Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)

The Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list is closed, and not accepting applications.

The Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development Housing Choice Voucher Rental Assistance Program is currently CLOSED to all new applicants at this time. For those Checking the status of your application, OHCD does not number those on our waiting list; the application is active or in-active. Applicants are called from the waiting list by Preference and date and time of application. To check if your application is active or to make any updates, please click here.

You are also able to update any changes on the Waiting List Application by completing a Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist Applicant Update Form and sending it to the office.

Features of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)

OHCD screens applicants for eligibility using HUD's guidelines. Households are prioritized by date and time of application to the waiting list. When an applicant's name comes to the top of the list, the family is screened for eligibility. Eligibility consists of meeting income standards based on household size and a local criminal record check for each adult household member. Approved applicants are briefed and given a Housing Choice Voucher, which entitles them to look for housing in the private market. Below are maximum income limits, however 75 percent of new admissions must be at or below the extremely low-income limits. To view current local income limits and payment standards, see the local information sheet.

Before a unit can be leased under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, OHCD inspectors check to ensure that rents charged are reasonable for the area in which the unit is located, and that the unit meets basic Housing Quality Standards (HQS). Participants must find a landlord/owner willing to rent to a household receiving Voucher assistance. Selection criteria used by private landlords varies. Each landlord uses his/her own criteria, and is encouraged to verify income information and perform a thorough credit check, past rental references and police records. OHCD currently performs local criminal record checks to determine whether applicants have a prior criminal history in the County. For more detailed information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program, visit HUD's website at www.hud.gov.

Tenants will pay between 30-40 percent of their adjusted gross income to rent a unit. Landlords can charge a security deposit up to two months contract rent as prescribed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and as long as they charge voucher holders and non-voucher holders the same amount of security deposit. The security deposit is strictly between the landlord and the tenant.

Following the initial lease period, landlords can request a rent increase by giving the housing agency and tenant at least 60 days prior written notice. The rent requested must be reasonable according to similar properties in the same complex or subdivision. Due to current budget constraints, OHCD allows rent increases no more than three percent until further notice.

For more information on the Office of Housing and Community Development click here.

Searching for Rental Housing?

The Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development is proud to support VirginiaHousingSearch.com, a FREE housing locator with toll-free call center support to help tenants find housing and landlords fill vacancies across Virginia.

Landlords: Register today by phone or online to experience the benefits of this easy to use service:

* Add and update property listings for free online or with a quick, toll-free call (1-877-428-8844).

* Reduce calls on rented properties by marking listings as "unavailable" immediately when rented. Re-list units with a few mouse clicks or by phone when available again.

Portability

If you would like to transfer your Voucher from Prince William County to another locality please provide the following information to your Housing Specialist. You can click here for the Portability Request Form.

1. Locality that you want to transfer to.

2. Address of Housing Agency

3. Portability Coordinator's Name

4. Phone and Fax Numbers

5. If the locality is billing or absorbing

If you would like to transfer from your locality into Prince William County, please have your housing Agent at your present locality forward all paperwork to:

Portability Coordinator

Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development

15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Suite 112

Woodbridge, VA 22191

FAX Number: (703) 792-4978

[email protected]