About the Program
Program Waiting Lists
Special Programs
Who is Eligible for Assistance?
Applying for a Section 8 Voucher
Waiting List Information
Waiting List Preferences
Waiting List Status: Placement Date Being Reviewed
Waiting List Pre-Application Form
Reaching the Top of the Waiting List
Initial Application Process
Receiving The Voucher
Voucher Briefing
Briefing Packet
Using the Voucher
Special Needs
Program Fraud
Questions?

About the Program

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, also known as “Section 8”, provides rental assistance to low income individuals or families.

There are two main Section 8 Voucher programs: one for Santa Cruz County and one for City of Hollister (which also includes the City of San Juan Bautista).

Once a family receives a voucher, the family finds its own rentals from homes and apartments on the private market. The family pays about a third of its income in rent to the landlord, and the Housing Authority pays the rest, up to a certain limit, directly to the landlord.

The family and landlord sign a rental agreement or lease provided by the landlord. The family pays the security deposit required by the landlord.

Housing Authority Program Waiting Lists
The following Waiting Lists are currently open:

The following Waiting Lists are currently closed:

Special Voucher Programs

Over time, HUD has awarded the Housing Authority with funding for specific voucher types to serve specific populations. In some instances, these special programs offer vouchers to eligible persons from the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list. In other instances, vouchers are issued based on referrals from services providers. All special voucher programs that are based on referrals from other agencies are listed and described below, along with information regarding how you can find out more information about accessing these programs.

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Who is Eligible for Assistance?

To be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, families must meet certain criteria.

1. Families must be income eligible. The HCV Program serves families with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income. To see current income limits, click here.
2. Families must demonstrate legal residency within the United States. Please note that only one member must be a legal resident to be eligible. However, eligible families that also have members who cannot demonstrate legal residency will have their rental assistance reduced by a pro-rated percentage. For more information, click here.
3. All members of the family aged 18 and older must pass a criminal background check. Persons with certain violent criminal backgrounds and those subject to lifetime sex offender registrations may not be eligible for rental assistance. For more information, click here.

For eligibility purposes, all persons in the household are considered part of the family regardless of relationship. The eligibility requirements are established by the U.S. Congress and implemented by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eligibility rules can change at any time and therefore eligibility is only determined on an as-needed basis when a voucher becomes available for a family.

Applying for a Section 8 Voucher

When the waiting list is open, families may put their names on the Waiting List by completing a pre-application (see below). As vouchers are given up by families leaving the program, the families on the waiting list are contacted to submit a full application.

Even if a family has a landlord who wants to participate in the voucher program, the family must wait its turn for a voucher by going on the waiting list like all other pre-applicants.

Waiting List Information

The Waiting List is a list of families that have completed a “pre-application” indicating that they are interested in participating in the program.

Applicants who were already on the waiting list prior to the October 2018 waiting list opening will continue to be contacted based on preferences and date of placement. New applicants who apply by 5pm on December 6, 2018 will be given a random “lottery” number. These applicants will be contacted based on preferences and lottery number.

Because there is more demand for assistance than there are vouchers available, there is usually a long wait for assistance, typically several  years. The Housing Authority cannot predict when names will reach the top of the waiting list. The speed at which the waiting list moves depends on how many families leave the program, and the level of funding the Housing Authority receives from HUD. It is impossible to predict when a voucher will be available.

If the family breaks up, the person designated as Head of Household on the pre-application will keep the place on the waiting list. Anyone not living with the Head of Household would need to apply on his or her own by submitting a new pre-application.

Waiting List Preferences

Unless otherwise stated, waiting list preferences apply to the Santa Cruz County Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List. All preferences adopted by the Housing Authority are based on local housing needs and priorities as determined by the Housing Authority.

1. 1. Live/Work Residency Preference
      The Housing Authority has established a partial live/work residency preference, such that at least 75% of the families selected from the waiting list will either currently live or work in the jurisdiction of the waiting list.
   2. Disabled and Medically Vulnerable Homeless Person (DMV)
      The Housing Authority has adopted a limited waiting list preference of up to 120 vouchers for disabled and medically vulnerable homeless persons. The Housing Matters provides referrals for person who are 1) disabled, 2) medically vulnerable, 3) homeless, and 4) have a case management plan with a provider of housing supportive services.
   3. Disabled Transitioning from Institutions (DTI)
      The Housing Authority has adopted a limited waiting list preference of up to 12 vouchers for disabled person transitioning from institutions into community-based settings, and persons at serious risks of institutionalization. Referrals for this preference are provided by the following agencies: Central Coast Center of Independent Living (CCCIL), Coastline Supportive Living, County Mental Health, Housing Choice Coalition, and San Andreas Regional Center (SARC).
   4. Temporary Measures during Periods of Low Utilization Rate
      During times of low voucher or funding utilization (under 97%), the Housing Authority may utilize the following measures:
      • A.) Lease In-Place Option. This preference will only be applicable to applicants already on the waiting list who currently live in the Housing Authority jurisdiction, reside in a unit that meets HQS standards, with a landlord who is willing to accept a voucher.
      • B.) Eviction Prevention. The Housing Authority may accept direct referrals from the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County (CAB) of families at imminent risk of homelessness due to eviction for economic reasons. The Eviction Prevention preference will be limited to applicants on the HCV waiting list, and the preference will be limited to 24 vouchers.
   5. Mainstream Vouchers for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities
      The Housing Authority has received 50 Mainstream Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) vouchers. These Mainstream NED Vouchers are for the Housing Authority service area, both Santa Cruz County and the Cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. The Mainstream NED Vouchers differ from the original Mainstreams Vouchers in these ways:
      • • The person with disabilities doesn’t have to be the head of household or spouse.
        • The person with disabilities does have to be between the ages of 18 and 62.

