Rent Assistance

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is available in all six counties in CIRHA's service area. Included are the counties of Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, and Story, excluding the cities of Knoxville & Pella in Marion county. Families are responsible for locating a unit that is eligible for the program. The family will pay rent to the landlord based on between 30 to 40 percent of the families gross monthly adjusted income. CIRHA will form a contract with the landlord to pay the difference directly to the landlord on behalf of the family. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS: ·  There is a waiting list for this program. Contact CIRHA for a preliminary application to be placed on the waiting list. You can also print an application by clicking on the Preliminary Application link on the homepage.·  Once a family reaches the top of the waiting list, the family will be invited to an enrollment meeting. At the enrollment the family will complete paperwork to be certified for eligibility based on the family income and criminal history.(Income Table)·  CIRHA will then verify the information provided at the enrollment meeting to determine if the applicant is eligible.·  If eligible, the family will be invited to a briefing meeting where the family will receive a Housing Choice Voucher for rental assistance. (All family members age 18 and over must attend this meeting.) (Payment Standard) (Utility Allowances Apartment/Rowhouse/Semi-Detached) (Utility Allowances House/Mobile Home)·  At the briefing meeting the family will receive paperwork that needs to be completed by the landlord of the unit where the family wishes to receive rental assistance.·  Once CIRHA receives the required paperwork along with a copy of the lease, a CIRHA representative will set up an appointment to do a Housing Quality Standards Inspection (HQS). This is an inspection to insure that the unit meets HUD standards for safe and sanitary living conditions. Click on this link to view a copy of the HUD brochure "A Good Place to Live", which gives information about HQS.·  The tenant's rental assistance will begin the first of the month after the unit passes the HQS inspection and the rent is found by the Housing Authority to be reasonable. ·  Once on the program, tenants are required to report all changes in family composition and income to their Section 8 Housing Specialist within 10 days of the event.·  The tenant will be re certified at least annually. The re-certification is required to ensure that the family and the unit are still eligible for the program.·  If the family is not determined eligible for the program, they will be sent a letter informing them that they have been dropped from the waiting list. The family has 10 days to appeal the decision.
Mission Statement: Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority aims to promote affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing by assisting qualified families in a non-discriminatory manner, encouraging self-sufficiency and individual responsibility, while maintaining the public trust.