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HADC implemented Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs) on April 1, 2018. SAFMRs are fair market rents (FMRs) established at the ZIP code-area level and replaced the 50th percentile FMRs previously required by HUD.
Effective November 1, 2017, all Housing Choice Voucher Program participants are required to report increases in household income within 10 days. HADC staff will calculate a rent adjustment to include the new income. Participants can also report decreases in their income, and will receive a rent adjustment. 
General FAQs
Please click on a question below to view the answer. For answers to more frequently asked questions about the Housing Choice Voucher Program, please link to specific topics from the Housing Choice Voucher FAQs menu.
What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8, is a federal program that provides rental assistance to eligible low-income households through tenant-based and project-based vouchers.
What does the Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8 program) do?
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program assists low income individuals and families with their rental payments. Under the HCV Progam, property owners retain the same rights and responsibilities that they have under the State of Georgia Landlord Tenant Law. They use their own rental agreement or lease and decide what the term of tenancy will be. The tenant has the same obligations as any other tenant under State law. The Housing Authority of DeKalb County (HADC) rental assistance payment to the owner on the familys behalf does not change the normal relationship of property owners or managers to tenants.
What is the difference between the Tenant-Based and Project-Based Voucher Waiting Lists?
Tenant-Based Vouchers provide rental assistance for families in the private rental market. The voucher is provided to applicants and they can choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program.
Project-Based Vouchers provide rental assistance that is tied to a specific unit in a property contracted with the Housing Authority.
For both voucher types, the Housing Authority pays a portion of contracted rent in the form of a housing assistance payment to the landlord on behalf of the Participant. The Participant pays the remaining rent, an amount that is roughly equivalent to 30% of their monthly income, and utility expenses.
How does the Housing Choice Voucher program work?
In the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, participants find suitable housing offered by a private owner using a voucher issued by the Housing Authority. All housing selected by the family must meet local requirements and federal standards called Housing Quality Standards (HQS).
In addition to meeting HQS requirements, units must meet a rent reasonableness test (i.e., the rents cannot be higher than similar units in the area). This test is performed on each unit leased during the initial HQS inspection and when an owner requests a rent increase.
The subsidy is calculated by using the lower of the voucher payment standard or the gross rent minus the total tenant payment. HCV families pay their share of the rent directly to the owner or property manager.
The HCV Program gives a family flexibility to pay more than 30 percent of their income for rent and utilities if they desire. However, families who are new admissions or move to a new unit cannot pay more than 40 percent of their income during the first lease term.
How much does the tenant pay for their rental share?
The tenant pays an amount that is roughly equivalent to 30% of their monthly income. The Housing Authority pays the balance of the total rent to the property owner.
In some cases, the tenant may pay more than 30% of their income. If the family rents a unit for which rent and utilities exceed the payment standard, the familys portion of the rent may be higher. However, this formula does not mean the family can pay the difference between the requested owner rent and the Authority's approved amount. If the rent for the unit is more than the payment standard, the family will be required to pay more than 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income but not to exceed 40% of their monthly adjusted income.
Families are prohibited from paying more than 40% of their monthly adjusted income for rent when the gross rent exceeds the payment standard. After the initial lease term, the family can pay more than 40% of their adjusted monthly income for rent.
Does HADC work with Housing Referral Partners?
Yes. The HADC Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program partners with a number of Agencies that provide Housing Referrals for homeless and vulnerable individuals and families. Link here for HADC Housing Referral Partners.
Are there ways to identify available HCV properties?
Yes. If you have internet access, please go to www.socialserve.com, AffordableHousing.com (formerly GoSection8.com), or www.georgiahousingsearch.org, and follow prompts leading you to ‘Rental Assistance’ or your desired information. The sites provides up-to-date information on our HCV and affordable housing units. To further attract voucher holders or interested renters, an owner agent might wish to advertise available property in local publications, flyers, and bulletin boards.
The Housing Authority has partnered with AffordableHousing.com (formerly GoSection8.com), which provides an enhanced program to list rental properties online. Listings are available to potential Housing Choice Voucher tenants seeking apartment units, duplexes, single-family homes or townhomes in the private market. LINK HERE to view tenants search portal for rental listings.
Please contact the AffordableHousing.com toll free helpline at 1-866-466-7328 if you have questions regarding viewing property listings.