About the Emergency Housing Voucher Program
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law by President Joe Biden, provided more than $1.9 trillion in relief to address the continued impact of the -COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, public health, State and local governments, individuals, and businesses. A portion of this relief was appropriated for new Emergency Housing Voucher (EHVs), the renewal of those EHVs, and fees for the cost of administering the EHVs and other eligible expenses to prevent, prepare, and respond to coronavirus to facilitate the leasing of the emergency vouchers, such as security deposit assistance and other costs related to retention and support of participating owners. (To learn more about HUD EHV operating requirements, please refer to
HUD Notice PIH 2021-15 (HA)).
Broward County Housing Authority (BCHA) and the Housing Authority of City of Fort Lauderdale (HACFL) have each been awarded a limited allotment of EHVs and are working in partnership with the Broward County Homeless Continuum of Care (HCoC) to ensure that these vouchers are provided to eligible Broward County residents in need. All referrals for EHVs must be submitted through the HCoC's Coordinated Entry system.
Eligibility for EHVs is limited to individuals and families who are:
(1) homeless
(2) at risk of homelessness
(3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking
(4) or recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family's homelessness or having high risk of housing instability.
EHV applicants are subject to a criminal background screening once their application is sent to a Public Housing Authority (PHA). Lifetime sexual offender or manufacturing of methamphetamines are prohibited backgrounds. All other background items are based on PHA policies and procedures. Additionally, applicants will be screened to determine whether an applicant family’s income exceeds the applicable income limit as established by HUD. Maximum income eligibility is as follows:
1
| $30,800
|
| 2 | $35,200 |
3
| $39,600
|
| 4 | $44,000 |
| 5 | $47,550 |
| 6 | $51,050 |
| 7 | $54,600
|
| 8 | $58,100
|
Applicants will be required to submit verifications to include identification, proof of social security number, verification of citizenship or noncitizen legal status, and income verification (if applicable). Please note, a referral to the EHV program does not guarantee admission into the program. The Public Housing Authority (either BCHA or HACFL) will make the final determination of an applicant's program eligibility and will notify the applicant when a final determination has been made.
