FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2018
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645

New City, NY – County Executive Ed Day and Commissioner of Social Services Joan Silvestri announced that the Rockland County Department of Social Services (RCDSS) waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) will be open to the public on 6:00 AM, October 29, 2018, through 8:00 PM, November 11, 2018, with an on-line application process. The Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental assistance to individuals and families who meet eligibility guidelines by paying a portion of rent directly to a private rental property owners.

The online application will be available at https://rockland.hcvlist.org and all applicants will have an equal chance to receive assistance, regardless of the time and date they apply during the time the waiting list is open. Interested families and individuals may apply 24 hours a day during the application period using a computer, smart phone or mobile device that has internet access. Applicants will be required to have a valid, working email address. Free email accounts are widely available online and free access is available at all Rockland County Libraries. In addition, there are sites offering free computer access which can be found at Rocklandgov.com

NO applications will be handed out or accepted in person, by mail, email or fax. At the end of the two-week application period, there will be an additional thirty days provided for applicants with disabilities who missed the deadline to request a reasonable accommodation.

RCDSS will be utilizing an outside vendor who will use a randomized computer process for all applications received to select 1,000 applicants for placement on the Housing Choice waiting list. All applicants will be advised via email if selected for the waiting list. One out of every four applications selected will go to a Veteran.

Out of 1,000 applicants admitted onto the wait list, 250 of those will be veterans. Veterans tend to have higher numbers of homelessness and unemployment compared to their civilian peers.

Susan Branam, Director of the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency said, "it is very fitting that the waiting list lottery opening for the Housing Choice Voucher for Section 8 Housing will be during the weeks leading up to Veterans Day. This is a remarkable chance to assist those that have served their country and are most in need. Many times, veterans are reluctant to ask for needed help. I would recommend that any veteran that could benefit from this application, that they don't hesitate to come to the Veterans Service Agency or one of the other numerous locations and submit an application. I have staff willing and able to assist those veterans who may need it."

Preliminary eligibility of applicants will be based on HUD's Federal Income and other eligibility guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

If you are an applicant who is elderly or requires assistance in completing an application because of a disability, you may call 845-253-4650 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday during the open application period. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities using TDD or TTY technology may call New York Relay Services by dialing 711 for assistance.

Please see our Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) page for more information and to apply.

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