Frequently Asked Questions

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a rental assistance program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD Section 8). The program is designed to offer rental assistance to low income families in Clay County.  Participants select the privately owned rental property where they would like to live.  If the property meets the program’s requirements regarding condition of the unit, cost of rent and utilities, unit size for your household, etc., your contribution toward rent and utilities will be 30% of your adjusted annual income and your housing voucher will pay your landlord the balance.

Vermillion Housing Authority manages roughly 250 Housing Choice Vouchers in Clay County.  The number of vouchers available varies depending on federal funding.  Because the demand for vouchers is far greater than the supply, Vermillion Housing maintains a waiting list. The Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List is currently open.

Your name will be placed on the Waiting List according to the date and time your application is received. You must be sure to inform our office immediately if you have any change of address, income, resources, number of persons in your household, etc. When your name reaches the top of the list you will be notified by phone/mail. Please keep in mind that failure to contact the Housing Authority by the date given on the postcard will result in your name being removed from the Waiting List. Once your name has been removed from the waiting list for failure to respond, you must reapply in order to be placed back on the waiting list.

There is no way to determine how long of a wait you will have before your name reaches the top of the list. There are many variables involved in how quickly the waiting list moves. It depends on how many participants leave the Program and how many applicants on the Waiting List qualify for a preference.

It is the policy of the Vermillion Housing Authority that qualified elderly or disabled individuals will be selected on the waiting list first.

It is required that an applicant’s criminal history be verified at the time their name comes to the top of the Waiting List.  Vermillion Housing Authority will deny participation in the program due to criminal activity based on the current Tenant Selection Policy and current HUD rulings. HUD requires the housing authority to deny assistance if:

• any member of household has ever been convicted of drug-related criminal activity for the production or manufacture of methamphetamine in any location
• any household member is currently registered as a sex offender under a State registration requirement