The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) homeownership program allows families that are assisted under the HCV program to use their voucher to buy a home and receive monthly assistance in meeting homeownership expenses. While the HCV homeownership regulations contemplate a downpayment grant option (where the PHA offers a single downpayment assistance grant to the family instead of a monthly homeownership subsidy), funding has not been appropriated for this purpose and this regulatory provision has never been implemented.
The HCV homeownership program is available only to families that have been admitted to the HCV program and it is not offered by every Public Housing Agency (PHA). PHAs have the discretion to determine whether to implement the HCV homeownership program in their jurisdictions. To find a PHA in your area that may administer an HCV homeownership program, you may use the homeownership enrollments report below. For contact information of all PHAs by State, not only PHAs administering an HCV homeownership program, click here
To participate in the HCV homeownership program, the HCV family must meet specific income and employment requirements (the employment requirement does not apply to elderly and disabled families), be a first-time homeowner as defined in the regulation, attend and satisfactorily complete the pre-assistance homeownership, and housing counseling program required by the PHA, and meet any additional eligibility requirements set by the PHA.
A PHA interested in pursuing an RRI is required to submit a request to its local Field Office (FO) and the energy policy mailbox (PIH_EPC_Policy@hud.gov) for review. The request must be submitted no later than August 30th prior to the upcoming funding period for which the RRI would be applicable. HUD will provide notification to the PHA on the approval status of the RRI request. PHAs that receive an approval letter from HUD are eligible to claim RRI savings in their annual Operating Subsidy request provided that the action continues to result in a net savings to the PHA. Savings must be reported in the HUD Form 52722 by the initial submission date as identified in the Operating Subsidy notice for each eligible funding year. In order for a PHA to be eligible to claim an RRI, all PHAs must submit documentation of the savings to their FO no later than September 30th prior to the upcoming funding year.
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HCV Homeownership Regulations (24 CFR Part 982, Subpart M) - HCV homeownership regulations are found in Sections 982.625-982.643.
HCV Homeownership Webinar - In this one-hour webinar, housing industry panelists provide information to assist PHAs in developing successful relationships with lenders, utilizing down payment assistance and other financial resources for home buyers, and addressing the affordability gap to maintain and expand the HCV homeownership program.
HCV Homeownership Webinar - In this one-hour webinar, housing industry panelists provide information to assist PHAs in developing successful relationships with lenders, utilizing down payment assistance and other financial resources for home buyers, and addressing the affordability gap to maintain and expand the HCV homeownership program.
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Housing counseling: the law requires that housing counseling required under or provided in connection with all HUD programs is provided by HUD Certified Housing Counselors. This statutory requirement was implemented by HUD through the Final rule for housing counseling certification. PHAs are not required to become approved to participate in HUD’s Housing Counseling program (nor is the PHA’s staff required to become HUD certified counselors) as long as the PHA is not providing the homeownership and housing counseling themselves. However, PHAs must ensure that any homeownership and housing counseling done in connection with the HCV homeownership option is provided by a HUD certified counselor working for a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. HUD is in the process of updating the homeownership regulations to conform with this requirement.
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Homeownership fees: HUD provides a special $1,000 fee for every homeownership closing. In addition, HUD will also fund a one-time $500 special fee for each newly created HCV Homeownership Program at any PHA in CY 2023. This special fee also applies to Homeownership closings in the Moving-To-Work (MTW) Homeownership program, and the Family Self-Sufficiency program (HCV only). More information may be found in the yearly notices implementing the funding provisions for the HCV program.
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Homebuying programs by State: provides more information about homebuying programs, other than the HCV homeownership program, in your State.