AAHC Housing Choice Voucher Programs

AAHC administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV). These Vouchers allows participants to live in a privately owned rental unit and receive supplemental rental assistance from AAHC. Rent supplements are subsidies paid by the government to private landlords who accept low-income tenants. The supplements make up the difference between rental "market price" and the amount of rent paid by tenants, for example 30% of the tenants income. Our jurisdiction includes Washtenaw, Western Wayne and Monroe counties. Out of the 1333 Housing Choice Vouchers, 100 vouchers are reserved specifically for families where the head of household has a disability.  The AAHC can only use the vouchers it has the budget authority to use.  Other AAHC Voucher Programs are listed as follows:

Tenant Based Voucher program increase affordable housing choices for low-income families. HCV is a  program of choice where families have the opportunity to lease safe, decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing.

The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program allows eligible veterans to receive Section 8 Vouchers and find housing in residential areas of Washtenaw, Monroe and Western Wayne Counties. To date, there are 35 Vouchers allocated to the VASH program with 32 currently under contract as of September 2009.

The VASH program is a joint program between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veteran's Administration (VA) that provides permanent housing and ongoing treatment services to the hard-to-serve homeless and mentally disabled veterans and those suffering from substance abuse disorders. The Section 8 Voucher program has designated 35 Vouchers for these homeless chronically mentally disabled veterans.

VA staff provides outreach, clinical care and ongoing case management services. Rigorous evaluation of this program indicates that this approach significantly reduces days of homelessness for veterans plagued by serious mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Veterans are referred to the VASH program by their case manager.

The Homeownership Voucher program allows first time homebuyers to purchase an affordable home with the assistance of a PHA through the WHEP Program.

The Project-Based Voucher program is a component of a Ann Arbor Housing Commission housing choice voucher program.  Pear Street Apartments is a rehabilitated  existing development where AAHC has partnered with Avalon Housing to attach 20 of its voucher assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions!

How do I become eligible?  With any voucher program you must meet the income guidelines (see also below) based on your family size in order to be eligible.  There are screening criterias that household member must meet for program approval.

How do I get on the Section 8 waiting list?  You must complete and submit an application when the waiting list is open. All up-to-date applications are kept on an active waiting list until program eligibility is determined.  Applications are for the waiting list only, not for immediate assistance.  This list is open approximately once every two to four years. Applications are only available when the list is open. Public notice of waiting list openings are always published here, in the Ann Arbor.com, and on Community Access Television.

What would be a reason for denial?  Housing assistance will not be extended to those families whose adult members have a recent criminal history related to drugs or violence, nor to families who have been removed from the program for fraudulent activity, or families who exceed the income guidelines. Families with outstanding balances owed to AAHC or other housing authorities must meet their obligations before being considered for the program.

What are "Income Guidelines?" You must be at or below the stated income, based on your family size, in order to be eligible for assistance. These guidelines are current as of March 31, 2011.  Income guidelines change regularly and are set by HUD.   

**For a very detailed definition of Income Limits and a full explanation of how HUD generates these limits, click HERE.

The AAHC Section 8 Program also serves parts of Western Wayne and Monroe Counties and income limits for those counties vary slightly.  For the FY 2011 Income Limits for these two counties, click HERE.  

What are "Payment Standards?" The PHA determines a payment standard that is the amount generally needed to rent a reasonably priced unit within the housing commission's jurisdiction and that is used to calculate the amount of assistance a family will receive. The payment standard is the most the housing commission can pay to help a familly with rent.

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are primarily used to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher program. The FMR is determined by HUD and are subject to change each year (generally in October).

Each housing commission must establish a payment standard for a unit that is between 90% and 110% of published FMRs. 

 These guidelines are current and approved by the AAHC Board as of October 2010 and are the SAME payment standards as approved in FY 2010, and therefore are in effect.  For example, the AAHC Payment Standard for a two-bedroom home in Washtenaw County is $886.  NOTE:  The AAHC Payment Standards are slightly different than the published FMRs for 2011.

HUD FMRs for FY 2011 - for Full Details, please see HUD's website by clicking HERE.

Will the Housing Commission help me find a Section 8 rental unit?
You must search to locate a landlord who will accept you as a tenant (based on rental history, etc.), as well as accept your Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher.  Landlord listings can be viewed on the bulletin board located at our office, GoSection8.com, and other websites. 

HUD regulations encourage applicants with Housing Choice Vouchers to look for housing outside of concentrated areas of poverty; maps are available to identify those areas. You can view map of these area by clicking here.

Does the AAHC offer emergency housing?  We do not provide emergency housing assistance.

What is EIV?

EIV stands for "Enterprise Income Verification System."

Information from the HUD website (go to by clicking:  HERE): 

The purpose of HUD's EIV System is to make integrated income data available from one source, via the Internet, for PHAs to use to improve income verification during required income reexaminations. EIV provides the following information:

1. Monthly employer new hires
2. Quarterly wages (including employer information), Federal wages are available
3. Quarterly unemployment compensation
4. Monthly social security (SS) and supplement security income (SSI) benefits

The EIV System is available to all PHAs nationwide. Effective January 31, 2010, PHAs are required to use and implement the EIV system in their day-to-day operations. Read the Final Rule and issued Guidance.  

Tenants, please review the HUD document, "What You Should Know About EIV."