by 7News Staff/ABC 7 News WJLA

New Virginia Majority (NVM) organizers gather early Thursday morning, Oct. 5, 2023, with Loudoun residents to line up overnight to obtain one of 300 available spots on the Housing Choice Voucher program waitlist. (7News)

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Loudoun County residents gathered overnight Thursday to snag one of 300 spots on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program waitlist.

As of 5 a.m., about 50 people were waiting in line. The waitlist will open at 8:30 a.m. outside the Department of Housing and Community Development, located at 106 Catoctin Circle SE.

New Virginia Majority (NVM) organizers said this housing voucher program will be open to any family that has at least one family member (adult or child) with citizenship.

“This is a great advance on the housing issue," said NVM lead organizer Isamar Ortega. "We know that there is much to do, and we must continue advocating for an increased budget for the development of fair and dignified housing options for all.”

WAITLIST PREFERENCES

The local waitlist preferences are listed below in priority order:

1. Applicants with a disability, older adults (over 62 and head of household), families or homeless (using the HUD definition*) persons who meet all other qualifications for the HCV program and who live or work in Loudoun County.
2. All applicants (families, individuals with a disability, and older adults) who meet all other qualifications for the HCV Program who live or work in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
3. All other eligible applicants (families, individuals with a disability, and older adults) who are residents of the United States.
4. Single applicants, who are not disabled and who live or work in Loudoun County or elsewhere in Virginia or the United States and who otherwise meet all other qualifications for the HCV Program.

Household income must be at or below 50% of the area median income (as calculated by HUD specifically for the HCV program) for an applicant to be eligible.

HOW TO APPLY

Residents interested in participating in the HCV program must begin by completing a preliminary application for the waitlist which is available in multiple formats, including an online form, a downloadable PDF document, or a printed paper copy.

Paper copies of preliminary applications can be submitted in two ways:

Mail to:

• Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development
• HCV Preliminary Application
• P.O. Box 7000
• Leesburg, VA 20177

Submit in-person applications to:

• Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development
• 106 Catoctin Circle, SE
• Leesburg, VA 20175
• Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Loudoun County will close the waitlist and stop accepting preliminary applications once it has been determined that applicants at the bottom of the list will have to wait at least three years before receiving a subsidy, which is estimated to be 300 preliminary applications.

Residents are asked to be prepared with the following information before they begin the preliminary application:

• Full names of all household members (as listed on their social security card, if applicable)
• Social security numbers for all household members, if applicable
• Date of birth for all household members
• Age of all household members
• Physical and mailing address
• Phone Number
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Citizenship status
• Disability status of all household members
• Reasonable Accommodations

Anyone who needs assistance with accessing, obtaining, or completing a preliminary application form is asked to call 703-771-5718 or send an email. If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance in order to participate in this preliminary application process, call 703-771-5718/TTY-711.