Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)

If you qualify, you can use a voucher to rent a private home or a BCHA-owned unit in Boulder County or Broomfield. The unit must:

• Meet safety and quality standards
• Fit rent and bedroom size rules
• Be in an approved service area

BCHA pays part of the rent directly to your landlord. You pay the rest, usually about 30-40% of your income.

If you receive a voucher, you must:

• Pay your share of the rent on time
• Follow your lease
• Report changes in income or household size
• Attend a yearly recertification
• Take care of your home

To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, you must:

• Have a household income at or below for Boulder County.
• Provide documents that show income and assets.
• Pass a background check. This is required for everyone in your household age 18 or older.

BCHA gives priority to:

• Seniors (62+)
• People with disabilities
• Families with children under 18 who live in the home at least half the time

Vouchers are limited. If you do not meet a priority category, your chances of receiving a voucher are much lower.

BCHA uses a lottery system for Housing Choice Vouchers.

• The lottery opens only when vouchers are available.
• We post openings on this website at least 5 days before the lottery starts.
• If you are selected, you may wait 6 to 12 months for help, depending on available funding.

The most recent lottery opened in February 2023. Right now, no new lottery date has been announced.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also offers Multifamily, Rural Development, and Project-Based Vouchers. Waiting lists for these vouchers open as units become available. View Current Waitlist Openings.

If you already applied and need to update your contact information:

• Email: bchalottery@bouldercounty.gov
• Call: 720-776-0823

If you’re moving into Boulder County:
Ask your current housing authority to send paperwork to BCHA by emailing portability@bouldercounty.gov.

If you’re moving out of Boulder County:
Contact your Housing Specialist. You’ll need to complete portability forms and give your landlord 30 days’ notice.

If you are a participant, contact your assigned Housing Specialist. If you are a landlord, contact your tenant’s Housing Specialist.

BCHA receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to run the Housing Choice Voucher program. As part of this funding, BCHA must create and share public documents that explain the policies and procedures for how the program works.

What is the Administrative Plan?

The Administrative Plan is a required document that explains how BCHA manages the Housing Choice Voucher program. HUD sets the federal rules and provides funding, but each local housing authority can create its own policies within those rules. Every Administrative Plan must be approved by BCHA’s Board and available for public review.

• 2026 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan
• Current BCHA Housing Choice Vouches Administrative Plan

What Are the Public Housing Agency Annual Plan and Five-Year Plan?

These plans explain how BCHA provides affordable housing and supports low-income families. The plans have two parts:

• Five-Year Plan: This is a long-term roadmap that describes BCHA’s mission, goals, and strategies for the next five years. It focuses on how BCHA will meet the housing needs of low-income families.

  • BCHA 5 Year Plan Final 2025-2029

• Annual Plan: This plan is updated every year. It reports on BCHA’s progress toward its Five-Year Plan goals and outlines the actions planned for the year ahead, such as admission policies, rent-setting, and budgets.

• • 2026 Annual Public Housing Agency Plan
  • 2025 Annual Public Housing Agency Plan

There are also plans related to BCHA’s participation in the Moving to Work Program. See the “About the Moving to Work Program” tab for more details.

• Moving to Work 2026 Supplement
• Moving to Work 2025 Supplement

BCHA Housing Policies and Related Documents

The following documents explain key BCHA policies that guide how our housing programs operate. These policies help ensure fair access, safety, and clear communication for all residents and applicants.

• Effective Communication Policy: Explains how BCHA provides accessible communication for people with disabilities or limited English proficiency (LEP). The goal is to ensure clear, timely information for all tenants and the public.
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): Describes federal housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in HUD-assisted programs.
  • VAWA Notice of Occupancy Rights and Victim Certification: Explains tenants’ rights and the process for survivors to confirm their eligibility for housing protections under VAWA.
  • VAWA Emergency Transfer Plan: Outlines how residents who experience violence can request an emergency transfer to another safe unit.
• Family Self-Sufficiency Action Plan: Describes how BCHA helps families become financially independent through goal setting, coaching, and support services.
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Explains how BCHA makes changes to rules, services, or properties so people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their housing. Examples include installing grab bars or allowing an assistance animal in a “no pets” building.

The Landlord Assurance Fund (LAF) helps landlords in Boulder County get money back if a rental unit is damaged by a tenant who uses rental assistance. The fund provides a safety net during the first three years a tenant lives in the unit for landlords who accept housing vouchers or other rental assistance from federal, state, or Boulder County programs.

Learn more about the Landlord Assurance Fund (Fondo de Garantía de los Arrendadores)

Moving to Work (MTW) is a national program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It allows public housing authorities like BCHA to test new and creative ways to help families find housing and become more self-sufficient.

Through MTW, we can:

• Use federal housing funds more flexibly to meet local needs.
• Try new programs that help residents find jobs and reach financial stability.
• Expand housing options for low-income families.

The goal of MTW is to find local solutions that work — and then share those ideas across the country. Today, 139 housing authorities across the United States participate in the program.

BCHA’s Selection

In 2024, BCHA was chosen by HUD as one of 14 agencies in the Flexibilities for Smaller Public Housing Authorities Cohort II of the MTW Expansion Program.

The aim of this cohort is to study how giving smaller housing authorities more flexibility can make programs, such as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, work better for both residents and staff. BCHA was selected for its strong performance and its commitment to improving services for low-income individuals and families.

Learn more:

• Boulder County MTW Selection Letter
• News Article: Boulder County Receives HUD Designation
• HUD Press Release Announcing the Expansion of MTW Program
• 2023 Moving to Work Application

For current plan information, visit the “Agency Documents” tab.