Welcome to the Stephenson County Housing Choice Voucher waiting list application.
This web-based process will assist you in applying for a place on the waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. You may apply at any time during the online registration’s open enrollment period (see “Registration Status” box to the right for this period). Upon the closing of the enrollment period, NIREACH will conduct a random lottery of all eligible applications and place selected applicants on the Stephenson County Housing Choice Voucher waiting list.
Upon completion of registration, you should write down the confirmation number. After the lottery, applicants can return to this page to check whether they were selected by clicking the “Search Existing Record” button to the right and entering the confirmation number.
To successfully apply, you will need to provide the NIREACH with the following information:
First and last names of all members of your household
Social security numbers of all members of your household
Birth dates of all members of your household
The total gross annual income of your household. This includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI), wages, Social Security, General Assistance, child support, and any other income received
A valid address to which the staff can send correspondence
A valid phone number at which you can be contacted
In order to meet the NIREACH eligibility criteria, please note the following:
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference to any family that has been terminated from its HCV program due to insufficient program funding. The applicant must provide documentation that the loss of assistance has taken place within the past 5 years.
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference for families who live in Stephenson County, for the HCV funding assigned to Stephenson County. The families must have lived continuously in Stephenson County for the immediate and consecutive past ninety calendar days. This preference is not used or available for families applying to the Winnebago County HCV waiting list. Residency will be verified.
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference for veterans or surviving spouses of veterans.
1 Point – The PHA will offer a working preference [24 CFR 5.414] for families where the head, spouse of sole member is employed for at least 20 hours per week at the time that they are selected from the HCV waiting list. This preference is extended equally to an applicant whose head or spouse are age 62 or older, or an applicant whose head or spouse meet the HUD/Social Security definition of disability.
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference to victims of the Violence Against Women’s Act of 2013, as defined within this Administration Plan, which states that the applicant must provide documentation that the incident(s) have taken place within the past 90 calendar days (see Chapter 3-III.G.).
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference to an applicant who has been in the custody of the child welfare system on or before his/her 18th birthday who has not yet reached the age of 24. This preference is for a Foster Child aging out of the Foster Care Program.
1 Point – The PHA will offer a preference to Nursing Home Residents who have resided in a state-licensed nursing home for the immediate and consecutive past ninety calendar days and have been determined by the state-licensed nursing home as eligible for discharge.
1 Point - The PHA will provide a preference for non-elderly persons with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional or other segregated settings, at serious risk of institutionalization, homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, individuals/families who are actively involved in assistance services and programs. (Verification and documentation required required from the City of Rockford Human Services for Winnebago County or Township of Freeport for Stephenson County).
Provide accurate information. Submission of false information or misrepresentation will result in disqualification from the lottery and may result in loss of eligibility to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Only one application per household. Submission of multiple applications will result in disqualification from the lottery.
Applicant must not exceed the Very Low Income Limit
VERY LOW INCOME LIMITS (by family size)
1 Person = $26,600
2 Person = $30,400
3 Person = $34,200
4 Person = $37,950
5 Person = $41,000
6 Person = $44,050
7 Person = $47,100
8 Person = $50,100
Please note that this is not an official HUD form and is used only for determining eligibility for placement on the Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list.
