apply for housing
Voucher Programs:
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is a federally funded program that assists very low-income families, the elderly, veterans and disabled families to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments. HCV Participants are free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program.
Housing Choice Vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program. The Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) is the housing agency that administers the HCVP in Boone County, MO.
A person or family selected to participate in HCVP is issued a rental voucher and is then free to locate a private rental market dwelling unit suitable to the family’s needs and desires. Once the family selects a unit, CHA must inspect the unit before initial leasing and every year thereafter, to ensure that the unit meets HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS). Once the unit passes a HQS inspection and CHA determines that the requested rent is reasonable and affordable, a lease (with HUD’s tenancy addendum) is executed between the tenant and landlord . CHA is not a party to the lease. Then, CHA will enter into a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract with the Owner who leases the unit to the family. Thereafter, CHA pays a portion of the rent – a housing assistance payment – to the owner on behalf of the family.
Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, the family is generally required to pay approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The HAP made by CHA to the Owner pays the remainder of the rent not paid by the tenant.
CHA is not accepting HCV Applications at this time.
Portability Information:
CHA will absorb all families that port into its jurisdiction.
Starting the Process:
To begin, the current Housing Authority must send the voucher holder’s file to CHA with the following information:
- Form HUD-52665
- Copies of income verification forms
- Copy of the voucher
- Copies of family composition documents
- Copy of the most recent Form HUD-50058
- Voucher holders contact information
CHA will contact the voucher holder within 10-14 days after receiving the complete file.
When porting into Columbia Housing Authority, the voucher holder is required to first attend an eligibility interview and sign an Authorization of Release form that allows CHA to conduct a background check. The voucher holder will then receive the voucher.
CHA Rules and Regulations
- Voucher must have at least 60 days remaining before expiration to be ported.
- Voucher holder must attend an HCV Program briefing prior to receiving a CHA voucher.
- HCV participants have Re-Examinations every year.
- A voucher holder currently enrolled in a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program will not automatically be enrolled in CHA’s FSS Program but can apply once a CHA participant.
Once the voucher holder signs a lease in Boone County, MO and a HAP Contract is executed, CHA will notify the initial Housing Authority.
Submit Documents to:
ElTonya Rhoades – HCV Manager
201 Switzler Street
Columbia, MO 65203
Phone: 573.443.2556 Ext. 7059
Fax: 573.443.0051
Briefing Information:
The briefing process may take up to one hour. It goes over a brief review of the Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) process. Rules, regulations, and how to use your voucher. You will receive your housing choice voucher as well as your landlord packet. You will be assigned a specialist that will be handling your paperwork moving forward. During this time you may ask questions in regards to the voucher and housing process.
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
Tenant-Rental Assistance (TBRA) vouchers serve the homeless with supportive services and other at-risk populations. Referrals for these vouchers come from local agencies that provide matching supportive services.
Patriot Place Apartments
On May 26, 2016 the Columbia Housing Authority and the Truman VA celebrated the completion of the Patriot Place Apartments, twenty-five (25) one-bedroom apartments for Veterans participating in the Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
Video of the Dedication Celebration and Learn One Soldier’s Story.
Slide Show of the Development of the Patriot Place Apartments
Local Agencies Partner to Create a Community for Veterans
Welcome Home – A Community for Veterans Campaign Video
The HUD-VASH program, created in 2008 by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs, provides housing assistance and supportive services to Veterans. The Columbia Housing Authority and the Truman VA Hospital currently administer 118 HUD-VASH housing vouchers with supportive services provided by the Truman VA. Since its inception, the CHA and the Truman VA have served more than 200 Veterans through this program. Veterans are able to transition out of the HUD-VASH program and continue to receive housing assistance through the housing authority once they no longer need supportive services from the Truman VA.
The Patriot Place Apartments contain twenty-five (25) fully-furnished one-bedroom apartments and a fitness room, computer lab, and laundry facilities. The apartments also include an office that is fully staffed by a HUD/VASH Program Coordinator from the Truman VA who will provide supportive services to the Veterans. The building utilizes energy efficient construction, appliances, and HVAC to create an energy efficient building. Utility services are provided at no cost to the Veterans.
The adjoining property has been developed by Welcome Home, Inc., a local shelter for homeless Veterans. This site allows Welcome Home, Inc. to expand its current housing capacity for homeless Veterans to thirty-two (32) temporary shelter beds. The creation of a new Welcome Home facility also allows them to serve female Veterans. The new Welcome Home Emergency and Transitional Shelter opened its doors in September 2017.
The Welcome Home Shelter contains a Supportive Services Center that houses supportive services staff from Welcome Home and the Truman VA Hospital and includes programming space, a kitchen and dining room, computer lab, laundry facilities, and a patio.
The Patriot Place and Welcome Home properties are located at 2112 Business Loop 70 East, the former site of a small motel. These two projects have completely transformed this site and created a beautiful community setting for our Veterans. The site encompasses 4.2 acres with the housing developments on the north end of the property with Patriot Park to the south. Patriot Park is 2 acres of green space that contains a picnic pavilion, walking trail, gardens, and a dog park to enhance the lives of our Veterans. An orchard will be planted in the fall of 2017.
The one-bedroom Patriot Place – Apartments for Veterans project is funded with a combination of sources including 25 HUD-VASH housing vouchers which provide a permanent rent subsidy, 4% low-income housing tax credits and grant funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines and the Missouri Foundation for Health. The final funding to complete this project came from local donors Veterans United Home Loans and the Shelter Insurance Companies. Their commitment to Veterans and our community helped to make the Patriot Place Apartments a reality.
The cost of the project was $4.5 million. Construction of the Patriot Place – Apartments for Veterans was completed in April 2016. The first Veterans moved into the Patriot Place Apartments on Monday, April 11, 2016. AIl 25 apartments were fully occupied by the end of July 2016. With the help of local sponsors, all 25 apartments are fully-furnished to meet the needs of our Veterans.
“It is very gratifying to know how many people came together to help us complete this project for our Veterans,” said Phil Steinhaus, CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority. “In a little over 26 months we went from an idea to completing the apartments. The outpouring of support from organizations and individuals, big and small, has been incredible!” Steinhaus said. “The Truman VA has been an amazing partner throughout the whole process and will be on-site full-time to meet the needs of the Veterans living at Patriot Place.” As they reestablish self-sufficiency, Veterans transitioning out of the HUD-VASH program will continue to be supported with Housing Choice Vouchers provided by the Columbia Housing Authority. These housing vouchers can be used anywhere in our community or the United States, giving our Veterans additional housing choices to meet their needs.
Continuum of Care Program
The Columbia Housing Authority Continuum of Care Program (COC) provides affordable housing and support services to homeless people living on the street. The Continuum of Care Program was created under the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Continuum of Care is designed to promote permanent housing with supportive service to persons with disabilities coming from the streets and emergency shelters. Continuum of Care grants require a supportive services match equal to, or greater than, the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 rental assistance award.
To be eligible for the program, a person must be homeless (see definition below), with a mental illness, substance abuse problem, HIV/AIDS or a dual diagnosis. In addition to receiving a rental subsidy, Continuum of Care participants receive support services through a network of local partnering service agencies and must be referred to us by one of those Agencies. Applications received from these agencies are reviewed for Continuum of Care eligibility.
Homeless includes a family or individual who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; and has a primary nighttime residence that is:
- A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); or
- An institution that provides a temporary residence for persons intended to be institutionalized; or
- A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (street, park, hallway, freeway underpass).