Section 8 / HCV​

HCV/Section 8 Program​

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, commonly known as Section 8, is a federal rental assistance program that helps very low-income families afford safe, sanitary housing in the private market . Instead of living in publicly-owned housing, HCV participants find their own housing – such as a house, apartment, or duplex – from a private landlord. The Housing Authority then pays a portion of the rent directly to the landlord on the family’s behalf, and the family pays the remainder. This public-private partnership expands the housing choices available to assisted families.

Check Your Status:​

While on the Section 8 waiting list, you can use the Applicant Portal to check your status or update your contact information . When your name comes to the top of the list and funding is available, CHA will contact you to start the intake process. Because voucher turnover is limited, wait times can be significant – sometimes months or years. We appreciate your patience as we work to assist as many families as possible.

HCV/Section 8 waiting list is not accepting applications at this time. 

* HOUSING LIST Closed *

Due to high demand and limited funding, the Section 8 list is often closed and may open only rarely (sometimes for just a short window) when our current list of applicants has been exhausted. In fact, the HCV waiting list is currently closed (as of 2025) . We will announce on our website and in the local news when we plan to open the Section 8 list for new applicants.

Apply For Housing

How it works:

Eligible families who receive a voucher can choose any rental unit within Cullman County (or authorized areas) as long as the unit meets program requirements. The chosen unit must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection conducted by CHA to ensure it is in good condition and safe . The rent for the unit must also be reasonable compared to similar unassisted units in the area. Once approved, the family will sign a lease with the landlord, and CHA will sign a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with the landlord. The family typically pays around 30% of their monthly adjusted income towards rent and utilities, and the voucher subsidy covers the rest, up to a set payment standard . (If a family chooses a unit with rent above the payment standard, they may pay a slightly higher percentage of income, but by rule they will not pay more than 40% of income on rent at move-in.)

After applying:

While on the Section 8 waiting list, you can use the Applicant Portal to check your status or update your contact information . When your name comes to the top of the list and funding is available, CHA will contact you to start the intake process. Because voucher turnover is limited, wait times can be significant – sometimes months or years. We appreciate your patience as we work to assist as many families as possible.

Applying for a voucher:

Cullman Housing Authority maintains a separate waiting list for the HCV (Section 8) program. When the Section 8 waiting list is open, we accept applications either online or via a paper form (similar to public housing). Due to high demand and limited funding, the Section 8 list is often closed and may open only rarely (sometimes for just a short window) when our current list of applicants has been exhausted. In fact, the HCV waiting list is currently closed (as of 2025) . We will announce on our website and in the local news when we plan to open the Section 8 list for new applicants.

If you are interested in Section 8 assistance, please watch for an announcement of the list opening. When open, you can apply online through our Applicant Portal by registering and completing the Section 8 application (a combined application may be used for both public housing and HCV). If you prefer, you can submit a paper application at our office during the open period. Just like public housing, applicants are placed on the HCV waiting list by date/time of completion of application.

Voucher issuance and leasing:

When you are selected from the waiting list, you will be invited to an eligibility briefing. At this meeting, we will verify your household information (income, family size, etc.) and explain the program rules and your responsibilities. If you are still eligible, you will receive a Housing Choice Voucher and guidance on searching for a rental unit. You generally have 60 days to find a suitable unit (this deadline can be extended in certain circumstances). Our staff can provide a list of property owners who have participated in the program, but you are free to search anywhere in the community. Once you find a unit, you’ll submit a request for tenancy approval to CHA. We will inspect the unit and approve the lease if it meets requirements.

From that point, you will pay your portion of rent to the landlord each month, and CHA pays the rest directly to the landlord. You’ll have the same rights and responsibilities as any tenant in private housing, and your landlord will treat your tenancy the same as a non-assisted tenancy in terms of leases, rules, and maintenance. The Housing Authority will re-inspect the unit on a bi-annual basis and re-certify your income and family composition every year to adjust your subsidy as needed. If your income changes significantly, your share of the rent will be adjusted (you must report any income or family changes to CHA promptly). The goal is to ensure the rent always remains affordable for you and that the unit remains in good condition.

Section 8 Facts

Section 8 is a housing assistance program that allows eligible, low-income families to rent units in the private market. The Housing Authority provides rental subsidies directly to the owner on behalf of the assisted family.

Please note: The jurisdiction of Cullman Housing Authority is Cullman County.