 Applicants on either the Santa Cruz County or Hollister/San Juan Bautista Section 8 waiting lists may benefit from this waiting list preference. Assistance will be offered to applicants eligible for the preference based on date of preference or lottery number. If the waiting lists do not contain a sufficient number of eligible households, the Housing Authority may open the lists for persons eligible for this preference. Eligible persons include those who are transitioning from institutions, at serious risk of institutionalization, homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Waiting List Status: Placement Date Being Reviewed

Note to developers: this section may be printed for use in funding applications requiring a statement from the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz regarding the number of families on the Waiting Lists.

Below is the status of the Section 8 Waiting Lists.

Santa Cruz County Waiting List
The waiting list currently is: Closed
There are 9,856 applicants on the waiting list.
The waiting list has a partial live/work residency preference for households in which the head of household, spouse or registered domestic partner lives or works, in the County of Santa Cruz.
Full applications are being taken for families on the 2018 waiting list with the following lottery numbers:
Resident applicants:  Lottery/Sequence number 2857 up to 4840
Nonresident applicants: Lottery/Sequence number 668 up to 1089
(Updated on: September 18, 2023)

Hollister/ San Juan Bautista Waiting List
The waiting list currently is: Closed
There are 8,002 applicants on the waiting list.
The waiting list has a partial live/work residency preference for households in which the head of household, spouse or registered domestic partner lives or works, in the San Benito County.
Full applications are being taken for families on the 2018 waiting list with the following lottery numbers:
Resident applicants: Lottery/Sequence number 2062 up to 5269
Nonresident applicants: Lottery/Sequence number 84 up to 222
(Updated on: September 18, 2023)

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Waiting List Status Form

All Waiting List applicants must notify the Housing Authority within 30 days of any change of address (see below); however, there is no need to inform the Housing Authority about changes in family composition while on the Waiting List. Please use the Waiting List Status form to notify the Housing Authority of any changes to your address while you are on the Waiting List.

IMPORTANT: If a family does not respond when the Housing Authority attempts to make contact at the last known address, the family’s name will be removed from the Waiting List. If the family moves while on the Waiting List, a Waiting List Status form must be submitted within 30 days of the move.

Waiting List Placement Date and Confirmation

Once a Pre-application is received and entered in the Waiting List, the family will receive a Waiting List Confirmation letter notifying the family of its lottery number and confirming that the family has been successfully added to the waiting list. Depending on the volume of applications, it can take up to several months for this confirmation to be sent. Note: if you are not sure if you are on the list and would like to know your status, please complete a Waiting List Status Form. You will be sent a computer-generated copy of the original letter providing confirmation that your Pre-Application was received and you have been added to the waiting list. The confirmation letter will not tell you how long you have to wait.

Reaching the Top of the Waiting List

When the family’s name reaches the top of the Waiting List, a letter is sent asking if the family wants an Initial Application packet. The family must respond to this letter by the due date or its name will be removed from the Waiting List.

Initial Applications are processed when the family submits all requested information and documents. The family can ensure its application is processed sooner by keeping all documents updated and in a safe place ready to be submitted when notified.

Initial Application process

The Initial Application is lengthy and asks for a lot of information. Applicants are encouraged to be as specific and detailed as possible. Program eligibility will be based on the information given by the applicant who will be asked to certify to its truthfulness (see Program Violations and Fraud). The sooner the family provides the Housing Authority with all requested information the sooner the application will be processed.

The Housing Authority will independently verify all information submitted and may be informed of information an applicant has not submitted. If later it is found that the family did not fully inform or comply with the application, the voucher could be terminated and the family could be required to pay the Housing Authority back for any assistance received that it was not entitled to. It is better to over-declare than under-declare information. Housing Authority staff will advise if information does not apply.

