Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
Section 8- How do I apply? What does the application process entail?
The Section 8 program at the Denver Housing Authority is a lottery based application process. The dates of the lottery change yearly however; these dates are announced in all local papers under the public notice section, the DHA phone system as well as our website. Once annually the Denver Housing Authority hands out lottery tickets, to interested applicants, 18 years of age and older. These tickets are actually cards that are filled out and mailed back to the housing authority. The lottery cards that are submitted within the time frame allotted and those cards that are filled out completely and correctly are entered into DHA’s computer system. Throughout the year, random drawings are held. If an applicant’s number is selected, he/she will be notified through the mail with 120 days after the date of the drawing. Lottery ticket numbers are valid for the entire year and expire on December 31 of each year. Interested parties are encouraged to re-apply every year since numbers from the previous year are null and void as of December 31 of that same year.
If I am selected for the Section 8 lottery, what is the application process?
When an applicant’s lottery number is selected through a random drawing, they are contacted within 120 days of the date of the drawing by mail. The letter mailed out by the Occupancy Department informs the applicant of the next several steps to a Section 8 application.
This includes:
· picking up an application
· turning in the completed application with all required documentation at a specified time during normal working hours
· the application and documents will be reviewed by Occupancy staff and if all requested information is complete and has been provided, a final application interview will be scheduled which will determine eligibility
At the interview, applicants will sign a computer generated application and paperwork required to process their Section 8 application. Once all information is verified, the applicant will be notified through the mail of the status of their application. If the applicant is approved, it is anticipated they will wait 30-60 days to be contacted by the Section 8 Department to receive a housing voucher and go through an orientation to show the applicant how to rent a unit under the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
· Housing Application Fact Sheet