To become eligible for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, a family’s gross annual income cannot exceed the annual income limits listed below for their family size.
| Family Size | Section 8 Maximum | Public Housing Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $30,250.00 | $48,350.00 |
| 2 person | $34,550.00 | $55,250.00 |
| 3 person | $38,850.00 | $62,150.00 |
| 4 person | $43,150.00 | $69,050.00 |
| 5 person | $46,650.00 | $74,600.00 |
| 6 person | $50,100.00 | $80,100.00 |
| 7 person | $53,550.00 | $85,650.00 |
| 8 person | $57,000.00 | $91,150.00 |
CHA administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program for the City of Columbus and 5 miles outside the city limits.
Section 8 Staff
| Name | Title | Phone Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Degner | Executive Director | alan@columbushome.net | 113 |
| Stella Collins | Section 8 Supervisor | stella@columbushome.net | 115 |
| Rachel Eddins | Section 8 Case Manager | rachel@columbushome.net | 112 |
| Melisa Ison | Administrative Assistant | melisa@columbushome.net | 129 |
| Suzanne Jowers | Section 8 Case Manager | suzanne@columbushome.net | 111 |
| Julie Malson | HQS Inspector | julie@columbushome.net | 117 |
| Rebecca Tibbs | Administrative Assistant | rebecca@columbushome.net | 118 |
Columbus Housing Authority (CHA) enters into a Housing Assistance Payment Contract with the private landlord when a family finds an eligible unit that has passed inspection. The family enters into a lease with the private landlord.
Every month, the family pays their portion of rent to the private landlord, and CHA pays our portion of rent to the private landlord. A family’s portion of rent is no more than 30% of the household’s earned income.
Tenants and landlords must agree and abide by HUD and CHA program requirements.
A family with a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) can lease a unit anywhere in the United States provided that the unit is located within the jurisdiction of a Public Housing Authority (PHA) administering a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. The process by which a family obtains an HCV from one PHA and uses it to lease a unit in the jurisdiction of another PHA is called portability. Columbus Housing Authority’s jurisdiction is the City of Columbus and 5 miles outside the City limits.
A family must be determined eligible to port their HCV to another PHA.
The first PHA is called the initial PHA. The second PHA is called the receiving PHA. Families that use their HCV to port must meet all eligibility requirements of the receiving PHA.
The receiving PHA decides if it will absorb your family into their own program or if it will bill your initial PHA for porting your family to their jurisdiction.
If the receiving PHA absorbs your family, your HCV belongs to them and is no longer under any obligation of the initial PHA.
Units must meet our Housing Quality Standard (HQS). CHA conducts several types of HQS inspections.
Initial HQS Inspection: Every unit must pass an Initial HQS Inspection before it can be leased to a family in the Section 8 program.
Annual HQS Inspection: Units leased in the Section 8 program are inspected annually to confirm they continue to meet HQS.
Special Inspection: A Special Inspection can be done for problems that happen in between Annual Inspections.
Quality Control Inspection: HUD requires that a sample of units be re-inspected by a supervisor or other qualified individual to ensure that HQS are being enforces correctly and uniformly by all inspectors.
Section 8 is an income based rental assistance program for very low income families. An eligible family is issued a housing choice voucher (HCV). A family uses their HCV to find a unit with a private landlord in the City of Columbus or no farther than 5 miles outside city limits.