The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is available in 13 southwest Iowa counties. SIRHA’s service area includes the counties of Adair, Adams, Cass, Clarke, Decatur, Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union. Excluded are the cities of Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie county and Stuart in Adair county. Nebraska City, Nebraska is also in SIRHA’s service area.
Families are responsible for locating a unit that is eligible for the program. The family will pay rent to the landlord based on 30 percent of the family’s monthly gross adjusted income. SIRHA will have a contract with the landlord to pay the difference due on behalf of the family.
How the program works:
You may print an application and complete offline or you may submit an application online.
TO PRINT APPLICATION (CLICK HERE) AND THEN YOU CAN EMAIL, MAIL OR FAX YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION.
Fax: 641-782-5900
Email: vchristensen@sirha-ia.org
Mail it: 219 N Pine St., Creston, IA 50801
TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION ONLINE:
If you unable to print an application and would like one mailed to you, please call or email vchristensen@sirha-ia.org and request an application. You will need to provide your complete name and full mailing address.
- We have adopted a waiting list with preferences for residency, disability, and for veterans. You need to show documentation of these preferences and submit it with your application.
- A criminal background check will be done on family members age 18 and older.
- The applicant will be contacted regarding an initial appointment. During the appointment the family will complete paperwork to be certified for eligibility based on the family’s income.
- SIRHA will then verify the information provided to determine if the family is eligible.
- If eligible, a packet will be mailed out to the family.
- This packet will include a voucher, papers to sign, and instructions on watching a briefing presentation which explains the rules and regulations of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
- All family members 18 and older will need to sign papers in the packet as well as the landlord of the unit where the family wishes to receive rental assistance.
- Once SIRHA receives back all the required paperwork the SIRHA Section 8 Inspector will schedule a Housing Quality Standards Inspection (HQS). This inspection is to ensure that the unit meets HUD standards for safe and sanitary living conditions.
- The family’s rental assistance will begin on the first of the month after the unit has passed the HQS inspection and that the rate of rent is determined reasonable by the Housing Authority.
- Once on the program, families are required to report all changes in family composition and income in writing to their Section 8 Housing Specialist within 10 days of the event.
- The family and the unit will be recertified annually. This recertification is required to ensure that the family and the unit are still eligible for the program.
- If a family is determined not eligible for the program, they will be sent a letter informing them that they have been dropped from the waiting list. The family has 10 days to appeal the decision.
Who to contact
Hannah Hagle – Section 8 Specialist
(641) 782-8585 Ext. 1022
hannah@sirha-ia.org
Myklyn Looney – Section 8 Specialist
(641) 782-8585 Ext. 1019
myklyn@sirha-ia.org
Samantha Steinbach – Section 8 Specialist
(641) 782-8585 Ext. 1017
samantha@sirha-ia.org
Tiffany Scott – Section 8 Specialist
(641) 782-8585 Ext. 1014
tscott@sirha-ia.org