The Housing Choice Voucher program more commonly known as the Section 8 Program is a rental assistance programs administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local housing authorities.
The primary purpose of the program is to help extremely low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities afford safe, decent, and sanitary housing in the private rental market.
Applicants must meet HUD eligibility requirements, and have incomes that do not exceed HUD-established area income limits. Potentially eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list until a housing subsidy can be issued.
Per HPC’s current Administrative Plan, a participant will have 120 days to look for a suitable dwelling unit to rent however this sis subject to change and any days past 60 is at the discretion of HPC. One 30-day extension is available under certain circumstances if required prior to the expiration of the original 120 days.
Please note you are not obligated to move and may remain in your current dwelling if the unit is acceptable under the program and your landlord will agree to participate. To be acceptable under the program, a unit must meet HUD Housing Quality Standards now referred to as NSPIRE and be available for rent within the limits of the program.
Under the program, the Payment Standard (based on the Fair Market Rent) is the amount used to calculate the tenant’s housing assistance. The assistance portion is calculated by subtracting ~30% of the family’s monthly adjusted income from the lesser of the payment standard or gross rent. The household’s share is calculated by subtracting the total subsidy from the gross rent. The household share is the amount paid towards rent and any tenant-supplied utilities.
Owners/landlords who participate in the program are able to fill vacancies quickly; housing assistance payments are made by the housing authority directly to the landlord and the owner/landlord retains their right to screen and choose the tenant. If you are a landlord interested in the program please visit our Landlord Resources page.
Section 8 Income Eligibility
Full income limits table for Pierce County can be viewed at Department of Housing and Urban Development FY 2025 Income Limits Documentation System.
2026 Income Limits for Pierce County:
Voucher Programs – Frequently Asked Questions
When there is rental assistance available applicants are selected at random through a lottery system.
Applications are considered “accepted” once placed on the Waitlist. You should receive an email notification when your application is accepted. If not due to the high volume of calls we receive, HPC encourages applicants to log into the YARDI applicant portal periodically to determine if your application was placed on the Waitlist. A majority of all HPC communication will be through the YARDI portal.
Your application may not yet reach the waitlist because documents are still being processed; or your application is missing information (which you will receive notification to supply by a specific date).
When your application is selected from the waitlist, criminal record and income will be reviewed, and additional documents may be requested. Applicants who are accepted will schedule a meeting with HPC staff for a briefing to be issued a voucher packer. Applicants who do not meet the preliminary guidelines, or who do not provide all documentation within the required time frame, will be sent denial notification, reasons for the denial, and review information.
With the transition to the YARDI Applicant Portal most communications are completed digitally, however we recognize paper communication may be easier for some individuals. In order for HPC to stay in contact with you please keep all information current with HPC and immediately report changes in the YARDI Applicant Portal. Failure to keep your information current with HPC could result in missed deadlines and/or appointments, resulting in withdrawal of your application.
Any correspondence from HPC about your application, will advise you of the appointment date or deadline date to respond. You must cooperate and submit documents by the deadline to avoid withdrawal of your application.
Assistance is not committed until a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract is signed with HPC and the Landlord (and the Landlord and Tenant enter into a lease that is provided to HPC for the same term). Before a HAP Contract is executed, there are additional steps that must be completed. These steps are explained during the Voucher Briefing with HPC staff.