The program has been designed to achieve these major objectives:

  • To provide safe, decent, and sanitary housing for very low income families while maintaining the tenant’s portion of the rent at an affordable level.
  • To promote freedom of housing choice and de-concentration of very low income families.
  • To provide an incentive to property owners to rent to very low income families by offering timely housing assistance payments.
  • To assist the local economy by increasing the occupancy rate and the amount of money entering the community.
  • To encourage self-sufficiency of participant families.

Who is eligible for Section 8 housing assistance? Elderly (62 years of age or older), handicapped, disabled, single persons or families that are “very low income” according to the HUD definition.

When the wait list is open, they must complete an application to determine eligibility and be placed on the Section 8 Waiting List. Applications are available at the CHA Central Office, located at 408 Cleveland Avenue SW, Cullman, AL 35055.

In general, the tenant pays 30% of their “adjusted family income” for rent and utilities. The Housing Authority pays the difference between the unit’s contract rent and the family’s portion of rent directly to the property owner.

The Cullman Housing Authority determines the amount a family pays for rent. No additional payments may be made to the landlord by the family. Such “side payments” are expressly forbidden and will lead to an owner’s disbarment from the program and possible criminal or civil penalties.

In order for a requested contract rent to be approved, it must be “rent reasonable” which means that we must find three other similar units in the same neighborhood or area which support your requested contract rent. Based on the family’s particular income, they will be given a maximum contract rent to use when shopping for a unit to lease.

The Housing Authority is not responsible for finding a suitable unit for the assisted family. Section 8 is known as the “finder’s keepers” program, where the family has the responsibility to find a unit.

Tenant selection is the owner’s responsibility. The Housing Authority does not screen Section 8 families for their “suitability” as a tenant. Such screening is the landlord’s responsibility.

Can I rent to a relative? The landlord cannot occupy the rental unit, nor be related to any member of the tenant’s family. Relatives include parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. An exception may be granted to provide reasonable accommodation for a family member who is a person with disabilities.

A “Request for Tenancy Approval Form” is provided to the owner by the prospective tenant. This form requests information regarding the desired amount of contract rent, security deposit, any furnished utilities and appliances, and information regarding the unit’s type of construction, year-built, and bedroom size. This form is signed by the prospective tenant and owner and returned to the Cullman Housing Authority by the prospective tenant before the Housing Choice Voucher expires.It is an indication to the Housing Authority that the prospective tenant and owner desire to enter into a lease agreement.

If the requested contract rent is deemed “reasonable”, the owner will be notified if the requested contract rent has been approved. If it is not approved, the Housing Authority can negotiate with the owner. Contract rents cannot be more than un-assisted, private market rents for comparable units in that neighborhood. If an owner does not want to negotiate, the voucher holder will need to search for another unit.If the contract rent is reasonable, a housing inspector will inspect the unit to determine compliance with Housing Quality Standards (HQS).  

After inspection, the Housing Authority will notify the owner and prospective tenant of the results. If repairs are needed, the Housing Authority will notify the owner who has the choice of making the requested repairs. If the owner chooses to make the repairs, and the Housing Authority is notified that repairs have been completed, the unit will be reinspected. Once the unit passes HQS inspection, the owner and prospective tenant can enter into a lease agreement.

The lease will be provided by the owner and signed between the owner and the tenant. The Housing Authority does not sign the lease since it is not the Housing Authority’s unit. The Housing Authority and the owner sign a “Housing Assistance Payments” contract. This “HAP contract” is a HUD document which sets forth both parties’ rights and obligations under the program.

The Housing Authority must re-inspect each unit on the program on a bi-annual basis and issue an Inspection Report to the owner, just as it did at the initial inspection. The tenant is responsible for contacting the owner if repairs need to be made. If the repairs are not done, the tenant may notify the Housing Authority and request a “special inspection”. The owner would be notified of any needed repairs.

A time limit is imposed for completion of the repairs, normally 30 days, but in situations where health or safety is at risk, repairs may need to be completed within 24 hours.

 The owner is expected to enforce the lease. The owner has the right, under the lease to terminate the lease and/or evict the family. During the first twelve months of the lease, the right to do this is somewhat restricted. Termination of the lease does not necessarily mean termination of continued assistance by the Housing Authority. In some cases, an evicted family has the right to seek another unit. That determination is made by the Housing Authority.

