOUSING AUTHORITY(HHA) is now accepting applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments in its congregate housing facility for OLDER ADULTS. Applicants must be at least 62 years of age and must also be able to live independently. Limit of one person in studio apartments and two people in one-bedroom apartments. Services include full breakfast, dinner at noon, light supper, housekeeping, 24 hour staff coverage, and a shopping bus. Additional assistance with activities of daily living and health services are available. Income limits are $40,600 gross annual income for one person, $46,400 gross annual income for couples. Call Marie DeCato at 203-248-9376. (Updated July 12, 2007)
- HAMDEN HOUSING AUTHORITY (HHA) is now accepting applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments for OLDER ADULTS or PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. Applicants must be at least 62 years of age OR adults ages 18+ receiving Social Security Disability. Applicants must also be able to live independently. Limit of one person in studio apartments and two people in one-bedroom apartments. Income limits are $40,600 gross annual income for one person, $46,400 gross annual income for couples. Call 203-248-9036 ext.100 or apply in person at the HHA offices at 51 Worth Ave. Hamden, CT. (Updated July 12, 2007)
HOUSING AUTHORITY WEBSITES
Some Public Housing Authorities (PHA’s) post current information about their available housing on their websites. As more PHA’s post this information, we will add the links to their websites. The links are listed here:
HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM WEBSITE
Please note that the program formerly known as the Section 8 Voucher Program is now officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. However, since the name Section 8 has been used for over thirty years, many people will still refer to it as the Section 8 Voucher program. Also, please note that the Housing Choice Voucher Program is a “tenant-based” program, meaning that the voucher is assigned to the household (individual or family) seeking housing. Other HUD subsidy programs are “project-based”, meaning that the subsidy is assigned to a public or private housing development. Tenant-based may also be called “portable” since the renter can take the voucher with them when they move, and project-based may be called “non-portable” since the tenant CANNOT take the housing subsidy with them when they move.
Under Conn. Public Act 04-258, Housing Authorities in Connecticut that have the Housing Choice Voucher Program are required to post information about any opening of their Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List(s) on a website maintained by the Conn. Department of Administrative Services (DAS). The posting must be done at least two weeks before the waiting list opens. The website is: http://www.das.state.ct.us/Business_Svs/HCVP/HCVP_Home.asp By going to this website, you can check for any currently open Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting lists in Connecticut. (Please note that this list is for postings of open wait lists for the Housing Choice Voucher Program ONLY. Openings for wait lists for subsidized housing projects will not be posted on this DAS web page.) You can also register for an automatic email update, which will advise you when a housing authority posts an opening on this website. This service is available only through the Internet, so if you do not have Internet access, you can call 211, and a 211-Call Specialist can assist you in finding out if there are any Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting lists open.
INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
There are other non-portable subsidized housing options apart from the Housing Choice Voucher Program. 211 occasionally obtains news about the many subsidized housing programs through public sources like newspapers and television news. We do not routinely contact the numerous providers of subsidized housing in Connecticut for their latest information. However, anyone who has news about subsidized housing programs and/or Public Housing Authorities should contact 211, and ask to speak with an Information Coordinator. The Information Department will check the news, and if verified, the news will be added to this e-Library paper. If there is no new information here, people seeking subsidized housing should contact the Public Housing Authority in their area. When subsidized housing providers open a waiting list for their voucher programs and/or housing projects, we will post that information on this paper, as soon as the information is available to us.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN LOOKING FOR SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
Usually, housing agencies that have Housing Choice Voucher Programs will have a waiting list established for people seeking Housing Choice Voucher. Housing authorities and other agencies usually close their waiting list to new applicants once they have a certain number of names on the waiting list. There are only 47 agencies in Connecticut that offer Housing Choice Voucher Programs. However, there are hundreds of subsidized rental projects, either Housing Authority or privately managed. While many of these non-portable subsidized rental programs may also have waiting lists for rental units, the larger number of programs means that people seeking subsidized rental housing will have a better chance of finding a rental with a non-portable program than they will by getting on a Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list.
TIPS FOR FINDING SUBSIDIZED RENTAL HOUSING IN CONNECTICUT
1)Call HUD and ask for the “Blue Book” called “Looking for HUD-Associated Rental Housing in Conn.” This book lists all sites that have HUD funding for subsidized apartments. It is NOT a list of available apartments. You have to call the sites that you are interested in to see if there are openings or to get on their waiting list.
2) You can get on as many waiting lists as you want, as long as the site is accepting names for the waiting list. There is no limit to how many lists you can be on.
3) Call your local housing authority for information and to see if you can get your name on their waiting list. Some housing authorities (usually the smaller ones) never close their waiting list; although some only open their wait list for a short time, and not even every year. Again, you can have your name on as many housing authority lists as will take your name.
4) You should also check, on a regular basis, the classified section of a daily newspaper in the area you want to live in, for announcements about openings for Housing Choice Voucher Program and other subsidized housing. These announcements may be in the legal announcement section of the classifieds, but not necessarily.
5) When searching our database, don’t overlook the “non-portable Section 8" sites. These are easier to get into. The “portable” Housing Choice Vouchers are harder to get.
6) It is illegal to discriminate against a person with a Housing Choice Voucher, so if you think this is happening to you, call the Conn. Fair Housing Center.
7) Also, if you get a new Housing Choice Voucher but you do not have money for the security deposit, you may be eligible for the DSS Security Deposit Guarantee program. Call your local DSS office to apply. It is illegal for a landlord to refuse to accept the security deposit guarantee from DSS. If this happens to you, report it to the Conn. Fair Housing Center.
8) If you have internet access, you can look for housing sites in our on-line special directory: http://www.211ct.org/Search/BrowseHousing.asp.
9) To read more about housing topics check out our e-library papers at: http://www.211ct.org/InformationLibrary/housing.asp
10) To get an idea of income limits for Housing Choice Vouchers, go to: http://www.211ct.org/InformationLibrary/Documents/Area%20Median%20Income%20Limits.Connecticut.asp, click on the link to the HUD document, find the area that you want to live in, and look at the “Very Low Income” line.
TO FIND LISTINGS OF SUBSIDIZED HOUSING SITES IN CONNECTICUT:
See the Subsidized Housing Search page on the 211 website: http://www.211ct.org/focus/housing.asp
TO FIND HUD'S LIST OF SUBSIDIZED HOUSING SITES:
Check the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's website at http://www.hud.gov/
To get a free copy of "Looking for HUD-Associated Rental Housing in Connecticut" call the HUD office in Hartford at 860-240-4800
LINKS TO e-LIBRARY HOUSING TOPICS
To see the e-Library papers on Housing, click on this link: http://www.211ct.org/InformationLibrary/housing.asp
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PREPARED BY: 211/fj
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: May 2008
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