When available, Oakland Housing
Authority offers rent subsidies to clients who qualify through a variety
of different programs. Potential residents are encouraged to apply for housing
that meets the needs of their household when pre-applications are being
accepted. Generally, applicants are selected through a lottery process and
placed on Waiting Lists until housing is available for specific units based on
family composition.
MTW Housing Programs Offered by OHA
MTW Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)-OHA subsidizes a portion of the
rent that the tenant pays to a private landlord. Tenants who possess a Section
8 Voucher are able to locate a unit of their choice in a neighborhood of their
choice, and are also allowed to move out of the city or state and continue
using their Voucher after one year of continuous residence in Oakland
(portability). The key to the Section 8 voucher Program is that the Voucher
moves with the resident, and is not tied to any particular unit.
MTW Project-Based
Housing Voucher Program-Tenants who reside in units using
the Project-based Voucher Program have rent subsidized similarly to those
using Section 8 Vouchers. However, the subsidy is tied to the unit, not the
resident. Residents of these units pay a
portion of their rent and OHA also pays a portion to the property
owner on behalf of the tenant.
MTW Public
Housing-OHA
owns and operates a number of small and large apartment buildings
throughout Oakland. In these Public Housing sites, residents are offered below
market rate rent or rental subsidies. No vouchers are used in the Public
Housing units and tenants generally do not move unless there are changes to
their family composition or they are exiting the program.
Non-MTW Housing Programs Offered by OHA
Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program-America's Veterans may access the
VASH program for subsidized rent and case management services.
Homeless veterans must be referred by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Non-Elderly Disabled (NED)-OHA administers NED vouchers which are designed to provide assisted housing to families whose
head, spouse, or co-head is disabled and under 62 years old. All NED households have the same
rights and responsibilities as Housing Choice Voucher households.
Shelter
Plus Care-Through this
program affordable housing and support services are offered to
homeless people living on the street. To qualify for assistance, participants
must be homeless and disabled by chronic alcohol or drug problems, serious
mental illness, or AIDS and Related Disorders. In addition to receiving a
rental subsidy, Shelter Plus Care participants receive support services through
a network of local service agencies. Shelter Plus Care is run by the Alameda
County Housing and Community Development Department in partnership with the
Oakland, Alameda City, and Alameda County Housing Authorities.
Moderate Rehabilitation Program-The Section 8 Moderate
Rehabilitation Program (Mod Rehab) is a unit-based rental subsidy program that
links the funding of affordable housing with the rehabilitation of rental
property in the community. Unlike tenant-based Vouchers, Mod
Rehab subsidies are tied to individual rental units. This means the subsidy is
not transferable and a participant can only receive assistance if he or she is
living in a Mod Rehab unit. Some Moderate Rehabilitation units are set-aside
for people who are elderly, homeless, or disabled.