Program Description

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is part of Georgia's comprehensive housing program administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This is a tenant-based assistance program that assists low income individuals and families rent safe, decent, and sanitary dwelling units in the private rental market. The program was created by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and is funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The goals of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) are to:

1. Provide improved living conditions for low income persons while maintaining their rent payments at an affordable level;
2. Promote freedom of housing choice and integrate lower income and minority persons into mainstream society;
3. Provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for eligible participants; and
4. Provide an incentive to private property owners to rent to lower income persons by offering timely subsidy payments. More.

The Department of Community Affairs provides the subsidy payment directly to the landlord on behalf of the program participant. The amount of the subsidy is based primarily upon the participant's income. DCA administers the program in 149 of Georgia's 159 counties through four regional offices located around the State. The remaining 10 counties are served by their local housing authority.

Housing Choice Voucher Program Funding

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is funded totally by federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. No State appropriations are used in the administration of this program. Currently, the Program serves over 15,000 Georgia families and processes over 13,000 rental assistance checks per month, adding more than $99 million to Georgia s economy each year.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program operates by providing direct subsidy rent payments to qualified landlords for tenants participating in the program. Program participants normally pay approximately 30 percent of their adjusted income toward rent. The landlord's subsidy is paid monthly by the DCA and normally consists of the difference between the gross rent, which includes an allowance for tenant paid utilities, and 30 percent of the tenant's adjusted income.

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