Housing Choice Voucher Program

HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM (HCVP)
HCVP is a program that provides vouchers to eligible very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The vouchers are a form of monetary rental assistance that helps very low-income families rent affordable housing of their choice from private landlords in the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal assistance to VIHA to provide rental assistance for very low-income residents to make renting housing in the community affordable. A component of the HCVP program is the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
HCVP is limited to very low-income families and individuals. The very low-income limits are at 50% of the median income for the Virgin Islands. VIHA’s HCVP Department can tell you the income levels for the Virgin Islands by family size.

VIHA DETERMINES YOUR ELIGIBILITY BASED ON:
1. Annual gross income.
2. Whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as
a family.
3. U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.

HOW DO I APPLY?
If you are interested in applying for HCVP rental assistance, contact the VIHA HCVP Department at (340) 714-0174 on St Thomas or (340) 778-8442 on St. Croix, or pick up an application at the VIHA HCVP Offices in either District.
Click here to download the HCVP Pre-Application.

HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORK?
You will fill it out as an applicant for HCVP. VIHA needs to collect the following information to determine eligibility.
1. Names of all persons who would be living in the unit, their sex, date of birth, and relationship to the family head.
2. Your present address and telephone number.
3. Family characteristics (e.g., veteran) or circumstances that might qualify the family for tenant selection preferences.
4. Names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for information about your family’s suitability as a tenant.
5. An estimate of your family’s anticipated income for the next twelve months and the sources of that income.
6. The names and addresses of employers, banks, and any other information VIHA would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition.

A representative from VIHA’s HCVP Department will describe the HCVP program and its requirements, and answer any questions you might have.

WILL I NEED TO PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENTATION?
Yes, a HCVP representative will request whatever documentation is needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns) to verify the information given on your application. VIHA will also rely on direct verification from your employer, etc. You will be asked to sign a form to authorize release of pertinent information to the VIHA.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED?
VIHA will provide written notification. If VIHA determines that you are eligible, your name will be put on a waiting list. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, VIHA will contact you. If it is determined that you are ineligible, VIHA will explain why and, if you wish, you can request an informal hearing.

HOW IS RENT DETERMINED?
Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), would be based on your family’s anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow VIHA to exclude from annual income the following allowances:

1. $480 for each dependent.
2. $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability.
3. Some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities.

Based on your application, a VIHA representative will determine if any of the allowable deductions should be subtracted from your annual income. Annual income is the anticipated total income from all sources received from the family head and spouse, and each additional member of the family 18 years of age or older. The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:

1. 30 percent of the monthly-adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less deductions allowed by the regulations).
2. Welfare rent, if applicable.
3. A $50 minimum rent.

HOW LONG CAN I RECEIVE HCVP RENTAL ASSISTANCE?
In general, you may receive HCVP rental assistance for as long as you comply with the lease and as long as your family’s income is with in the HCVP income limits.

Click on the link below to view the latest standards.
2024 Payment Standards Effective February 1, 2024

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE
The HCVP program regulations are at 24 CFR Part 883. Additional information about the HCVP program can be found by visiting the HCVP program web pages at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.

Information for Landlords

Are you a landlord with a unit for rent?
The Housing Choice Voucher Program may be right for you!

Here are just a few of the benefits:
STABLE ON TIME PAYMENTS, DIRECT DEPOSIT, & FREE ADVERTISEMENT FOR VACANT UNITS

FAMILY SUITABILITY SCREENING

VIHA screens for criminal activity. VIHA does not conduct screening for property owners. It is the responsibility of the property owner to determine a family’s suitability for tenancy. Owner’s should use the same screening criteria for the HCVP families as are used for non subsidized tenants. An owner is under no obligation to rent to an HCVP participant, but must not discriminate based on race, ancestry, color, sex, religion, disability, national origin, or familial status.

Owners may choose some of the following Pre-screening techniques:

-Conduct home visit of resident to observe residents housekeeping habits.
-Check past and previous landlord references.
-Check court records for prior evictions.

Remember, in order to avoid Fair Housing issues, always screen all prospective tenants in the same way, including the HCVP assisted families.
If you currently have a property available for lease, and would like to list it with VIHA, or have any additional questions contact us at: 

DOWNLOADABLE DOCUMENTS FOR LANDLORDS AND TENANTS:

HCVP is a program that provides vouchers to eligible very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The vouchers are a form of monetary rental assistance that helps very low-income families rent affordable housing of their choice from private landlords in the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal assistance to VIHA to provide rental assistance for very low-income residents to make renting housing in the community affordable. A component of the HCVP program is the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

HCVP is limited to very low-income families and individuals. The very low-income limits are at 50% of the median income for the Virgin Islands. VIHA’s HCVP Department can tell you the income levels for the Virgin Islands by family size. VIHA determines your eligibility based on:

1. Annual gross income.
2. Whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family.
3. U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.

If you are interested in applying for HCVP rental assistance, contact the VIHA HCVP Department at (340) 714-0174 on St Thomas or (340) 778-8442 on St. Croix, or pick up an application at the VIHA HCVP Offices in either District.

You will fill it out as an applicant for HCVP Department. VIHA needs to collect the following information to determine eligibility:

1. Names of all persons who would be living in the unit, their sex, date of birth, and relationship to the family head.
2. Your present address and telephone number.
3. Family characteristics (e.g., veteran) or circumstances that might qualify the family for tenant selection preferences.
4. Names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for information about your family’s suitability as a tenant.
5. An estimate of your family’s anticipated income for the next twelve months and the sources of that income.
6. The names and addresses of employers, banks, and any other information VIHA would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition.

A representative from VIHA’s HCVP Department will describe the HCVP Department program and its requirements, and answer any questions you might have.

Yes, a HCVP representative will request whatever documentation is needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns) to verify the information given on your application. VIHA will also rely on direct verification from your employer, etc. You will be asked to sign a form to authorize release of pertinent information to the VIHA.

VIHA will provide written notification. If VIHA determines that you are eligible, your name will be put on a waiting list. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, VIHA will contact you. If it is determined that you are ineligible, VIHA will explain why and, if you wish, you can request an informal hearing.

If you are offered HCVP rental assistance and accept it, you will have to sign a lease with the landlord from which you choose to rent. VIHA will provide the lease agreement.

Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), would be based on your family’s anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow VIHA to exclude from annual income the following allowances:

1. $480 for each dependent;
2. $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability; and
3. Some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities.

Based on your application, a VIHA representative will determine if any of the allowable deductions should be subtracted from your annual income. Annual income is the anticipated total income from all sources received from the family head and spouse, and each additional member of the family 18 years of age or older. The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:

1. Thirty percent of the monthly-adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less deductions allowed by the regulations);
2. Welfare rent, if applicable; or
3. A $25 minimum rent.

If you are offered HCVP rental assistance and accept it, you will have to sign a lease with the landlord from which you choose to rent. VIHA will provide the lease agreement.

Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), would be based on your family’s anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow VIHA to exclude from annual income the following allowances:

1. $480 for each dependent;
2. $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability; and
3. Some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities.

Based on your application, a VIHA representative will determine if any of the allowable deductions should be subtracted from your annual income. Annual income is the anticipated total income from all sources received from the family head and spouse, and each additional member of the family 18 years of age or older. The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:

1. Thirtypercent of the monthly-adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less
deductions allowed by the regulations);
2. Welfare rent, if applicable; or
3. A $25 minimum rent.

In general, you may receive HCVP Department rental assistance for as long as you comply with the lease and as long as your family’s income is within the HCVP Department income limits.

Skip to content