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Numerous landlords harbor inquiries regarding Section 8 and the intricate details of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV). Unfortunately, these intricacies vary slightly across different states, counties, and even cities. While the disparities between Section 8 housing programs are not substantial, it is crucial to align yourself with a Property Manager or fellow investor to ensure you avoid the pitfalls when considering a Section 8 tenant for the first time.
Today, I aim to share a particularly valuable resource that assists Landlords in determining the approximate amount the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) will pay based on the specific suburb within Cook County where their property is located.
It's important to note that while Chicago falls within Cook County, this information does not account for the HCV program in the city itself, as Chicago’s Section 8 is administered by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), which operates as an entirely different entity. At the bottom of this page, you can find some links that provide specific information about the CHA.
Here is a link to the Payment Standards for 2023, which have been in effect since January 2023, detailing rental amounts.
**link to 2023 payment standards** https://thehacc.org/app/uploads/2021/04/Payment-Standards-Eff-1-2023.pdf
The chart breaks down zip codes and bedroom sizes, providing the rental amount that HACC would pay the landlord, assuming the tenant has no utility responsibility. However, as is often the case, tenants are responsible for their own utilities, including gas, water, and electricity. Therefore, the full amount displayed may not accurately represent the complete rental amount.
To account for utilities, you need to make slight adjustments, deducting $100 for electricity, $100 for gas, and $75 for water. These adjustments will provide you with a better estimate of the monthly rental income you can anticipate.
For example, if you possess a four-bedroom single-family home in Homewood (60430), you would locate 60430 on the top half of the first page and observe that the range is denoted as "K."
Moving towards the bottom of the first page, you would find Column K and scroll down to the "4BR" row, which displays the amount of $2,376.00 if the landlord covers all utilities.
However, if you expect the tenant to pay for their own gas, electricity, and water, you can adjust the expected rent to $2,101.00. As a landlord, you can anticipate receiving approximately $2,100.00 from the HACC Section 8 program.
It's important to note that this figure is not exact, and I would advise landlords to consider it as a median number. In this case, I recommend that landlords be open to accepting a Section 8 voucher tenant if they are comfortable with a rent range of $2,000 to $2,100. Landlords and Property Managers may have varying approaches to utility allocation, but this method has proven effective for us over the years.
Please feel free to reach out at any time to discuss your current property or even a property you may be considering for purchase. We possess extensive experience and firsthand knowledge of investing in all areas and markets within the Chicagoland area.
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