Due to a lack of funds, the Roanoke Housing Authority suspends Section 8 vouchers

Roanoke, Virginia – Thousands of people waiting for Section 8 housing are facing a setback after the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced that its housing choice voucher program is closed.

There are now about 4,000 persons on the waiting list. Over 100 individuals were removed from the waiting list. The 100 individuals were informed that while they may keep their vouchers, they would not be able to utilize them to find accommodation.

The Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority stated that it is neither awarding new vouchers or selecting anyone from the queue. The group said that it does not have enough HUD money for the housing voucher program and that there are too many people on the backlog. HUD allots roughly $13 million annually for the program.

Low-income, aged, or disabled individuals can use the housing choice vouchers to search for housing in Roanoke within 50 miles of the housing authority. Typically, the housing authority covers the remaining amount of the rent, with the renter contributing around 30%.

According to Executive Director David Bustamante, the shortage of affordable housing exacerbates the housing voucher deficit.

“There are so many people searching for affordable housing and there isn’t enough of it,” Bustamante explained. “Our tenants used to have a place around here where we had landlords who would rent to our tenants, but now other people who can pay fair market rent are coming in and also competing for those same units.”

According to Bustamante, the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority has communicated with HUD, stating that additional funding is required. It will begin reissuing the vouchers as soon as it has additional funding.

According to the housing authority, this has happened three times previously, and each time, more financing has been obtained within a few months. However, a budget passed by Congress is awaiting approval.

About five to seven people in desperate need of accommodation are being assisted by the group in the interim.

“We need to get them housed because they’ve been waiting for a very long time and some of them have very specific issues,” Bustamante stated.

If you’re on the waitlist, you can apply for the public housing program, he said.

Other groups that support affordable housing are also available.

The Least of These Ministry is one that assists those who are homeless. It assists homeless people in locating resources for residences and security deposits.

People can also stay at the “Suites by TLOT” motel run by the Least of These Ministry while they search for long-term accommodation. Since its February opening, the motel has catered primarily to the homeless. The cost of staying at the motel is reasonable.

In the meanwhile, SERCAP, the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program, offers a range of services, including housing counseling and rehabilitation. They also have a program that involves purchasing and renovating houses. Following that, such residences are sold to low- and moderate-income individuals.

According to Lauren Mason, Director of Planning and Development at SERCAP, “Having a house that has heat, clean, safe drinking water, and a proper roof so that you’re staying warm, safe, and dry is so important to just meeting your basic needs so that you can focus on the other things in your life.”