Section 8 Rental Assistance Program
Community Action Program, Inc. of Western Indiana, administers this program in Benton, Fountain, Vermillion and Warren counties. Applications are available at any of our offices or can be mailed directly to interested families. The program is designed to assist a family (one or more persons) with their rent on a monthly basis and to ensure the unit the family is going into is affordable, safe, and in sanitary condition. To qualify for the program the families gross household income cannot be more than 50% of the Area Medium Income (AMI).
As applications are received they are placed on the waiting list in their county of preference or the county they presently reside in. Preference points are given to families who are elderly, handicapped/disabled, homeless, a victim of domestic violence, and/or a resident of Indiana. If a family declares more than one preference, they may be moved up on the waiting list for their county. Preference declarations must be verified. If declared preferences cannot be verified, the familiy returns to the waiting list without preference points. Once preference points are verified, the family will be required to furnish the following:
- Copies of birth certificates and social security cards of everyone in the household
- Photo ID's of anyone who is 18 or older
- Proof of income from all sources
- Proof of all banking accounts
- Criminal background checks are done on all household members 18 or older
After all the information above has been received and the family is determined to be eligible, a date will be set for a briefing to go over the rules and regulations of the program. The amount of assistance for each family varies due to the following factors:
- Number of family members
- Gross household income
- Amount of rent requested by landlord
- Utilities the family is responsible to pay
At the time of briefing the family will be given information on what their guidelines are when looking for a unit and tools to use to make sure the unit fits their criteria. A family cannot pay more than 40% of their income out in rent and utilities. The family will be issued a Voucher, which will show the number of bedrooms they are allowed to look for and the 60-day period they have to locate a unit. The bedroom size is gauged by the number of family members. Children of opposite sexes can share a bedroom until one reaches the age of six. If an individual is handicapped, disabled, and/or elderly they can ask for an extra bedroom if they are in need of a caregiver. All units must pass Housing Quality Standards. Families are required to remain in the unit for one year. Families are responsible for informing Community Action Program, Inc. of Western Indiana of any change in address or family status such as the birth of a child, marriage, or divorce.
Landlords do not have to accept the program, however if they do they must abide by the following rules and regulations as set forth in the Contract and any Addendums. The unit must be kept in good repair. The rent cannot be raised unless notice is given to the tenant and Community Action Program at least 60 days prior to the anniversary date of the initial Lease. Then it must be approved by Community Action Program.
- Violations of the Program Rules
- A participant can be terminated for but not limited to the following:
- Having unauthorized persons living in the household
- Not paying their portion of the rent
- Allowing utilities to get turned off for non-payment
- Not providing information in a timely manner at recertification time
- Moving without notice
- Participating in any illegal drug activity
- Participating in any violent criminal activity that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of other residents or neighbors. Permit such activity by any quest or other person in or about the assisted unit.
- Damaging a unit or allowing a guest to damage the unit
For additional information contact: Tina Houchens thouchens@capwi.org or Kelly Mitchell kmitchell@capwi.org or call (765) 793-4881.
Additional Resources:
Visit our "home" page for more information about our other programs