County Provides Opportunity to Sign Up for Lottery to be on Waitlist for Housing Choice Voucher Specialized Program

The Prince William County Office of Housing and Community Development, or OHCD, will open the online application for the Housing Choice Voucher Program Lottery for the Mainstream Specialized Program on Tuesday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During this time, county residents can submit an application for an opportunity to be chosen as part of the lottery process. Those who apply and meet the special population qualifications are placed in a lottery pool, and if selected, will be placed on the Mainstream Specialized Program waitlist, if eligible. 

The Mainstream Specialized Program is designed to provide rent subsidies for eligible applicants who wish to rent private market housing and for households that include a non-elderly person with a disability. A non-elderly person is defined as someone between 18 years of age, but less than 62 years old. The person applying must live or work in Prince William County. 

Applicants must apply online through the Wait List Check System portal at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/VA1087. The application process requires full legal names, social security numbers, birthdates, mailing address and income information for every person in the household.  The total household income must be entered into the application. If the household has no income from any sources, zero must be entered into the income field. Applicants must ensure that the information provided is truthful and complete to the best of their knowledge. 

Submitting an application does not guarantee that people will be placed on the waitlist or receive vouchers. There is no cost to submit an application, and no one will ask applicants for payment of any kind. 

Of the eligible applicants, 100 will be randomly chosen for the waitlist through the lottery. Applicants who are chosen as part of the lottery will be notified.  

HUD provides Housing Choice vouchers as subsidies for eligible applicants to rent private market housing in urban and suburban cities and counties. It allows participants to pay approximately 30-40 percent of their adjusted income towards rent, which they are responsible to pay directly to their landlord. 

“The voucher program aids the most vulnerable of our residents while supporting the county's strategic goal of providing a safe and secure community for all,” said OHCD Director Joan Duckett. “The Housing Choice Voucher Program assists very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. We are hopeful that those in need will take advantage of this opportunity to get on the Mainstream Specialized Program’s waitlist.” 

For more information about program requirements please visit pwcva.gov/housing.