Rental Opportunity Programs

Housing is Expensive! The Rental Assistance Program Can Help!

Purpose and Funding Source: The purpose of the Rental Assistance Program is to make safe rental housing more affordable to families and the elderly with limited incomes. In this program, participants generally pay 30% of their income for rent and utilities.

The Rental Assistance Program is a federal program administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Spokane Housing Authority (SHA). In Whitman County, the Community Action Center administers the program.

Advantages for Owners and Property Mangers: Owners and property managers who choose to participate in the Rental Assistance Program are able to fill vacancies quickly. The Rental Assistance Program makes housing assistance payments directly to the property manager. Property managers retain full responsibility for screening and choosing renters, enforcing leases, and maintaining rental properties.

Eligible Rent Levels: Generally, rent and utilities for a unit must be within the Fair Market Rent limits for Whitman County. The Fair Market Rent is the rent plus utilities, except for telephone and cable television.

A participating family pays at least 30% and not over 40% of their adjusted annual income for their rent and utilities. The Rental Assistance Program pays the balance of their rent to the owner or manager of the unit.

Where Participants Can Live

An eligible family can live in any rental housing unit in Whitman County that meets the following conditions:

• There are no health and safety hazards in the unit.
• The size is appropriate for the participating household.
• The rent is reasonable based on the condition and size of the unit.
• The rent is at or below the HUD approved fair market rental rates.

Often families who qualify for rental assistance choose to remain in the same unit in which they were living when they applied for assistance. HUD regulations prohibit families receiving assistance to rent from family members

PRIORITY is given to households that are working families or the applicant is elderly or disabled

Click Here to Apply

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Return the completed form to:

Community Action Center
Attn: Section 8
350 SE Fairmont Rd.
Pullman WA 99163