Voucher FAQs

LRSP provides a monthly rental subsidy to extremely low-income families – or those with incomes equal to or below 30% of the area median income (AMI). The subsidy helps make housing more affordable for these families. Often, LRSP also provides additional supports to participants, like a social worker assigned by DC Department of Human Services (DHS).

The LRSP voucher subsidy covers the difference between the housing costs a family can afford to pay and the total cost of renting the unit. The LRSP participant’s portion of rent is based on their household’s annual adjusted gross income. Typically, an LRSP participant pays 30% of their household’s gross income towards their rental payment and utility payment. The remaining rent amount is paid by DCHA directly to the property owner.

To be eligible for LRSP, the family must meet the initial income qualifications at 30% of AMI. For some LRSP vouchers, there may be additional eligibility requirements, such as a referral from DHS.

LRSP is funded by local government and administered by DCHA.

DCHA ensures a family’s eligibility for voucher programs. It also ensures that the unit meets the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Housing Quality Standards.

DCHA also enters into a contract with the landlord to provide Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) on behalf of the family. The HAP is the rent amount paid by DCHA directly to the property owner.

Each applicant must identify the individuals to be included in the household at the time of application.
 

• To be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the applicant must:
• Qualify as a family or individual as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and DCHA,
• Have income at or below 50% of the HUD-defined area median income (AMI) limits,
• Qualify based on citizenship or the eligible immigrant status of family members,
• Provide social security number information for household members as required,
• Agree to DCHA’s collection and use of information as described in consent forms

  DCHA will determine if the current or past behavior of household members includes activities that are prohibited by HUD or DCHA.

Learn more about eligibility requirements for LRSP at the DC Department of Human Services’ Housing Resources webpage.

The voucher is the document that certifies your eligibility for rental assistance. The voucher lists several important details:
 

•  the name of the voucher participant,
•  the unit size or number of bedrooms that the voucher subsidy applies to,
•  the amount of time the voucher is valid,
•  the family’s obligations under the program.

There are multiple types of vouchers administered by DCHA. Some voucher types fall under the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) and some fall under the Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP).

Tenant-Based Vouchers are provided directly to the eligible voucher participant, who can use the voucher to obtain affordable housing in DC’s private rental market. The vouchers can be used at any private-market home, including a single-family house, townhome or apartment). The home must pass the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ’s Housing Quality Standards to use the voucher. The home’s rent must meet rent reasonableness standards to use the voucher. Tenant-based vouchers are available through both HCVP and LRSP.

Project-Based Vouchers are provided to for-profit or non-profit landlords for a property’s specific unit that will serve low-income families. The voucher is tied to the unit, not the tenant. That means the household using the voucher cannot use the voucher on another unit elsewhere. The rental assistance stays with the unit. Project-based vouchers are available through both HCVP and LRSP.

Sponsor-Based Vouchers are provided to landlords or non-profit organizations for affordable units for low-income families and individuals. Sponsor-Based Vouchers can be moved to another unit that is run by the same landlord or non-profit group. These vouchers are only awarded to landlords or nonprofit organizations that also provide supportive services to the residents who are using the voucher. Sponsor-based vouchers are available through LRSP.

No, we are not accepting new applications at this time, and the waitlist is currently closed.

No, there are many agencies and organizations in D that support voucher programs and their participants. DCHA is the largest administrator of voucher assistance programs in DC .

As administrator, DCHA ensures a family’s eligibility for voucher programs. It also ensures that their home meets the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Housing Quality Standards. DCHA also enters into a contract with the landlord to provide Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) on behalf of the family. The HAP is the rent amount paid by DCHA directly to the property owner.

Others who work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide rental assistance to low- and moderate-income individuals and families include the DC Department of Human Services (DHS), churches, community organizations and civic groups.

DCHA will not discriminate based on the following protected classes, further defined in the District of Columbia Human Rights Act:

• •   Age
  •   Color
  •   Credit information
  •   Disability
  •   Family responsibilities
  •   Familial status
  •   Gender identity
  •   Genetic information
  •   Homeless status
  •   Marital status
  •   Matriculation
  •   National origin
  •   Personal appearance
  •   Place of residence or business
  •   Political affiliation
  •   Race
  •   Religion
  •   Sealed eviction record
  •   Sex
  •   Sexual orientation
  •   Source of income
  • Status as a Victim or Family Member of a Victim of Domestic Violence, a Sexual Offense, or Stalking (DVSOS)
  • Status as a Victim of an Intrafamily Offense

 

DCHA will not use any of the above factors to:  

•   Deny to any family the opportunity to apply for housing, nor deny to any qualified applicant the opportunity to participate in the housing choice voucher program
•   Provide housing that is different from that provided to others
•   Subject anyone to segregation or disparate treatment
•   Subject anyone to sexual harassment
•   Restrict anyone's access to any benefit enjoyed by others in connection with the housing program
•   Treat a person differently in determining eligibility or other requirements for admission
•   Steer an applicant or participant toward or away from a particular area based any of these factors
•   Deny anyone access to the same level of services
•   Deny anyone the opportunity to participate in a planning or advisory group that is an integral part of the housing program
•   Discriminate in the provision of residential real estate transactions
•   Discriminate against someone because they are related to or associated with a member of a protected class
•   Publish or cause to be published an advertisement or notice indicating the availability of housing that prefers or excludes persons who are members of a protected class

You can call DCHA Call Center at 202-535-1000 or you can use the DCHA online applicant portal RentCafe to check your status on the waiting list.

