The Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) Rental Assistance Department provides housing subsidy to eligible families throughout the Metropolitan Detroit Area (Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, St Clair, and Wayne counties). The Department provides services through the Housing Choice Voucher Tenant Base Program, Project Based Voucher Program, Moderate Rehabilitation Programs, Family Unification Vouchers, Mainstream Disabled Vouchers and Emergency Housing Vouchers.
The Rental Assistance Department does not own or manage property. Rather, we contract with private owners/landlords to provide financial rental assistance on behalf of eligible individuals and families. DHC makes a partial rental payment to the contracted owner/landlord on behalf of the participating family. DHC’s rental portion is calculated based on the household income. Program participants generally pay 30% of their adjusted income in rental costs.
Participating individuals and families may select rental housing located in the counties listed above. Some program assistance is site based (the assistance is tied to the property: Project Based Vouchers and Moderate Rehabilitation) while other is transferrable to different units. DHC will make unit listings available. The selection of the unit is an individual choice however the unit must meet the Housing Quality Standards, the rent must be reasonable, and the total rental cost must meet the affordability test.
Payment Standards Effective February 1, 2024
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires every Public Housing Authority to complete a Rent Reasonableness Survey which demonstrates the rent requested for a unit is reasonable when compared to other current rental costs of unassisted units in the same vicinity. Initial rental costs must also not exceed 40% of the individual/families adjusted gross income at time of move in.
Voucher Payment Standards are calculated based on the HUD published Fair Market Rents (FMR). DHC’s current Voucher Payment Standard is 120% of the published FMR. The Voucher Payment Standard are based on the voucher size and use to determine the level of rental subsidy. The FMR and Voucher Payment Standards are composed of the rent to owner and the estimated tenant paid utilities.
Payment Standards byVoucher Bedroom Size
THE AMOUNTS SHOWN ARE NOT GUARANTEED CONTRACT AMOUNTS
Voucher Bedroom Size | Payment Standard |
$971 | |
1 | $1,094 |
2 | $1,394 |
3 | $1,737 |
4 | $1,873 |
5 | $1,976 |
6 | $2,234 |
***NOTE: Contract rental amounts areapproved by DHCaccording to the utilities provided by the landlord, affordability for the tenant, and verification that the rental amount is reasonable compared to other similar, unsubsidized units in the area***
