HOC’s main vehicle for providing rental assistance to HOC customers is the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. There are two types of vouchers available through the HCV program. Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) are assigned to a specific building and customers must reside in the building to receive assistance. Customers with Tenant-Based Vouchers (TBVs) can use their assistance at any home, apartment or other private market residence that meets household requirements, safety standards and rent reasonableness.

This HCV program provides a rent subsidy to customers, based on a payment standard set by HOC and customers’ household information, so that customers pay no more than 40% of total household income on housing at the start of the initial lease term.

To apply click here.
To access Resident Portal (RentCafe) click here.

Important Program Details

Section 8 vs. HCV Program

The HCV program, formerly known as “Section 8,” provides assistance for very low and extremely low-income households (single or family), the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. The HCV program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Finding Housing with a Voucher

HOC Customers who receive vouchers may search for their own housing, which may include single-family homes, townhouses and apartments, or even the family’s present residence. Housing Choice Voucher assistance is portable anywhere in the United States, including Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Provided the housing selected meets the requirements of the program, the housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the Housing Opportunities Commission on behalf of the family.

If you are a landlord seeking more information about rent increase requests and responses, contract activity, or other questions, email hcvprogram@hocmc.org.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the HCV program, a family’s gross income may not exceed 50% of the area median income (AMI), or meet the income guidelines established for the program. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. The ability of HOC to provide assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher program is dependent on funding availability. HOC is required to distribute 75% of its vouchers to applicants who qualify as “Extremely Low Income,” as defined by the program.

Other Eligibility Criteria

In addition to qualifying for assistance through the HCV program via income requirements, all applicants must be able to provide:

• Social Security numbers for all family members
• Signed release of information forms from all adults included in the application to participate in a mandatory criminal background investigation. NOTE: If the investigation reveals a criminal charge within the past three years, the Housing Choice Voucher application could be denied.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or a non-citizen with eligible immigration status. To prove eligible immigration status, you must have one of the following:
  • Resident Alien Card
  • Resident Alien Receipt Card
  • Arrival/Departure Record
  • Temporary Resident Card
  • Employment Authorization Card
  • Receipt issued by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services) for the replacement of any of these items.

Every family member who is expecting to live in the household that is receiving Housing Choice Voucher assistance must have proof of eligibility (as stated above), with the following exceptions:

• If you are a “Mixed Family Household” then you are eligible for pro-rated (reduced) assistance. A “mixed family” is defined by HUD as “any family whose members include those with citizenship or eligible immigration status AND those without citizenship or eligible immigration”
• If your family includes both eligible and non-eligible members, then you will be considered a “mixed family”

HOC Customer Responsibilities

As an HOC customer, you are responsible for complying with program requirements and agency policies to receive, and maintain, housing assistance from HOC. Some HOC customer responsibilities include:

• HOC customers must provide HOC with accurate and honest information about members of the household and total household income. If you, or any other adult in the household, has a change in income, you must provide notice to HOC within 10 days of change.
• During annual recertifications of the household, HOC customers must cooperate with HOC staff to ensure the household continues to receive assistance from HOC.
• HOC customers must reside full-time in their household – customers may not sublet their unit to someone else.
• You may run a legal business in the unit if the lease allows for that, but you must use the unit primarily as your home.
• Pay your portion of the rent and your utilities.
• Abide by your lease. You and your family MUST NOT get involved with crime, drugs, or violence.
• Take care of the unit. Do not let anyone in your family or guests damage it.
• Let HOC inspect the unit annually, and at other times if HOC has reason to think that the unit is damaged.

Additional Responsibilities

HOC customers must notify HOC, in writing or by recorded virtual communication, within 10 days of the following scenarios if:

1) you are away from home for more than a month;
2) you move out or end your lease;
3) you get an eviction notice;
4) any member of your family moves out;
5) you add any children to your household, by birth, adoption or legal custody; or
6) you wish to move. NOTE: You, and your landlord, must notify HOC of intention, and acknowledgement of the household’s desire, to move.

The list above is not all-encompassing. Additional customer responsibilities and requirements may be required by HOC at any time.

