HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER

The Housing Authority of the City of Bloomington (BHA) administers the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, commonly known as Section 8, to provide low-income households with the opportunity to secure affordable housing in the private market. This program empowers families and individuals to choose from a wide variety of housing options, enabling families to find a home that best suits their needs.

THE HCV Wait List is now CLOSED: PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE HOUSING AUTHORITY REGARDING YOUR STATUS. You must log into your waitlistcheck.com account to check your status.
If your status in waitlischeck.com reads “Inactive,” that means that your application was not selected for the Waiting List.
If your status reads “Active,” that means that your application has been selected for consideration for the Waiting List. You will be receiving a letter in the mail shortly with further instructions. Failure to follow the instructions in the letter will result in your removal from the Waiting List.

Benefits of Housing Choice Voucher

Affordability

The HCV program makes housing more accessible by ensuring that rent payments are manageable. Tenants contribute 30% to 40% of their monthly adjusted income toward rent at move-in, while the Housing Authority covers the balance.

Flexibility and Choice

Participants in the HCV program have the flexibility to choose their housing from the private rental market. This means they can find a home that meets their preferences and needs, whether it’s close to work, schools, or other important activities.

Security and Stability

With the Housing Authority’s rental payments, tenants and landlords alike can enjoy the security of a stable housing arrangement. This stability helps build stronger communities and supports long-term residency.

Supportive Services

BHA offers additional resources and support to HCV participants, ensuring they have the tools and assistance they need to maintain successful tenancies and achieve greater financial stability.

0+

total households

0%

female head of household

$12,024

median household income

Safe and Affordable Housing That Fits Your Budget and Lifestyle

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is designed to make affordable housing accessible to you. Payment Standards are an essential part of this process, ensuring that rental assistance is aligned with the local cost of living. Based on HUD’s Fair Market Rents (FMR), these standards reflect the cost of rental units in McLean County, including utilities. Currently, McLean County’s Payment Standards are set at 110% of HUD’s 2024 FMR to better match local market rates.

Payment Standards serve as a crucial starting point in determining how much a family can rent because help ensure that their housing expenses stay manageable, giving them the flexibility to find a home that suits both their budget and lifestyle.

Below are the current Payment Standards for McLean County 2025:

Efficiency: $810
1 Bedroom: $919
2 Bedrooms: $1188
3 Bedrooms: $1569
4 Bedrooms: $1575

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

A federal housing program that provides housing assistance to low-income renters. This assistance comes in the form of rental subsidies, minimizing the monthly rent payment of the assisted recipient.

How much rent will I have to pay if I have a voucher?

Your rent payment is based on income. HUD states that 30% of a household’s income should be for housing (rent portion AND utilities). When initially renting a unit, HUD allows a family to pay up to 40% of its monthly adjusted income.

For additional Housing Choice Voucher FAQs, visit HUD at:

https://www.hud.gov/topics/housing_choice_voucher_program_section_8

How long does it take to get a voucher in Bloomington, IL?

It varies. Our wait list times are averaging between 18-24 months.

Does Bloomington Housing Authority have a Homeownership Program?

Not currently available.

Does Bloomington Housing Authority cover security deposits or application fees?

No, the applicant is responsible for paying all fees charged by the landlord. This includes security deposits, application fees, maintenance charges, late fees (if the tenant portion is late), etc.

Portability Information

Yes, you can exercise your right to portability any time after the FIRST year of McLean County residency!

PORT INS:

Please note that effective IMMEDIATELY (2025) Our Housing Authority is NO LONGER ABSORBING VOUCHERS from PORT-IN requests.

Our PHA IS BILLING.

PORT OUTS

If you wish to PORT OUT of our area, you must select a Housing Authority that is ABSORBING, we cannot approve any PORT-OUTS which would result in us being BILLED for the transfer.

We apologize for the inconvenience, as this is a FUNDING constraint we are currently facing.

Do you have a list of landlords that accept the voucher?

Due to the Source of Income Law in Illinois and landlords having to consider all applicants, including voucher holders, we do not have a list of landlords that accept the voucher. The Source of Income law states that a landlord cannot deny someone because they have the voucher. All applicants must be subjected to and pass, the prospective landlords’ rental criteria to be approved through the landlord, but the landlord cannot say things like “we do not take the voucher” or “no Section 8”. That’s housing discrimination and it’s against the law.

For more information on the Source of Income Law in Illinois, visit the IDHR page:

https://dhr.illinois.gov/filing-a-charge/faq-sourceincome.html

Does BHA have different types of vouchers?

BHA-HCV also accepts referrals (only) for the following special purpose vouchers:

The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Please contact your local VA Medical Center for assistance.

Mainstream vouchers assist non-elderly persons with disabilities. Aside from serving a special population, Mainstream vouchers are administered using the same rules as other housing choice vouchers. Funding and financial reporting for Mainstream vouchers is separate from the regular tenant-based voucher program. Please contact your local Center for Independent Living office.