The family’s opportunity to transfer with their HCV can only occur once they have resided in the assisted unit for the first full 12 months of the HAP Contract. The request must be prior to the move, to allow the family time to search for a unit. The family must be in good standing and provide a 30-day written notice to the owner.If the family moves out of their assisted unit before requesting a transfer, they have terminated their HCV program.

All changes in tenant income or family composition (members) must be reported to the Housing Authority within ten (10) days since this determines the tenant’s portion of the rent. A family’s failure to do so, or a misrepresentation of their circumstances, could lead to their termination from the HCV program. The owner and tenant will be notified in writing by the Housing Authority of any changes in the rent portions and the effective date.

A “voucher” is the family’s document that verifies their “good standing” with the Housing Authority. An owner who wants to rent to an assisted family needs to ask to see the family’s voucher. It also indicates the number of bedrooms for which the family is eligible. 

“Annual recertification” is the yearly re-verification of a family’s income and composition. This is required by HUD regulations to ensure that each family is paying their appropriate share of the rent and is occupying the proper sized unit. 

The Cullman Housing Authority receives funds form the Department of Housing and Urban Development, through an ACC (Annual Contributions Contract). These contracts are for five or fifteen year periods.

The number of families on the HCV program varies depending on the budget approved and cost of assisting families on the program.

The Family Must:

  • Not damage the unit (other than normal wear and tear). The family is responsible for repairs that are the result of tenant or guest damages to the unit.
  • Not commit any serious or repeated lease violations. Failure to abide by the terms of the lease is a cause for termination. Request approval from the Housing Authority to add new family members or occupants to the unit. All persons living in the unit must be approved by the Housing Authority.
  • Not engage in drug-related criminal activity or other violent criminal activity.
  • Pay utility bills and supply all appliances which are required under the lease.
  • Fulfill obligations of any repayment agreement regarding monies owed to the Cullman Housing Authority.
  • Supply any information that the Housing Authority determines necessary for use in annual or interim re-examinations of family income and composition.
  • Disclose and verify social security numbers and sign consent forms for obtaining information.
  • Promptly notify the Housing Authority of any absence from the unit or if any family member no longer lives in the unit.

What are the responsibilities of the Landlord? The role of the owner is the same as in the private market, except that the owner must adhere to HUD regulations and the required contracts:

  • Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract
  • Lease and HUD Lease Addendum

The Landlord/Owner has the following responsibilities:

  • Tenant selection
  • Compliance with the HAP Contract
  • Normal landlord functions during lease term (ex. rent collection)
  • Maintaining the unit and premises to Housing Quality Standards. If the owner fails to do so, the Housing Authority may abate payment or terminate the HAP contract.
  • Owner is not responsible for a breach of the HQS for which the family is responsible. (Ex. the family fails to provide or maintain any appliances or utilities required under the lease or any member of the household or a guest damages the unit or premises beyond normal wear and tear)
  • Must provide CHA with a copy of any notice to vacate or eviction notice at the same time given to family
  • Notify CHA when unit has been vacated
  • Must give tenant a written list of all items (if any) charged against the security deposit and the amount of each item.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.

1. Refusal to sell or rent or otherwise deal with a person
2. Discrimination in the conditions of terms of sale, rental, or occupancy.
3. Falsely denying housing is available
4. Discriminatory advertising
5. Blockbusting – causing persons to sell or rent by telling them that members of a minority group are moving into the area
6. Discrimination in financing housing by a bank, savings and loan association, or other business
7. Denial of membership or participation in brokerage, multiple listing, or other real estate services
8. Interference, coercion, threats, or intimidation to keep a person from obtaining the full benefits of the Federal Fair Housing Law and/or filing a complaint
Fair Housing is a right afforded to all prospective tenants, both Housing Choice Voucher participants and private market families. It is your obligation as a landlord to comply with the laws that guarantee this right.

Portability:

The Housing Choice Voucher program allows for “portability,” meaning after you’ve leased up in Cullman, you may have the option to move and use your voucher in another city or state, provided you comply with program requirements. Portability rules can be complicated, so talk to our Section 8 coordinator if you are interested in moving to another area with your voucher.
The HCV Program is a vital resource for our community, enabling low-income families to rent from private landlords and live in neighborhoods of their choice. It often benefits those for whom public housing might not be available or suitable. By partnering with landlords across Cullman, we help stabilize lives and foster mixed-income communities. If you’re a landlord interested in participating, or an applicant seeking more information, please refer to our Section 8 Information for Landlords page (coming soon) or contact our HCV Program office.