Currently, the Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist is closed and the program is not accepting applications. The waitlist is not expected to open for several years.

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin website, www.hacanet.org, is the only website with information on how to apply for housing. Any other website that claims to accept applications or monies on behalf of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin is a fraudulent website.

"I just want to say thank you for all your help on giving me a place to live and for being so kind in all you do for me."
~Amy, Housing Choice Voucher Program resident

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program (formerly referred to as Section 8) is a federally funded program that helps families pay their rent. Families pay approximately 30 to 40 percent of their monthly-adjusted gross income toward rent and the HCVP pays the remaining balance directly to the landlord. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds the program nationally while the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) administers the program locally. Families are able to select a unit of their choice in the private rental market. This is important because one of the main goals of the HCVP is to help families become self-sufficient by integrating them into the surrounding community.

There are roughly 5,000 families and individuals on the wait list. Each month approximately 30-40 of those families receive new vouchers, which are open as a result of client turnover in the program.

The Assisted Housing department is continually working to provide more housing choices to families. HACA has an active Landlord Outreach program which serves to attract new properties to the program. Various methods such as mail-outs, cold-calls, monthly informational seminars, and property visits are used to bring more exposure and awareness of the benefits of renting to HCV families.

HACA has taken an active interest in educating Housing Choice Voucher families and property owners in areas relating to tenant and landlord relations. Periodic seminars are scheduled on such topics and informative quarterly newsletters are mailed to all HCV property owners and families. Future plans include more efforts in landlord and tenant education, as well as continued pursuit of applying for additional vouchers.

The HCV program is managed with an emphasis on efficient customer service to provide quality housing to the maximum number of eligible Austin families. Since February of 1997, the program has increased in size from 2,203 to 5,090 vouchers. The program’s success in quickly leasing vouchers is attributed to an efficient admissions process and a dedicated staff. The HCV department’s success in managing a rapidly growing program earned the housing authority high marks from HUD’s annual Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) evaluation. HACA is rated a high performer, scoring 104% for the 2008/2009 Fiscal Year SEMAP evaluation.

Check the Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List.