Fairmont/Morgantown Housing Authority

You can get much-needed help for up to 70% of your rental expenses!!

Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937 was designed to assist income-eligible families to rent safe, decent, and affordable housing. Since then the Section 8 Program has assisted literally hundreds of thousands of families to afford suitable housing, who otherwise would have been homeless, or living in substandard housing. Over the years the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program has been enhanced to provide opportunities such as savings accounts toward education or business start-up, and various home ownership options.

The Fairmont and Morgantown Housing Authorities are committed to delivering these opportunities to any and all families that qualify for such assistance within our jurisdiction of Marion, Monongalia, Preston, and Taylor Counties.

Our motto: "Helping You Home" means just that, assisting qualifying families obtain a home in which they can thrive and grow, and perhaps some day, even call their own.

CHOOSING A RENTAL UNIT

Families with a Housing Voucher are responsible for finding their own rental unit through the newspapers, or other public advertisements and postings for available rental property. The Housing Authority also maintains a list of landlords who have expressed interest in renting to persons on our program. When you have identified a rental unit that suits your needs, your assigned clerk will perform an affordability review. Initially the family may pay between 30 % and 40% of their adjusted monthly income toward their rental expenses. After the initial lease period of a year, a family may pay a greater percentage of their adjusted monthly income toward rental expenses. After the review is completed your assigned clerk will contact you and your prospective landlord to schedule your unit for an initial inspection.

If the unit passes the initial inspection, your assistance will begin the day that you move in. If necessary, your landlord will be given thirty (30) days to make any required repairs. After the unit passes the reinspection, you may move in and begin receiving assistance.

HOW CAN YOU QUALIFY?

Qualification for the Section 8 Program is based on Income Guidelines. These guidelines are listed below. Any family (including singles) whose income falls within the income guidelines may qualify for assistance. The Federal Government requires Housing Authorities to screen out applicants who engage in violent/drug-related criminal activities, or who are registered sex offenders.

APPLICATION PROCESS

You may obtain an application for the Section 8 Program at the Housing Authority office, or by request through the mail. Once the Housing Authority receives your completed application, you will be placed on the Section 8 waiting list according to the time and date of your application. Preference is given to families who have a disabled family member and in federally declared disaster situations. Once you have been selected from the waiting list you will be scheduled for a series of meetings to determine your eligibility, and to explain the program to you. You receive your Housing Voucher at an orientation meeting in which you will be instructed on finding a suitable rental unit, and given the necessary paperwork to present to a prospective landlord.

INCOME GUIDELINES FOR 2007
Note: Morgantown is now a MSA that includes Monongalia and Preston County

# In the Family	Marion	Monongalia (MSA)	Taylor
1	16,750	18,950	14,550
2	19,100	21,700	16,650
3	21,500	24,400	18,700
4	23,900	27,100	20,800
5	25,800	29,250	22,450
6	27,700	31,450	24,150
7	29,650	33,600	25,800
8	31,550	35,750	27,450

Note: To be eligible for the Section 8 program, families' gross annual income must be below the highest "Very Low" income limit for the jurisdiction, and below the "Very Low" income limit for the area in which they enter their first lease.

For each person in excess of eight, 8 percent of the four-person base should be added to the eight person income limit. For example, the nine-person limit equals 140% (132 + 8 %) of the relevant four-person income limit, I.e., a nine-person Marion County family would have an income limit of: 140% times $23,900 equals $30,460
Income limits are rounded to the nearest $50.00