The Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) is a rent subsidy program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the Bellingham Housing Authority (BHA). This voucher based program is designed to assist lower income families, disabled individuals, and the elderly to find well-maintained housing in the private market in a location of their choosing, at a price they can afford.

Households generally pay private landlords no more than 40% of their income for rent and utilities. The household must agree to abide by rules and regulations in order to remain in compliance with the program and keep their rental assistance. Bellingham Housing Authority pays directly to the landlord the remainder of the rent over the resident’s portion, subject to Fair Market Rate caps. All subsidized units must meet HUD’s basic Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and are inspected regularly.

For more program information, please visit the Housing Choice Voucher Fact Sheet HERE.

All applications are done online through our Applicant Portal. To apply, please create/login to your account HERE.