Nearly 50 years of providing and developing affordable housing opportunities in Washington County.

Begun in 1970 with the creation of the Housing Authority of Washington County, the effort continues today in the Department of Housing Services (DHS).  The Department of Housing Services was formed in 1992 to administer housing activities and programs of the County and the Housing Authority.  The Housing Authority remains a separate legal entity and contracts with the County to implement and administer Housing Authority programs and all support services (e.g. finance, purchasing, and personnel).

The mission of the Department of Housing Services is to provide a continuum of affordable housing options that promote community strength. Please follow the link to access the Department of Housing Services 2017-2027 Strategic Plan.

Working in partnership with both the non-profit and the private sector, the Department of Housing Services combines traditional housing programs with economic opportunity to encourage self sufficiency, skill enhancement and independence.

The DHS offers rental assistance to low income households through various federally funded programs, and also creates affordable housing opportunities in the community for low and moderate income households through a combination of creative financing and partnerships with public and private entities.

Additionally, the DHS is the lead agency for A Road Home: Washington County's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.

 

Upcoming Office Closures

In 2020, the Department of Housing Services will be closed:

• Monday January 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Monday February 17 Presidents Day
• Monday May 25 Memorial Day
• Friday July 3 Independence Day (observed)
• Monday September 7 Labor Day
• Wednesday November 11 Veteran's Day
• Thursday November 26 Thanksgiving Day
• Friday December 25 Christmas Day
• Friday January 1 New Year's Day

Please plan your visits to our office accordingly. Thank you!

  

Housing Services has a Drop Box!

If you have visited the Department of Housing Services recently, you may have noticed this shiny new friend in front of our building.

The drop box was installed to give our program participants and applicants the ability to drop paperwork and payments off any time - whether our office is open or not!

Next time you have paperwork to drop off, you are welcome to save yourself a trip to the second floor and pop your paperwork into the drop-box. It will keep your papers safe and dry until they are retrieved by staff.

The box is incredibly secure, but we do ask that you refrain from leaving cash payments.

If you need a receipt or need to have a copy made from an original document, please do come to the front desk during normal business hours and we will be happy to help you.

 

 

 

  

Waiting List Status

Vouchers and Public Housing

Pre-applications for the Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing programs are no longer being accepted. Households who submitted applications can check their status at portal.wchousingauthority.org. More information is available here.

Project-Based Vouchers

Applications for Project-Based Vouchers are currently being accepted. To apply, download the application. Please be aware that applicants who have already applied for the Housing Choice Voucher or Public Housing may also apply for Project-Based Vouchers. A list of the Project-Based Voucher sites is available here.

Current Applicants

If you are a current applicant and need to update your information, please access your account at portal.wchousingauthority.org or complete an Update Application.

For more information...

Visit our Applicants and Waiting Lists page.

 

 

Electronic Payment Options for Landlords and Program Participants

Tired of dealing with Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) checks or Utility Reimbursement Payment (URP) checks? We offer two options for electronic payment - Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and ReliaCard.

Electronic Funds Transfer

EFT payments are electronically transferred directly to the bank account of your choice. To request EFT payments, complete the EFT Application and e-mail it back to us.

ReliaCard

ReliaCard is a benefit card that functions like a debit card. It is loaded automatically each time you receive a payment. For more information, please read the ReliaCard Frequently Asked Questions or ReliaCard Flyer. To request ReliaCard payments, complete the ReliaCard application and email it back to us.

Questions?

If you have questions about either payment method, please send an email to our EFT Contact.