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Programs to Reduce Rent for Tenants

  • Writer: Adam Garrett
    Adam Garrett
  • May 11, 2023
  • 7 min read

Updated: Feb 20


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Consider Alternatives to Traditional Rent

Consider a Roommate

Especially if you are single, consider a roommate.

Consider Renting a Room Only

Especially if you don’t have kids, consider renting out a room.


Lists of Resources (Mostly Gov. Subsidized & Nonprofit)

Virginia Rental Help Per HUD

Other states: Pull up your state and go to the section on renting.


HUD resource locator


Need Help Paying Bills has plenty of resources on the subject of help with rent.

You can also get city-specific info often, i.e. those mentioned in the section below titled, "Options Available Unique to Hampton Roads".


Search by City, i.e. in Virginia https://www.rentassistance.us/st/virginia

i.e. Suffolk


Search for a Subsidized Apartment


Public Housing

Examples of Options:


Per HUD on 5/11/23, What are housing choice vouchers?


"The housing choice voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.

Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.

A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family's choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. This unit may include the family's present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Under certain circumstances, if authorized by the PHA, a family may use its voucher to purchase a modest home."

Section 8 Eligibility

Per HUD on 5/11/23, "Am I eligible?

"Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the PHA based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family's income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. By law, a PHA must provide 75 percent of its voucher to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income. Median income levels are published by HUD and vary by location. The PHA serving your community can provide you with the income limits for your area and family size.

During the application process, the PHA will collect information on family income, assets, and family composition. The PHA will verify this information with other local agencies, your employer and bank, and will use the information to determine program eligibility and the amount of the housing assistance payment.

If the PHA determines that your family is eligible, the PHA will put your name on a waiting list, unless it is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the PHA will contact you and issue to you a housing voucher."

The Rent Subsidy

Per HUD on 5/11/23, "The rent subsidy"


"The PHA calculates the maximum amount of housing assistance allowable. The maximum housing assistance is generally the lesser of the payment standard minus 30% of the family's monthly adjusted income or the gross rent for the unit minus 30% of monthly adjusted income."


What is the Payment Standard?

Per HUD on 2/20/25:

"Fair Market Rents

The PHA (Public Housing Authority) determines a payment standard that is between 90 percent and 110 percent of the Fair Market Rents (FMRs). FMRs regularly published by HUD, represent the cost to rent a moderately-priced dwelling unit in the local housing market. The housing voucher tenant must pay 30 percent of its monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and if the unit rent is greater than the payment standard, the tenant is required to pay the additional amount.

Find your Fair Market Rent in this search."


The fair market rent highly varies based on zip code & family size, with a difference of over 4 times the rent even within the same Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Hampton Roads (The Virginia Beach MSA). The difference between an efficiency unit vs a 4 bedroom is typically around double. Differences between locations can be more than double even in the same MSA. In Hampton Roads in 2025, depending on the location, an efficiency unit's fair market rent can be as low as $910 in the lowest income area in Hampton Roads (23851, which includes Franklin), while the highest fair market rent available is for $2210 in 23691 in York County for an efficiency unit. Meanwhile, a 1 bedroom is only slightly more than an efficiency unit, and from a 1 bedroom, there's a more substantial but gradual increase to 4 bedrooms, which are priced at around double the price of an efficiency, at $1980 in 23851 for a 4 bedroom & $4210 in the highest price zipcode of Hampton Roads (23691).


Per HUD on 2/20/25:

"Fair Market Rents...

Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs) are FMRs calculated for ZIP Codes within metropolitan areas. In areas designated by HUD, PHAs are required to SARMRs to set Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards in areas designated by HUD. Other Housing Agencies operating in non-designated metropolitan areas may opt-in to the use of SAFMRs. Furthermore, SAFMRs may be used as the basis for setting Exception Payment Standards – PHAs may set exception payment standards up to 110 percent of the SAFMR. PHAs administering Public Housing units may use SAFMRs as an alternative to metropolitan area-wide FMRs when calculating Flat Rents.

Find your SAFMR here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/smallarea/index.html#final-rulemaking "


Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority

Newport News 2025 Fair Market Rent & Payment Standards


Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Hampton Public Housing

Hampton Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program)

Applying for Section 8

Per HUD on 5/11/23, How do I apply?

"If you are interested in applying for a voucher, contact the local PHA. For further assistance, please contact the HUD Office nearest to you."


Options Available to Military, First Responders, & Families of Military:


Options Available to HIV+ Households <80% AMI

HIV+ Household & below 80% Area Median Income

Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS

HUD Site on HOPWA (Throughout US)

HOPWA Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance Throughout US (Link that provides secondary PDF link w section quoted below)


"33.1 Rental Assistance

To be eligible for rental assistance, households must have a legal right to reside in the unit and prove responsibility for paying the rent. Satisfactory evidence of tenancy includes a lease naming the tenant as the leaseholder or an eligible household occupant, or a default/late payment notice that identifies the eligible person or a resident member of the family as a named tenant under the lease. As a general matter, if the eligible person is not named on a valid lease either as a tenant or an authorized occupant, the person has no legal right to reside in the unit and is therefore not eligible for STRMU assistance. While an oral lease for less than a year may be valid in some states, most states require a written lease to establish a legal tenancy and HOPWA adopts this clear standard. This position is also consistent with other HUD rental assistance programs, which require such documentation (e.g., HOME, CoC, Housing Choice Vouchers). As a practical matter, not requiring a written lease for households in rental situations may leave grantees in a vulnerable position in documenting STRMU assistance payments during audits and reviews (page 7 of HOPWA: Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility (STRMU) Assistance - November 2015 - accessed as latest available on HUD website on 6/14/24)."


Options Available Unique to SE VA Like Public Housing Sites (Often Easier to Get than Section 8):


VA Peninsula:

South Side:

Abba List & Need Help Paying Bills have 2 lists that cover the following cities/counties when combined. With Abba List check homeless & housing.

Elsewhere:

Throughout VA: Need Help Paying Bills

Richmond & Henrico County: Need Help Paying Bills


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