Yes. Some families or individuals may be on more than one waiting list.

No, not at this time. The HCVP waiting list is currently closed to new applicants.

DCHA has no current plans to re-open the waitlist. If DCHA does re-open the list, it will publicize that opportunity on the DCHA website and social media channels, and through local media outlets.

Reaching the top of the waiting list depends on several factors, including:

• Number of available units,
• Number of available vouchers,
• When you applied,
• Any selection preferences you may have included on your application, such as “homeless.”

Since household needs and preferences change, it is very difficult to predict when your name will reach the top of the waiting list. When your name reaches the top of the list, DCHA will contact you to schedule a final eligibility interview. If you are currently on the waiting list, it is important to make sure your contact information is current.

You can call DCHA Call Center at 202-535-1000. You can also use the DCHA online applicant portal, RentCafe.

You will be invited to a voucher briefing. You must attend the two-hour briefing session in its entirety to receive your voucher.

HCVP applicants should contact your assigned Housing Program Specialist. HCVP applicants can look up their assigned Housing Program Specialist’s name and contact info through RentCafe.

LRSP applicants should contact their DHS-provided case manager.

Move-in dates vary based on each voucher participant’s search for a unit. DCHA encourages voucher participants to begin their housing search as soon as they are issued their voucher. The voucher is valid for 180 days. First, a voucher participant identifies the unit that they would like to rent. Next, the landlord submits a completed Request for Tenancy Approval packet. Then, DCHA conducts a Rent Reasonableness evaluation. That evaluation determines the total rental amount by considering the current Voucher Payment Standards and other factors including:

• 
  
  • unit location,
  • number of bedrooms,
  • type and age of unit,
  • some amenities,
  • any utilities provided by the landlord.

  Once the landlord confirms the total rental amount, DCHA inspects the unit to confirm it meets HUD’s Housing Quality Standards. These steps can take up to 90 days.

The voucher is valid for 180 days. If there are extenuating circumstances, you may request an extension. Extension requests must be submitted before your voucher expiration date. Extension request must include written documentation of the extenuating circumstances, like proof of hospitalization.

Contact your assigned Housing Program Specialist to coordinate the extension request.

HCVP and LRSP participants are encouraged to search for housing by:

• Reviewing listings for available homes in local media outlets,
• Reviewing listings for available homes on online real estate websites, such as Zillow.com or Apartments.com,
• Physically visit their preferred neighborhoods to look for “For Rent” signs near property entrances.

LRSP participants may receive housing search support from their DHS-provided case managers.

For HCVP participants, DCHA’s Housing Navigators are available to support your housing search. Contact your assigned Housing Program Specialist to request Housing Navigator assistance.

Transfer is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s term to describe the process in which a tenant-based voucher participant moves to a new home in DC and maintains their voucher rental subsidy.

To be eligible to transfer, you must be:

• a current tenant-based voucher participant through HCVP or LRSP,
• lived in your current unit for one full year,
• interested in moving to another unit in DC.

To transfer, eligible tenant-based voucher participants must request an updated voucher from their Housing Program Specialist. That specialist will then schedule the participant to attend a transfer briefing. The transfer briefing is required.

Before the tenant-based voucher participant moves, their new home must undergo an inspection to confirm it meets (HUD) ’s Housing Quality Standards and rent reasonableness.

Portability is U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s term to describe the process in which an HCVP tenant-based voucher participant moves from DC to another city with its own public housing authority that operates an HCV Program.

When a voucher participant moves from DC to another U.S. city or territory, it is referred to as “porting-out.” When a family moves from another U.S. city or territory to DC, it is called “porting-in.”

For more information on porting-out or porting-in, please contact your assigned Housing Program Specialist or the DCHA Call Center at 202-535-1000, or email hcvpports@dchousing.org.

Generally, the owner is responsible for making repairs and providing routine maintenance.

The HCVP and LRSP participant is responsible for any damages to the unit or premises that are beyond normal wear and tear, and caused by a household member or guest.

Additionally, the family is responsible for paying for any utilities not provided by the owner. It is also required that utilities remain in service while participating in HCVP. 

