Homeownership

The Homeownership Voucher program is a voluntary program open to eligible FSS participants, eligible Elderly voucher holders, and eligible Disability voucher holders. This program allows voucher holders to receive assistance with monthly mortgage payments. Interested individuals must have successfully rented a unit with a Housing Choice Voucher for at least one year prior to enrolling in the program. Individuals must also complete the required preparation for home purchase, qualify for a loan, and successfully purchase a home before the Housing Authority of Jackson County can make a subsidy payment on the participants behalf.

This program requires commitment to a strategic planning process to determine what the current household situation is and how to help the household move towards successful home ownership. An Orientation is required to determine eligibility and to explain the basic program guidelines. This typically will take one or two hours to complete. Housing Counseling is required and is provided by the ACCESS Housing Resource Center in collaboration with HAJC. Financial and homeownership education is required and is typically provided through online courses. These will require the participant paying fees to enroll in the courses.

Eligibility for this program includes the following:

• A current participant or former graduate of the HUD Family Self Sufficiency program, or
• Disabled or Elderly household, and
• Must have had the voucher for at least 1 year, and
• Have sufficient minimum income and employment (exceptions apply for Elderly/Disability), and
• Be in good standing with their current voucher:
• No lease violations in the past year,
• No monies owed to any Housing Authority,
• No tenant caused HQS violations in the previous year
• Have willingness, and ability, to complete the requirements for gaining a loan sufficient to purchase of a home.

These requirements will be set by each lender, but will typically be the following:

• Credit score above 650,
• Debt-to-income ratio that makes the household loan eligible. This will depend on the lender’s guidelines for their loans, but typically will be debt ‘below 40% of income’
• Suitable down payment and closing cost savings.
• Eligibility for First-time Homebuyer grants
• No bankruptcies in the previous 3 to 7 years