Affordable Housing Applicant FAQ
To view current income limits and other requirements, visit our full HUD requirements page.
When your name comes to the top of the waiting list, KCDC will contact you using information on your application. Please ensure that you log in to the Participant Portal regularly to keep your contact information up-to-date.
Section 8 FAQ
Housing Choice Voucher holders can use the voucher to rent available units.
To move outside the city limits of Knoxville, the portability feature applies.
Participants with Housing Choice Vouchers have the HUD statutory right to lease an eligible unit anywhere in the United States with a governing voucher program (portability feature). Also, an applicant receiving a new voucher, who lived in KCDC’s jurisdiction when he/she applied for rental assistance, has the statutory right to move under these same conditions.
If participants decide to move, they must inform KCDC of the area to which they wish to relocate. KCDC will determine if the housing agency in the new area administers a voucher program. KCDC will notify the housing agency to determine proper procedures and provide information and guidance to the participant to expedite the process.
Reasons for Relocating
- Safety
Move from a high-crime area - Education
Better schools and educational opportunities - Employment
Closer to job opportunities - Medical
Closer to medical facilities - Family Support
Closer to family members living out of town - Transportation
Closer to bus lines or other public services
The portability feature enables participants to select the neighborhood, community, city, or state of their preference. KCDC recognizes that moving is part of life, and staff are trained to help with this process. A copy of United States Housing Agencies is available upon request.
Facts to Consider if You Plan to Move
- The new housing agency’s payment standard is applicable
- The new housing agency’s occupancy standards may change the bedroom size of you voucher
- The new housing agency has the right to screen for criminal activity
- You should manage the move so you have enough time to arrive at complete the voucher transition with the Housing Agency before your voucher expires, otherwise you may lose your assistance
The monthly housing assistance is the difference between the payment standard and 30 percent of the monthly adjusted family income. In determining the initial housing assistance payment for the family, KCDC will use the payment standard in effect on the date the lease is approved. The family may choose to rent a unit for more or less than the payment standard, but the choice does not change the amount of the assistance payment.
Knox County Voucher Payment Standards | |||||||
Room # | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Fair Market Rent | 541 | 656 | 798 | 1040 | 1338 | 1538 | 1739 |
Please view our other affordable housing options on our housing page.
The online process is the quickest, most efficient way to submit your application for consideration while avoiding lines at the rental office. While individuals wait in line at the rental office, other applications will arrive through the online application.