How to Apply for a Section 8 Voucher

KCHA's waiting list for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers is closed

Using a random lottery drawing, 2,500 applicants were chosen for the current list in March 2020. We notified these applicants with printed letters and emails sent in the last week of March 2020. If you are on the current waiting list and your contact information changes, please let us know using the Application Change Form.

We do not know when the waiting list will re-open in the future.

Housing Choice Vouchers are funded by the federal government. KCHA manages this federal program, and has a limited number of vouchers to distribute.

Eligibility

Your household income must be at or below 80 percent of area median income (AMI) for your family size:

Your household must also:

• Meet one of KCHA's housing selection preferences. You must be homeless, live in substandard-condition housing, pay more than 50 percent of your household income on rent and utilities, or have household income at or below 30 percent of AMI for your family size (see chart above).
• Have at least one family member under the age of 18, elderly or disabled.  Single, non-disabled adults younger than age 62 do not qualify.
• Be citizens — or non-citizens with eligible immigration status.
• Not currently live in subsidized housing.
• Not have a criminal record that KCHA believes could affect the health, safety, or welfare of other tenants or its employees.

Applications

KCHA does not take Section 8 applications year-round. You can only apply during a specified two-week period prior to a random lottery drawing. We will only add you to the waiting list if we select your application through this random drawing. Learn more about the lottery process.

Other housing authorities in Washington and across the country may have open Section 8 waiting lists. You can view a list of these openings on the Affordable Housing Online website.

Emergency Housing

KCHA does not provide temporary housing, but many other agencies do. Learn how to find emergency housing.