The Wichita Housing Authority (WHA) Section 8 Rental Assistance Program is designed to help income-eligible families pay their rent to private landlords. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) determines the rules and regulations for the Section 8 Program. Income eligibility is determined using current Federal Income Limits. 2009 Federal Adjusted Income Limits
Persons determined eligible for the program receive a Housing Choice Voucher to lease a dwelling unit of their choice within the Wichita city limits. Section 8 provides families a choice in determining any type of dwelling unit; as long as it meets certain requirements for rent limits, rent reasonableness and Housing Quality Standards (HQS). The landlord retains private property rights, including management, tenant selection, and maintenance.
Participants pay approximately 30 percent of their adjusted income directly to the landlord. The Wichita Housing Authority (WHA) subsidizes the balance of the rent. The WHA currently administers over 2,500 vouchers, with a value of approximately $12M.
If you have questions regarding the Wichita Section 8 Rental Assistance Program or would like more information, please call the City of Wichita Housing & Community Services - Section 8 Office at (316) 462-3700.
| Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Applicants and Waiting List Information |
The Housing and Community Services Department, Wichita Housing Authority (WHA) announces the opening of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher preliminary application process. The Waiting List has been closed for over one year. The preliminary application process will remain open until further notice.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program provides vouchers to income eligible families, to offset the costs of rent for safe, decent and affordable housing. The on-line application can be accessed 24-hours daily at the link below until further notice:
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Application
Application forms are also available at the Housing and Community Services Department - Section 8 Office at 332 N. Riverview, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The application period will remain open until further notice.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program allows qualified low-income families to receive federal housing rental assistance. Participants pay approximately 30 percent of their adjusted income directly to the landlord. The Wichita Housing Authority (WHA) administers housing assistance payments for over 2,500 privately owned homes and apartments.
Equal Housing Opportunity
The Wichita Housing Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its federally assisted programs or activities.
If you have questions regarding the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program Preliminary Application process, please contact the Section 8 Office at (316) 462-3700.
Applicant Update Form
IF YOU ARE A CURRENT SECTION 8 LANDLORD and are wanting to update rental information about your unit, change of address or phone, or request extension of an inspection, please complete the appropriate form(s) below and either submit on-line or fax to 316-337-9103.
| For Current Section 8 Clients |
IF YOU ARE A CURRENT SECTION 8 CLIENT and are searching for a new home that accepts Section 8 Rental Assistance, click on the link below to see a list of available units for rent. If you are interested in one of these units, please contact the landlord. Make sure you take your voucher with you to verify to the landlord that you are a Section 8 client searching for housing. You and the landlord must complete the Request for Tenancy form that was provided to you with your voucher before we will inspect the unit for Housing Quality Standards. The form should be submitted to the Housing & Community Services Department, Section 8 Office, 332 N. Riverview, Wichita, KS 67203 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. All questions should be directed to (316) 462-3700.
IF YOU ARE A CURRENT SECTION 8 CLIENT and want to request extension of an inspection, you must complete the form below and either submit on-line or fax to 316-337-9103.
IF YOU ARE A CURRENT SECTION 8 CLIENT and are considering applying for the Section 8 Homeownership Program, please follow the links below to read more about the program and to print out an application.
| Special Programs for Section 8 Participants |
Special programs are offered to Section 8 participants that want to have and enjoy a better quality of life for themselves and their families. These programs include the Family Self-Sufficiency Program and Section 8 Homeownership Program. There are also programs designed to assist participants and their families with special needs or disabilities: Family Unification Program, Mainstream Program for Persons with Disabilities, and Shelter Plus Care.
The Family Self-Sufficiency Program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires Housing Authorities to provide a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program as a part of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Participation by voucher holders is voluntary, however, they are encouraged to become involved in establishing goals that will lead them to self-sufficiency. The Family Self-Sufficiency program staff work with community agencies to help voucher holders obtain the skills and experience to enable them to obtain employment that pays a living wage, and reach their self-sufficiency goals.
The Section 8 Homeownership Program allows participants to use Section 8 vouchers toward mortgage payments. Section 8 participants must attend homeowner training and be able to secure a mortgage loan from mortgage lender in order to utilize this program.
The Family Unification Program is designed to help reunite families that were separated by domestic violence, spousal abuse, child abuse, or abandonment.
The Mainstream Program is designed to provide non-elderly individuals or families with disabilities with a Housing Choice Voucher to assist them in renting affordable, accessible, and accommodating private housing to fit their particular needs.
The Shelter Plus Care Program, also known as the SPC Program, was established to help provide housing for the hard-to-serve homeless families who meet one of the following conditions:
- Chronic Substance Abusers;
- Mentally Ill; or
- Have AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses.
Shelter Plus Care is designed to link rental assistance to supportive services for homeless persons with disabilities (primarily those who are seriously mentally ill; have chronic problems with alcohol, drugs, or both; or have Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and related diseases) and their families. Referrals for this program must come through the partner agencies: Connect Care; Miracles, Inc.; or COMCARE.
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