Dodge County Housing Authority

HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program

A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded program administered by the Dodge County Housing Authority to help individuals and families who are low income to receive assistance with their rent from conventional landlords. The housing authority pays rental assistance directly to the landlord and allows the participant to choose from a variety of housing options including duplexes, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and single-family homes. Within 30 days of the receipt of your application, you will receive a confirmation letter stating you are on the waiting list. This program is dependent on federal funding. It is impossible to predict how long the wait will be. We encourage you to apply for a spot on the waiting list. Households with more immediate housing needs are encouraged to also apply for (the Affordable Apartment Program, administered by the Dodge County Housing Authority).

This program is financed through federal funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is available to anyone in or wishing to reside in Dodge County, Wisconsin that meets the program requirements. The HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program offers lower income persons the ability to choose any housing in the private market including duplexes, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and single-family homes. The property must meet program requirements and housing quality standards set forth by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If you are already living in a suitable residence, but are paying more than 30% of your adjusted income for rent, you may be eligible to pay less and continue residing where you are living. You may also decide to move into different housing and receive rental assistance at that location.

To check on the status of your application you are encouraged to contact the Dodge County Housing Authority.

More information regarding the HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program

The Dodge County Housing Authority is currently receiving applications for the Voucher Program (Section 8)

Click here to download an application. – The PDF format requires a PDF reader to view/print. A free PDF Reader is available from Adobe.

If you have difficulty downloading the application, contact the Dodge County Housing Authority at (920) 386-2866 to request an application or email them at info@dodgehousing.org.

When we receive your completed application your name will be placed on the waiting list and a confirmation letter will be sent to you. Keep the confirmation letter as a record of when we received your application and recorded your place on the waiting list. You can contact us to check on the progress of your application by calling (920) 386-2866 or via email at info@dodgehousing.org.

If your mailing address, household composition or income changes, you need to notify us in writing of the change. You may notify us of the change any of the following ways: via e-mail, fax, mail or hand deliver to our office. Our office will always contact you by mail at the mailing address we have on file.

If we are unable to reach you, your name is removed from the waiting list.

When your name reaches the top of the waiting list, you will be contacted by mail to request that you to make an appointment for an interview, where we will process paperwork and determine eligibility. After you have been determined eligible and as funding allows, you will attend a group presentation where we will explain the rules of the program. Attendance at briefing presentations is mandatory to participate in the program.

If you do not respond to this mailing by the date indicated in the letter, your name is automatically removed from the waiting list.

You MUST notify us of any change of address in writing. If your mail is returned, there is no way for us to contact you. If your mail is forwarded, it may take too long for the letter to reach you.

After the group presentation, we will meet with you individually to discuss your personal situation. If you are eligible, you will be given a voucher.

This voucher may be used at your current address or you may choose to move to a different address. After you have located a rental property, you will submit a copy of the unsigned lease and our tenancy agreement to the Dodge County Housing Authority.

The Housing Authority will inspect the property for the Housing Quality Standards (HQS). An HQS Inspection is not a code compliant inspection.

If the property is approved, the Housing Authority will sign a contract with the Landlord for housing assistance payments and you are officially on the program.

Landlords Role in the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program

HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income individuals, families, the elderly, and the disabled to rent decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.

This program is financed through federal funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is available to anyone living in or wishing to live in Dodge County, Wisconsin that meets the program requirements.

The Voucher provides subsidy paid directly to the landlord and allows the household to choose any housing in the private market including duplexes, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and single-family homes as long as the property meets the housing quality standards. Households must not exceed the designated income limits to be eligible for the program.

Applicants complete a preliminary application to be placed on the waiting list. Applications are processed on a first come, first serve basis by the date the application is received in our office.

The household will be issued a voucher when their name has reached the top of the waiting list. A voucher is a form issued from our office to verify that the household is actively looking for housing.

For more information regarding the Voucher Program and how it works, please visit for a list of commonly asked questions and answers.

What do I do when a voucher holder contacts me?

Landlord screens tenants – You must screen the prospective tenant carefully to ensure you are making a good selection. We only certify that the household is income eligible for the program. You should use the same screening methods that you use for all your prospective tenants. Please visit for a list of commonly asked questions and answers for program specifics.

If at any time you have a question, do not hesitate to contact the Dodge County Housing Authority at (920) 386-2866 or via email at info@dodgehousing.org.

How Assistance is calculated

Total income including gross wages, child support received, unemployment compensation, Social Security, SSI, SSD, etc. is calculated for all household members.

Deductions from gross income include an annual dependant deduction per child and child care expenses the household pays while working or attending school. For senior citizen, handicapped and disabled households there is an annual deduction in addition to the deduction of allowable medical expenses.

Program participants pay 30% of the household’s adjusted income (+ 100% of the amount over the payment standard).

The payment standard is the amount that HUD designates for rent and utilities for a unit based on bedroom size. It is important to note that the payment standard used for the household will be based on the household composition AND the actual number of bedrooms in the unit.

The tenant cannot pay more than 40% of the household’s adjusted monthly income or the unit will not qualify for the program.

We pay the landlord the difference between 30% of the household’s adjusted monthly income and the payment standard. This amount is paid directly to the landlord.

Since each participant’s share is the result of a unique calculation, it is impossible to quote a rental amount without applying required personal information to the formula.

HQS (Housing Quality Standards) Inspections

When a property comes onto the HUD program an initial inspection is performed to determine whether the housing unit is decent, safe and sanitary according to Housing Quality Standards (HQS).

The unit will then be inspected annually in order for the family to continue to receive assistance.

For a more specific list and questions regarding HQS Inspections please visit our Common questions and answers for Landlords regarding the Housing Voucher Program (Section 8)

Landlords Tenant Issues

The Dodge County Housing Authority often receives phone calls regarding issues between landlords and tenants. To avoid problems, it is important that you know what these rights and responsibilities are.

The Dodge County Housing Authority cannot give advice regarding these issues. A lease is a legal and binding document between the landlord and tenant. If you have a legal question, you need to contact an attorney.

If you are looking for basic information, we recommend you contact the Department of Consumer Protection. You may also reference the following link that may be helpful and outlines topic subjects such as Things you should know before renting, responsibilities of the landlord and the tenant, terminating a tenancy, eviction, tenant rights. https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Publications/LandlordTenantGuide.aspx

There are many misconceptions when it comes to the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. It is important for you to have accurate information when making decisions and it is worth the time and effort to be an informed landlord or tenant. To see a list of tenant rights please see the following document: https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/LT-TenantsRights143.pdf