RENTER ASSISTANCE AND PUBLIC HOUSING

Federal housing assistance programs began during the Great Depression to address the country's housing crisis. In the 1960s and 1970s, the federal government created subsidy programs to increase the production of low-income housing and to help families pay their rent. In the 1970s, when studies showed that the worst housing problem afflicting low-income people was no longer substandard housing, but the high percentage of income spent on housing.

Congress passed the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, further amending the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 to create the Section 8 Program. In the Section 8 Program, tenants pay about 30 percent of their income for rent, while the rest of the rent is paid with federal money.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a type of Federal assistance provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dedicated to sponsoring subsidized housing for low-income families and individuals. It is more commonly known as Section 8, in reference to the portion of the U.S. Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 under which the original subsidy program was authorized.

Although AppCAA doesn't operate the Section 8 rental assistance program or own public housing, we work closely with the Scott County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to ensure that our clients get the help they need with rental assistance. We have rental assistance applications available to give to clients who haven't already signed up for rental assistance.

We help clients understand their rights under the fair housing laws and refer them to other agencies that may be able to offer additional help to them, such as Southwest Virginia Legal Aide.