DeKALB | The Housing Choice Voucher Program, sometimes called “Section 8” housing, is a federally funded program that offers citizens help paying their rent.

The problem is there are more people waiting for vouchers than there are vouchers available.

If an applicant’s current rent costs more than 30 percent of their total income, they are eligible for the program, said Michelle Perkins, operations and projects coordinator for the DeKalb County Housing Authority.

“There are approximately 700 people on the waiting list at this time and there are 539 vouchers,” Perkins said. “Waiting time for an individual voucher is unpredictable. We expect it will take two to five years before we can offer a voucher to all of the applicants now on our waiting list.”

Because of this, the DeKalb County Housing Authority is not currently taking applications for the program.

“People who are waiting for a Section 8 voucher are typically families,” said Betsy Steele, Hope Haven emergency program coordinator. “We [also] get individuals who applied for Section 8, and are waiting for vouchers.”

People applying for this type of low-income housing have either lost their jobs, can’t find jobs, have been diagnosed with a disability, have no income or have not been approved for social security, Steele said.

Deirdre Oakley, assistant sociology professor, said historically, DeKalb is a farming community. The need for the Housing Choice Voucher Program in DeKalb is not the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago.

Once someone has a voucher, they can start looking for a landlord who will accept it. Even if someone receives the voucher, they are still limited to certain landlords and typically in low-income areas, Oakley said.

Perkins said voucher holders may lease rental units from private property owners anywhere in DeKalb County. Generally, the Housing Authority uses funds received from U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to make payments directly to landlords.

“The Housing Authority uses funds received from the HUD to make assistance payments directly to landlords for an amount equal to the excess of reasonable rent charged by the landlord and 30 percent of a tenant participant’s monthly gross income,” Perkins said.

The tenant pay is equal to 30 percent of their income, while the DeKalb Housing Authority uses funds coming from the HUD to pay the rest of the tenant’s rent.

“Right now, DeKalb is growing, so the need has increased,” Oakley said. “This type of housing never meets the demand for affordable housing.”

“There is substantial need for the Housing Choice Voucher program in DeKalb County,” Perkins said.

Vouchers are available by application through the DeKalb County Housing Authority.

Michelle Gilbert is a City Reporter for the

Northern Star.