Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)

Housing Choice Voucher Program (also called Section 8 Rental Assistance). The Cambridge EDA has a working partnership with landlords and families to have market rate rental housing. Our section 8 waiting list is closed at this time.

What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program? The Section 8 Rental Assistance Program was authorized by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. This is a federal program funded by HUD. This program provides financial assistance to eligible participants to rent affordable units in the private sector. These units include apartments, duplexes, townhomes, single family homes and modular homes. In this program, it is up to the family to locate the rental unit in which they would like to receive rental assistance. The program is open to low-income individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender or status regarding public assistance. The family will pay approximately 30% of its monthly household adjusted gross income for rent and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) will make up the difference. The Cambridge EDA pays the rent subsidy directly to the owner of the rental property with funds provided by HUD. On an average, each participant remains on the program for three to ten years.

COUNTIES SERVED: Chisago and Isanti Counties

For further information on rental housing and/or housing visit the website » This link can be of assistance to property owners accepting Section 8 as well as those interested in accepting Section 8. It is also a great source of information for anyone looking for assistance or for service providers who are working with clients in finding them help. It provides links and information to further community services sites and explains how they may be of assistance to individuals and families.

Payment Standards
Isanti & Chisago Counties Effective 02/01/12
0 Bedroom $657
1 Bedroom $782
2 Bedroom $967
3 Bedroom $1277
4 Bedroom $1436
5 Bedroom $1652
6 Bedroom $1867
Manufactured Home $370

Utility
M = Multiple Dwelling                                                                        
T&D = Townhouse/Duplex                                                                
SF = Single Family Home

Allowances
Contact: Marilyn Fromm
Phone: 763-689-3883
Fax: 763-689-9148
E-mail »

These payment standards presume that all utility costs are included in the rent (except telephone). When you find a unit you must determine what utilities you have to pay for and add the appropriate allowance to the rent to determine if the unit will qualify for the program.

EXAMPLE: You find a suitable 2 bedroom apartment and the rent is $850 per month. In addition, you as the Tenant must pay for the electricity expenses (for lighting and cooking purposes). You would then check the utility allowance schedule and discover that on a monthly basis, the cost of these utilities is $42.00 (that is, electricity cost of $32.00, electric cooking cost of $10.00. Consequently,

Rent        $850.00
Utilities        42.00
Total        $892.00

$892.00 is below the payment standard for a 2 bedroom of $967 allowed; therefore this apartment would qualify for rental assistance

The rental unit will need to pass the Housing Quality Inspection before we will make assistance payments.