HABD’s Department of Rental Assistance Programs administers the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program to eligible families within Jefferson County. Housing Choice Vouchers provide tenant-based assistance and families may use their voucher with private landlords throughout HABD’s jurisdiction in Birmingham and Jefferson County.
Below are the steps to be approved for Section 8 Housing.
When a Housing Choice Voucher program waiting list opens,
interested participants can get started by visiting HABD.org/portals
to register and join the waiting list.
Once a name reaches the top of the list and that individual is
determined eligible based on income and a successful background
check, successful participants receive their voucher and
independently find their landlord using available listings on
After securing housing, the participants proceed to sign a lease agreement with their new landlord. To facilitate this process, HABD has collaborated with affordablehousing.com, an online platform that offers an improved program for rental property listings. These listings are accessible to potential Housing Choice Voucher recipients who are searching for private market apartment units, duplexes, single-family homes, or townhomes.
Current and prospective Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) participants can contact the Housing Choice Voucher call center for questions or concerns on applications, waitlist, inspections, etc. at (205) 974-4440.
Interested in becoming an HABD Section 8 participating landlord? Use the
following packet to register your property and get started!
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)
The HUD-VASH Program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD providing permanent housing and supportive services to homeless veterans. Veterans interested in this program must be registered for VA services. If they are not, they need to visit the VA’s Eligibility Office located on the first floor. They can then contact Cortney Rankins at (205) 936-1365 for a HUD-VASH screening.
Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Program
Under the SRO program, HUD enters into annual contributions contracts (ACCs) with HABD in connection with the moderate rehabilitation of residential properties. HABD makes rental assistance payments to participating landlords on behalf of homeless individuals who rent the rehabilitated dwellings. HUD provides rental assistance for SRO units for a period of 10 years. Owners are compensated for the cost of rehabilitation (as well as the other costs of owning and maintaining the property) through the rental assistance payments. HABD has partnered with the Alabama Regional Medical Center to provide the SRO program. Those interested in this program should contact the Alabama Regional Medical Center at (205) 370-1422.
MIMR
This is a Project-Based Voucher Program which assists families where the head of household has been classified as having a mental illness. The property that participates with the MIMR program is Metropolitan Gardens/Park Place Apartments. Applicants interested in this program must be referred from a mental health agency or doctor who can properly certify their eligibility based on specific criteria.
Project-Based Vouchers (PBV)
Project-Based Vouchers are a component of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. A public housing agency can attach up to 20 percent of its voucher assistance to specific housing units if the owner agrees to either rehabilitate or construct new units, or the owner agrees to set aside a portion of the units in an existing development. HABD is in partnership with private apartment complexes and developers to provide project-based rental assistance with qualified properties. PBV units are awarded through a competitive process.