HCV Landlord Responsibilities

HOC HCV landlords must abide by certain responsibilities agreed to upon by HOC and the landlord as set forth in the Landlord Resource Manual. These responsibilities require the landlord to:

• Screen the family to be sure that they will be good renters. You should look at their rental history, credit history and criminal history
• Abide by your obligations of the lease to the renters/HOC customers
• Abide by your contractual obligations to HOC. This includes providing information to HOC, as requested
• Maintain the unit up to the standards of the Montgomery County Housing Code
• Follow fair housing and equal opportunity requirements
• Collect from the renters/HOC customers any security deposit, the customers’ portion of the rent, and any charges to repair the damage that the renters/HOC customers may have caused.
• Follow the law on security deposits, including interest payments and refunds when the HOC customer/renter moves out
• Enforce the HOC customers’ responsibilities as defined by the lease
• Notify HOC if the renters/HOC customers violate the lease, or if there is any other discrepancy related to the renters/HOC customers
• Pay for utilities and services for which you are responsible under the lease

HOC Responsibilities to HOC HCV Customers

To respond to the needs of our HCV customers and landlords, HOC agrees to the following responsibilities:

• Help families succeed in the program through prevention, intervention, and enforcement of the rules
• Actively help families, elderly and disabled people, and landlords participate in the program
• Follow fair housing and equal opportunity requirements
• Handle the process for applications, the waiting list, and the selection for the program
• Determine who can live in the unit
• Request and check information about the family when they enter the program and while they are in the program
• Inspect the unit before the family moves in, and annually. When there is reason to believe that the unit may be damaged the landlord may request a move-out inspection. HOC may charge a fee to conduct move-out inspections
• Determine whether the rent set by the landlord is allowed by the program and is reasonable
• Determine how much rent the family must pay to the landlord
• Notify the landlord of any changes in the subsidy
• Determine how much rent HOC will pay to the landlord. Make those rental payments on time
• Establish the utility allowance for the unit
• Enforce the contract with the landlord. Take action if the landlord does not maintain the unit up to program standards
• Investigate program compliance and potential fraud
• Offer a Family Self-Sufficiency Program and other services that will help families succeed
• Provide quality customer service
• Regularly evaluate family eligibility for assistance through HOC

Unit Inspections

HOC conducts unit inspections in accordance with the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to guarantee a basic level of health and safety for all units leased under the Housing Choice Voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation programs.

The inspector’s primary concern is that the unit is decent, safe and sanitary. The inspector will walk through each room and verify that smoke alarms work, toilets flush, and appliances are functioning. Heating and air conditioning systems are checked, along with electrical outlets. The inspector will verify the number of bedrooms, and inspect the unit for rent reasonableness, assessing the unit size, age of the property, location and the condition of amenities. Any safety hazards are noted, along with defects or deterioration, such as peeling paint.

HUD has developed a booklet titled, “A Good Place to Live,” to help landlords and tenants understand HUD’s standards. View here in English.

HUD ha desarrollado un folleto titulado, “Un buen lugar para vivir,” para ayudar a los propietarios e inquilinos a comprender las normas de HUD. El está aquí en Español.

To learn more about inspections, and the responsibilities of HOC, HOC customers, and HOC HCV Landlords in completing inspections, view our Customer and Landlord Expectations/Inspections Guidelines.

Call the HOC Call Center hotline for more information on inspections, Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., at 240.627.9664

Voucher Payment Standards

The VPS is the maximum amount of subsidy, per bedroom size, which HOC can contribute on behalf of a voucher customer as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) portion of the rent to a given landlord. HOC utilizes HUD’s Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) Limits to establish Voucher Payment Standards from 90% to 110% of the published SAFMR rates. HUD publishes FMR rates for each bedroom size by zip code, ranging from 0 to 4 bedroom units. There are 71 zip codes in Montgomery County. Each zip code has its own payment standard, according to bedroom size.  Click here for more information.

Grievances & Appeals

HOC customers have the right to request an informal grievance hearing where complaints against alleged arbitrary, unfair, or illegal practices can be aired and resolved. Participants of the Housing Choice Voucher program may request an informal grievance hearing only in matters pertaining to the termination of their assistance or reasonable accommodation.

To file an appeal, HOC customers may submit a self-service request through the Housing Path Self-Service Portal.

For complete details, please read the HOC Grievance Procedures.

Utility Allowance

The PHA must maintain an area-wide utility allowance schedule for tenant-paid utilities. View the rates here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HOC customers receiving assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher program may find answers to some frequently asked questions below.

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• The PBV Process Explained