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Federal Housing Program

Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)

Formerly known as Section 8, the Housing Choice Voucher Program helps very low-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities access safe, decent, and affordable housing throughout Buncombe County.

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Housing Choice Voucher Hours of Operation have changed.

Housing Support Specialists are available: Monday – Wednesday: 9am to 4pm  |  Thursday: By appointment only. Please contact your case worker to schedule an appointment. Other departments, both at the Central Office and at our sites, will continue to operate during normal business hours.

About the Program

Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)

The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) (formerly known as the Section 8 Program) is the federal government’s major housing program funded federally and administered locally to assist very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities with affordable, decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Voucher holders may choose any housing type that suits the needs of their family, as long as the requirements of the program are met.

Voucher Assistance Options

Through the HCVP, there are two forms of voucher assistance:

Project-Based

Project-Based Vouchers

Project-Based Voucher (PBV) holders reside in PBV units where they pay 30% of income towards their rent and utilities. Any rent portion not paid by the PBV household is paid for by the program. PBV holders are assisted as long as they live in their PBV units and continue to qualify for the HCV Program.

  • →Pay 30% of income toward rent and utilities
  • →Assistance is tied to the specific PBV unit
  • →Must apply for a Tenant Mobility Voucher to move to private market with continued assistance
Tenant-Based

Tenant-Based Vouchers

With Tenant-Based Vouchers (TBVs), very low-income families may select and rent affordable housing in the private market.

  • →Very low-income families are those with incomes below 50% of area median income (AMI)
  • →Tenants pay 30–40% of their income towards rent and utilities
  • →The Housing Authority pays housing assistance directly to landlords on behalf of tenant-based voucher holders

Eligibility

Eligibility

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the Housing Authority based on family size, total annual gross income, and citizenship or eligible immigration status.

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Family Size

Eligibility and income limits are based on the size of your household. The charts below detail income limits by family size for the Asheville/Buncombe and Haywood County areas.

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Income Limits

Generally, income must not exceed 50% of the area’s median income. 75% of vouchers are reserved for families earning 30% or less of the median income.

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Citizenship Status

Citizenship or eligible immigration status is required. Please contact your Housing Support Specialist for more information on qualifying status.

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Local Income Limits

To qualify in the Asheville/Buncombe and Haywood County areas, your income must be below 50% of the median for your family size. Use the charts below to check the limits.

Median income levels vary by location and are published by HUD. Generally, income must not exceed 50% of the area’s median income, with 75% of vouchers reserved for families earning 30% or less of the median.

Utility Allowance

Payment Standards

Eligibility

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the Housing Authority based on family size, total annual gross income, and citizenship or eligible immigration status. Generally, income must not exceed 50% of the area’s median income, with 75% of vouchers reserved for families earning 30% or less of the median. Median income levels vary by location and are published by HUD.

To qualify in the Asheville/Buncombe and Haywood County areas, your income must be below 50% of the median for your family size. Use the charts below to check the limits.

Reasons to Rent With HCVP

Rental property owners can benefit from participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program while helping address the growing need for affordable housing in Buncombe County. Here are a few reasons to consider participating:

 

Receive your Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) – which may be all of the rent, or a significant portion depending on family income – from the Housing Authority on time every month by direct deposit.

 

Any time a tenant renting through the program experiences an income change, their rent portion is adjusted. For a tenant experiencing a loss of income, this means his/her rent portion is reduced and the HAP is increased. This helps to minimize evictions for the tenant and unit turnaround expenses for the owner.

 

HAP provides housing assistance to thousands of tenants in Buncombe County. When searching for available rental properties, these tenants are referred to AffordableHousing.com. As a rental property owner, you can create a free account, list your available rental properties, and review tenant profiles. If you prefer, for a small fee, you can create a premium listing to gain more attention.

 

Short Vacancies

There is strong demand for affordable housing in Buncombe County, so vacancies in the Housing Choice Voucher Program are often filled quickly.

 

Landlord Mitigation Fund

The Housing Authority of Asheville has a damage mitigation fund to help owners in the rare case of a tenant causing excessive damage to an apartment.

Receive your Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) – which may be all of the rent, or a significant portion depending on family income – from the Asheville Housing Authority on time every month by direct deposit into your bank account.
Any time a tenant renting through the program experiences an income change, their rent portion is adjusted. For a tenant experiencing a loss of income, this means his/her rent portion is reduced and Asheville Housing’s HAP is increased. This helps to minimize evictions for the tenant and unit turnaround expenses for the owner.
 Asheville Housing’s voucher program provides housing assistance to thousands of tenants in Buncombe County. When searching for available rental properties, these tenants are referred to AffordableHousing.com. As a rental property owner, you can create a free AffordableHousing.com account, list your available rental properties, and review tenant profiles. If you prefer, for a small fee, you can create a premium listing to gain more attention to your rental property when tenants are searching.
New and existing tenants renting through Asheville Housing’s voucher program are always in need of affordable housing in Buncombe County and owners who will rent to them through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, so filling a vacancy is a pretty quick process.
Asheville Housing has a damage mitigation fund to help owners in the rare case of a tenant causing excessive damage to an apartment.

Landlord Updates

Landlord News: Important Updates for all HCV Landlords and Property Owners

In accordance with updated regulations from HUD, we have officially adopted the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) inspection protocol, effective October 1, 2025.

📄 Implementation of NSPIRE Inspection Standards →📄 NSPIRE Checklist →

Why Become an HCVP Landlord?

Rental property owners can benefit from participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program while helping address the growing need for affordable housing in Buncombe County. Here are a few reasons to consider participating:

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On-time and convenient payments

Receive your Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) – which may be all of the rent, or a significant portion depending on family income – from the Housing Authority on time every month by direct deposit into your bank account.

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Protection from tenant’s financial hardships

Any time a tenant renting through the program experiences an income change, their rent portion is adjusted. For a tenant experiencing a loss of income, this means his/her rent portion is reduced and the HAP is increased, helping to minimize evictions and unit turnaround expenses for the owner.

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Free access to a pool of potential tenants

HAP provides housing assistance to thousands of tenants in Buncombe County. When searching for available rental properties, these tenants are referred to AffordableHousing.com. As a rental property owner, you can create a free account, list your available rental properties, and review tenant profiles.

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Short Vacancies

There is strong demand for affordable housing in Buncombe County, so vacancies in the Housing Choice Voucher Program are often filled quickly. New and existing tenants are always in need of affordable housing and owners who will rent to them.

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Landlord Mitigation Fund

The Housing Authority of Asheville has a damage mitigation fund to help owners in the rare case of a tenant causing excessive damage to an apartment.

Become an HCVP Landlord

Join HACA’s network of property owners helping provide safe, affordable housing across Buncombe County while receiving reliable rental assistance payments.

Contact HACA to Learn More →