CHARLOTTE AMALIE — At a time when V.I. residents are struggling to stay housed, a survey invites property owners with subsidized rental units to comment on a program that enables them to do so.
About 100 landlords have responded to the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Landlords Survey, and more are sought by September 30.
“We are grateful for the many candid and thoughtful comments we have received and are eager for more,” Akala Anthony, who directs the HCVP program, said. “The feedback will help us enhance our offering so more landlords will want to participate in it.”
A housing voucher is, or could be, a great equalizer for families earning lower wages, supplementing the part of the rent their incomes can’t afford. Residents who qualify pay 30 percent of their income for a market-rate apartment, and a federal subsidy pays the rest every month.
But perceptions both real and imagined keep voucher programs, formerly known as Section 8, from reaching their full potential, VIHA executive director Robert Graham said.
“We have thousands of VIHA families waiting in line for rent assistance because of the high demand for affordable housing,” Graham said. “But imagine finally receiving this valuable assistance and not being able to find a landlord to accept it.”
The landlord survey continues through the end of the month.
“VIHA’s HCVP program relieves some of the biggest headaches of being a landlord by providing a free source of advertising and assuring a reliable income stream,” Anthony said.
For more information or assistance, contact HCVP Program Director Akala Anthony at aanthony@vihousing.org or (340) 714-0174, ext.8109.