The Dallas Housing Authority, or DHA, is the 10th largest public housing agency
and the 4th largest Housing Voucher Program in the country. The DHA has
been serving Dallas County residents since it was established in 1938.
The DHA provides housing assistance through various residential communities and through the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program Section 8 is a service provided through the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs and the US Department of Housing & Urban Development. The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides rental assistance on behalf of low-income residents, including the elderly and people with disabilities.
The US Department of Housing & Urban Development requires 75% of all new households admitted to the program be at or below 30% of the median income in the applicant’s area. Eligible households for the program must also have an annual gross income that doesn’t exceed 50% of the HUD’s median income guidelines.
There are multiple different divisions within the Dallas Housing Authority that manage different parts of the organization. The division that helps individuals and families with the Housing Choice Voucher Program is the Compass Point Select Division.
There is an open enrollment preliminary application through the DHA website for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the Walker Settlement Housing Voucher Program, and the Mainstream Housing voucher Program. If an individual or household submits a preliminary application, they are chosen from a lottery as funding becomes available through the program. If an individual or household is selected, they are notified that they must complete the full Housing Choice Voucher program application, and they will be places on the HCV waiting list.
The DHA owns housing properties that are accommodating for seniors and persons with disabilities that a person can apply to reside in.
To be able to apply to and live in a DHA property, an individual must meet the following qualifications:
- The individual must pass a criminal background screening
- An individual must provide acceptable documentation of social security numbers for all family members except those who don’t contest their immigration status
- The individual must have an annual income at the time of admission that doesn’t exceed the HUD income limits
- The individual cannot owe money to the DHA or any other housing authority that has a connection to any federal housing program
- The individual must not already live in any public housing authority owned dwelling unit
- The individual must meet the applicant selection criteria
The Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative is a partnership of different
organizations that have received funding in order to help residents in the City of Dallas with rental assistance.
To qualify for aid through the Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative, an individual must meet the following criteria:
- Must reside in the City of Dallas
- Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability
- Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Make less than 80% of the median household income in the Dallas area
If an individual’s application is approved, the individual or household will receive rental or utility assistance up to $1500 per unit per month for up to 15 months.
The aid that an individual or household receives through the rental assistance program can be used for financial assistance including:
- Rent
- Rental Arrears
- Utilities and/or Home Energy Costs
- Utilities and/or Home Energy Cost Arrears
- Other Applicable Financial Costs
An individual must provide documentation that they have been impacted due to the COVID–19 pandemic. This documentation could be:
- Proof of reduction of work hours or income
- Proof of increased healthcare or household expenses that attributed to the insufficiency in rent payments
- Proof of inability to find employment due to COVID-19 restrictions or economic impacts
- Proof of job or income loss that is temporary or permanent
- Proof that the individual has been unable to find or maintain employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
No, tenants who have applied to aid do not receive the aid directly. Funds are provided to the landlord or the utility company on the tenant’s behalf.
An individual or household can apply for aid through one of the associated organizations either through applying personally or through a landlord or utility company. To apply through a landlord or utility company, a tenant must cosign the application; the landlord or utility company provides documentation for the tenant and the aid is used to resolve rental or utility payment obligations. A tenant can only apply through one partner, so it’s important for an interested individual or household to find the partner that fits their needs best.
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