Voucher Programs

What is a housing voucher?

A housing voucher is a promissory note from the Federal Government. It promises a landlord to pay a part of your rent every month, making the rent affordable to you. It's a promise that can last your whole life if your income remains low. If you have a voucher, you can plan on paying about 30 percent of your income. Your income will be adjusted to take medical and other expenses into account. 

Sometimes, that promise of payment attaches to every apartment in a building. These are project based vouchers.

Since the 1970s, most vouchers are part of the Housing Choice Voucher program, sometimes referred to as "Section 8". These vouchers allow you to rent anywhere in a region. That ability to rent anywhere has fantastic results for families and individual voucher-holders. Choosing your own location can ensure that you're closer to work, family, good schools, public transit, etc.

How do I get a housing voucher?

Funding for most vouchers originates with the federal government. But vouchers are allocated at the local level, most often through Housing Authorities.

In Sonoma County, there are two Housing Authorities that give out housing vouchers. They are the Sonoma County Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Rosa. Each has a waiting list, populated by a lottery. Right now, each waiting list is closed. You can check open waitlists by clicking on: Open Waitlists. This list includes vouchered and non-vouchered opportunities. 

Sometimes, social services agencies and county departments have a few vouchers for their clients. It's always a good idea to bring up your housing situation with anyone you work with.

Who is eligible for a voucher?

Households that are low-income are eligible. You can find out maximum income levels here. 

Sometimes, local housing authorities manage their wait lists with a preference system. This results in certain households moving up the list faster than others. For the Sonoma County Housing Authority, seniors and people with disabilities will move more quickly than other applicants. The City of Santa Rosa doesn’t have preferences. No matter where you live in Sonoma County, you can get on either or both waitlists. 

If you are a veteran, please refer to the Housing for Veterans page for information about special vouchers for veterans.

Can a landlord turn me down because I have a voucher?

No. California law forbids landlords from turning down an applicant because the applicant is using a housing voucher. A landlord must screen your application just like any other.

For information you can share with a landlord, click here.

Credit Screening and Vouchers

If you have a voucher  in California and are worried that a landlord's credit screening practices would put you out of the running for a rental unit, you can ask for an alternate screening method other than credit. SB 267, which went into effect in January, 2024,  allows you, the applicant, to offer other evidence of your ability to pay rent. This might include your voucher, your bank statements, and payment records from bills you pay. 

How do I improve my chances of getting and using a voucher?

If you are already on a waitlist, keep the appropriate Housing Authority informed of your current address. For the Sonoma County Housing Authority, download the Sonoma County Voucher Waitlist Update Form (pdf). Read Keys to Successful Applications for more information.

If you are not on a voucher waitlist, check our Open Waitlists frequently. The Housing Authorities notify social service agencies and newspapers when their lotteries open.

More to know about vouchers:

• Project Based Units (pdf)

• Open voucher lists across the United States

• Sonoma County Housing Authority Address Update Form (pdf)

• Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs and Policy (pdf)