DCHA requires HCVP and LRSP participants to complete recertification at minimum every two years. As part of recertification, participants provide DCHA with their latest household income, assets, deductions, expenses and composition.

Participants will be notified by mail and email with instructions to complete their recertification via Rent Cafe. That notification includes a deadline for submission, and a list of required documents that must be scanned and uploaded into the participant's Rent Cafe account.

Failure to complete the recertification process may result in termination from the voucher program.

Changes in a participant’s household income or composition must be reported to DCHA within 10 days. Participants can contact their assigned Housing Program Specialist to report any changes to their household. Participants can also update their household income and composition information in their RentCafe account.

Some changes to the household will require the voucher participant to provide supporting documentation. Certain changes to the household may require participants to receive approval from DCHA.

The tenant pays their portion of the rent directly to the landlord. If the tenant fails to pay their portion, it may be a violation of the lease agreement. The landlord has the right to enforce the terms of the lease agreement.

Violating terms of the lease agreement may also represent a breach of the voucher program’s family obligations. Violating the family obligations may result in a recommendation for termination from the voucher program.

Yes, a participant in the HCVP or LRSP program can be evicted from the rental unit. The lease is a binding contract between the tenant and the landlord. If a tenant violates the lease agreement, the landlord has the right to enforce its terms. Enforcing terms of the lease agreement could result in eviction.

Violating terms of the lease agreement may also represent a breach of the voucher program’s family obligations. Violating these family obligations may result in a recommendation for termination from the voucher program.

Once a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) is submitted by the prospective landlord, it is reviewed to determine whether the package is complete. If complete, the unit’s status is changed to “scheduling inspection.”

The “scheduling inspection” status notifies the inspection team to schedule the inspection. Once the inspection team receives the notification, the inspection is usually scheduled within 2-5 business days.

Project-Based Vouchers are provided to for-profit or non-profit landlords for a property’s specific unit that will serve low-income families. To schedule an inspection, the property staff must send the Pre Move-in Inspection (PMI) request form to CADInspections@dchousing.org and the property’s assigned Contract Administration Division (CAD) coordinator. Once DCHA receives the PMI request form, the inspections team will schedule an inspection of the unit within 2-5 business days.

If the unit does not pass inspection, the landlord must make necessary repairs. A second inspection will be scheduled. If the unit does not pass the second inspection, DCHA will not issue the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to the property owner. The HAP is the rent amount paid by DCHA directly to the property owner.

After a second failed inspection, the voucher participant must find a different unit to rent.

To request a special inspection, contact your dedicated Housing Program Specialist or the HCVP Inspections Hotline.

Before DCHA calculates the tenant’s portion of the rent, DCHA conducts a Rent Reasonableness evaluation of the unit. That evaluation determines the total rental amount by considering the current Voucher Payment Standards, which is the maximum rent allowable for a unit, and other factors including:

• unit location,
• number of bedrooms,
• type and age of unit,
• some amenities,
• any utilities provided by the landlord.

After the total rental amount is determined, DCHA considers several factors to calculate the tenant-portion of the rent:

• Gross household income, or the income earned by all household members who are 18 years or older. This is often called the annual adjusted gross income.
• Eligible deductions.
• Utility Allowance.

For both HCVP and LRSP, the tenant’s portion of the rent cannot exceed 40% of the household’s monthly adjusted gross income at initial rental. Typically, the tenant’s portion of the rent is 30% of the household’s annual adjusted gross income.

Yes, the total rental amount - or contract rent - can increase. However, an increase in contract rent may not affect the tenant’s portion of the rent.
Landlords may request an increase in the contract rent to take effect at the start of a new lease term. If DCHA approves the increase request, DCHA will issue a rent determination notification to the landlord and participant.

The rent determination notification will show:

• the new total rent amount,
• the tenant’s portion of the rent,
• DCHA’s portion of the rent, which is known as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

The tenant’s portion of the rent will continue to be determined based on a percentage of the household’s annual adjusted gross income. On average, the tenant’s portion of the rent is 30% of the household’s annual adjusted gross income.

HUD requires DCHA to ensure that the total rent for the unit is reasonable. To determine if the voucher-assisted unit’s rent is reasonable, DCHA must conduct a Rent Reasonableness evaluation.
The evaluation compares the rent for the voucher-assisted unit to rents for similar unassisted units in the market. The evaluation must consider:

• unit location,
• number of bedrooms,
• type and age of unit,
• some amenities,
• any utilities provided by the landlord.

DCHA cannot pay more than what is reasonable, even if the current Voucher Payment Standards is a higher rental amount.

Please complete this form or call 844-306-0531 and press 2 for Spanish.

If you suspect fraud or abuse in the HCVP, you can report it by calling the Office of Audit & Compliance at 1-888-535-3995 or emailing fraudcomplaint@dchousing.org.

Contact the Office of Audit & Compliance: 1-888-535-3995.