Housing Assistance Payments

CALCULATING HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

TOTAL
TENANT
PAYMENT

The Total Tenant Payment is the rent portion the family pays and is determined by the family’s annual income. The annual income consists of all anticipated income for every member of the household. Although not all income may be included in determining the family’s rent payment, the family is responsible for reporting all income.

INCOME TYPES INCLUDED IN ANNUAL INCOME

  • Employment
  • Regular financial contributions
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Child support
  • Social Security/SSI
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits
  • Retirement benefits
  • Alimony

INCOME TYPES NOT INCLUDED IN ANNUAL INCOME

  • Live-in Aide income
  • Foster children or foster adult income
  • Employment income of children under 18 years
  • Employment income above $480 of full-time students 18 years or older
  • Food Stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits)

Utility
Allowance

Opportunity Home provides a monthly utility allowance to eligible families for tenant-paid utilities. The Housing Choice Voucher Program implemented flat utility allowances, which will eliminate fluctuation in the contract rent amounts for program participants. The utility allowances will now be based on bedroom size only and there will be no fluctuation between some utilities being provided and all utilities being provided; however, if the unit is an all-bills-paid unit, the family’s utility allowance will be $0.

BEDROOM SIZE0123456
UTILITY ALLOWANCE$79$99$133$197$233$317$340