Your complete resource for understanding the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program — eligibility, applications, finding approved apartments, and tracking waitlists nationwide.
North Carolina has dozens of Public Housing Authorities administering the federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program — commonly called Section 8 — across the state. From Charlotte and Raleigh to smaller rural counties, how the program works in practice varies considerably depending on which PHA administers your area, local housing market conditions, and your household's specific circumstances. Here's how the program generally operates.
The Housing Choice Voucher program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and locally administered by individual PHAs. Its core purpose is to help low-income households afford privately owned rental housing by subsidizing a portion of their monthly rent.
When a household receives a voucher, it doesn't tie them to public housing units. Instead, the voucher can typically be used with any landlord willing to participate — as long as the unit meets program requirements.
Eligibility is based on several factors that PHAs evaluate together:
| Factor | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Income limits | Set relative to Area Median Income (AMI) for each county or metro area; generally capped at 50% AMI, with most vouchers targeting households at or below 30% AMI |
| Household size | Larger households often have higher income limits; bedroom size eligibility is also affected |
| Citizenship/immigration status | At least one household member must meet HUD's citizenship or eligible immigration status requirements |
| Criminal background | PHAs have discretion; certain convictions may affect eligibility depending on the PHA's admissions policy |
| Prior rental or program history | Outstanding debts to a PHA or prior terminations may affect eligibility |
Because AMI figures differ between, say, Wake County and a rural western North Carolina county, income limits are not uniform across the state. A household that falls within the income threshold for one PHA's jurisdiction may not in another's.
Most PHAs in North Carolina operate closed waitlists — meaning they are not actively accepting new applications — for extended periods. When a PHA opens its waitlist, it may do so through:
Once on a waitlist, households are ranked based on preference categories set by each PHA. Common preferences include:
Wait times in North Carolina vary dramatically. In high-demand areas like Raleigh, Durham, or Charlotte, waits can stretch from several years to a decade or more. Smaller or rural PHAs may have shorter waits — or may themselves face chronic funding limitations.
After a household reaches the top of the waitlist and passes eligibility screening, the PHA holds a briefing — an orientation explaining program rules, tenant responsibilities, and how to search for housing.
The household then receives a voucher with a fixed search term (typically 60–120 days, depending on the PHA) to find an eligible unit. If no unit is found in time, some PHAs allow extensions; others do not.
Payment standards — the maximum monthly amount the PHA will pay toward rent and utilities in a given area — are set locally and vary by unit size. The tenant typically pays 30% of their adjusted gross income toward rent, and the PHA pays the difference up to the payment standard via a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with the landlord.
If the rent exceeds the payment standard, the tenant may pay the difference — but only up to a HUD-permitted cap at initial lease-up.
Utility allowances are factored into gross rent calculations and vary by unit type, utility type, and PHA.
Landlords are not required to accept Section 8 vouchers in North Carolina, though some local ordinances in certain jurisdictions may affect this. Participation is voluntary at the state level.
To rent to a voucher holder, a landlord must:
Inspections assess the unit's physical condition — structural integrity, heating, plumbing, electrical systems, and safety features. Units that fail must have deficiencies corrected before the HAP contract begins. ✓
Vouchers are generally portable after an initial period (typically 12 months of continued occupancy or as the PHA permits). A household can request to move to another PHA's jurisdiction — including out of North Carolina — through a portability transfer process.
In portability, the initial PHA (where the voucher was issued) coordinates with the receiving PHA (where the household wants to move). The receiving PHA may administer the voucher under its own payment standards and rules.
Participants are required to recertify their income and household composition at least annually. If income increases significantly, the tenant's share of rent typically rises. If income drops, it may fall. Some changes — a new job, a household member moving in or out — require interim recertifications between annual reviews.
PHAs can deny applications or terminate assistance for reasons including income ineligibility, program rule violations, fraud, or certain criminal history.
Households generally have the right to request an informal hearing to contest a denial or termination. Each PHA has its own hearing procedures, timelines, and standards — and the outcome depends on the specific facts and the PHA's determination.
The variables that matter most — your PHA's current waitlist status, its local payment standards, its admissions policies, and how your household income compares to the AMI in your county — are the details that no general overview can answer for you.
Select your state to view local waitlists, PHAs, and application information.