The initial application is used to:

1. Gather information about the family and its income
2. Determine whether or not the family is eligible for assistance
3. Calculate approximately how much rent the family will pay
4. Determine how many bedrooms the family is eligible for

Even after the Initial Application is processed, there can still be long wait before a voucher is available. In most cases, it takes an average of six months from the time you submit an Initial Application to the time you are issued a voucher. However, wait times may vary greatly depending on the rate at which current voucher holders leave the program. Please see the Initial Application Flowchart for a visual overview of the steps in the Initial Application Process with information about average length of time for each step in the process. Please note: federal regulations require that eligibility verifications be no older than 60 days at the time the Voucher is issued. If there are delays in obtaining verifications or in issuing the voucher, information may have to be resubmitted.

Important Reminder about the Initial Application

Note: Make sure the Housing Authority always has a current address for you. If you move, please submit a Waiting List Status form to the Housing Authority immediately. If we you cannot be reached you by mail, your application will be cancelled.

Respond to all Housing Authority deadlines promptly.

The Housing Authority will ask to see original Social Security cards, birth certificates, and photo IDs. Be sure to have these on hand to speed the Initial Application process

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Receiving the Voucher

Once reaching the top of the Waiting List and being declared eligible, there may still be a long wait. The family is responsible keeping the Housing Authority informed of any changes to its income or household composition even after income eligibility has already been established. Additionally, the family is responsible for any security deposit required by a future landlord and should be setting aside funds to pay the security deposit which usually is equal to at least one month’s total rent.

The family should not take steps to rent a unit anticipating receipt of the voucher; this could result in the family being responsible for the entire rent.

When a voucher becomes available, the family will be invited to a “briefing,” where the program rules are explained, and the voucher is issued. The family must agree to the rules and regulations regarding the voucher and receive more information about how the program works including specifics regarding the family’s subsidy amount and the maximum rent that can be paid. There are certain limitations regarding rentals that are covered at the briefing.

Voucher Briefing

A “Voucher Briefing” is required by the federal government before a family can receive its voucher. A briefing lasts about one and a half hours and children are not permitted. Briefings are held in groups of 20 to 40 people.

Families arriving late to the briefing will not be allowed to attend the briefing. The briefing is a pre-set presentation including information the Housing Authority is required by federal regulations to cover or a voucher cannot be issued. If the family is late through no fault of its own, the family will be notified of a future briefing date. If the family misses two briefings, the voucher will be canceled and the family’s name removed from the list.

After Housing Authority staff explains the program requirements and how the program works, time will be spent with families individually to discuss their particular Voucher size and rent subsidy.

Briefing Packet

At the briefing, a briefing packet containing required information and forms will be given to each family.

Using the Voucher

There is a limited amount of time to use a Voucher before it expires, commonly 60 days.

The federal government requires the Housing Authority to ensure that all vouchers are used quickly to assist the maximum number of families. If a family does not move expeditiously to use its voucher, there are thousands of other families on the Waiting List who will. The Housing Authority cannot allow vouchers to go unused; it is important that the family give full attention and effort to looking for a rental that will accept the voucher so that it does not expire.

Leasing in Place

The quickest way to ensure that a voucher is not lost is to “lease in place,” that is, renting from the current landlord if that landlord will accept the Section 8 voucher. Once on the program by using the voucher at its current rental, the family can then take its time to look for another rental without having the voucher expire.’

Finding a Rental

If the family cannot rent its current unit or must find somewhere to live, there are many ways to find a rental unit. These are covered in the voucher briefing.

Once a suitable rental and a willing landlord is found, the family gives the landlord a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) to complete. The RTA is given to the voucher holder at the briefing. Only one RTA is issued at a time. If the rental submitted on the current RTA is not approved, another RTA will be issued. The RTA asks the landlord for information the Housing Authority will need in order to review the rental to see if it meets the program requirements.

The Housing Authority staff will talk with the landlord and, once all is agreed to, an inspection will be scheduled. The rental must meet federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS). For more information, please see HQS Checklist.

The family cannot have a personal financial interest in the property or be a beneficiary; neither can the landlord cannot be a relative of the family except under certain limited conditions for persons with disabilities. The landlord cannot live in the rental unit with the family.

If a rental is not found within the time stated on the voucher, the family must request an extension in writing. It should not be assumed that an extension will be granted.

Special Needs

If you are a person with disabilities and you have special needs related to a Housing Authority program, please see the Special Needs Q&A and the Special Needs section of the Forms page.

Program Fraud

The federal government and the Housing Authority take action against those committing program frauds, whether they are Section 8 participants or landlords. The Housing Authority has established a Program Integrity unit specifically to investigate and take action against those who commit program violations. Please go to this web site’s section on Program Fraud for more information or report fraud.

Questions?

For answers to more of your questions about searching for a place to rent, please see our Questions & Answers page.

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