DHA assists 16,000 households through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. You may apply for the program through our open lottery system at any time.
The HCV program is a rental housing assistance program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program assists low-to-moderate income persons, families, the elderly and persons with disabilities to reside in safe, decent rental housing they can afford. DHA accepts pre-applications on an ongoing basis instead of limiting it to a few days. DHA has adopted new technology and processes that allow for continuous enrollment so that more families will have the opportunity to apply for rental housing assistance.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
You can submit a preliminary application at any time. Once you apply, your application will stay on the waiting list until you are selected, or for up to 18 months. If the 18 months expires and you have not been selected from the waiting list, you can submit another preliminary application.
It will take you about 20 minutes to complete the preliminary application. Before you begin, make sure you have the following items and information ready. 
A computer with internet access
An active email account where you can receive communications
The names and ages of any members of your household
Your annual household income
Step 1
Complete the Preliminary Application- Go to RentCafe and register for an account.
If you already have an account, please log in.
If you forgot your password, click “Forgot Password?” to receive an email on how to reset your password. - Select the waiting list you want to apply to. In this case, you can choose the Housing Choice Voucher program.
- Enter your contact information.
- Enter the information for each member of your household.
- Follow the prompts to complete the rest of the application.
- When finished, you must read and accept the Terms and Conditions.
- Submit your application.
Start Your Application
Step 2
Look for a Response via Email or Mail- As voucher funds become available, DHA will run a lottery to randomly select applicants from the waiting list.
- If you are not selected before 18 months pass, and your preliminary application expires, you can repeat Step 1 above to submit a new preliminary application.
- If you are selected from the waiting list, you will be notified via email and asked to complete a full application.
Step 3
Submit Full Application and Determine Eligibility- On RentCafe, complete the full application and DHA will review the application to determine if you are eligible for the program.
Learn About Eligibility
Step 4
Attend Orientation and Receive Voucher- If your application is approved, complete the orientation on Bob.ai and receive your voucher!
Step 5
Resources to Help with your Housing Search- You have 90 days to find suitable housing on the private market.
You can apply for a 30-day extension. If you do not find housing within the allotted time, you can submit another preliminary application.
Housing Resources
Step 6
Request for Tenancy Approval and Housing Inspection- On Bob.ai, complete the RFTA form with your landlord to submit to DHA.
- DHA will schedule an inspection of the unit with the landlord.
Step 7
Sign Lease and Move In- Once all prior steps are completed, it’s time to sign the lease and coordinate with your landlord to move into your home!
Step 8
Interim and Annual Recertification- On RentCafe, keep your details up-to-date to continue your program eligibility.
Key Forms & Documents
Access to RentCafe
Access to Bob.ai
Utility Allowance for an Apartment/Condo/
Townhouse
Document
Utility Allowance for a Single-Family/Duplex
Document
Request to Port-in to DHA
Request to Relocate Out of DHA
Request a Reasonable Accommodation
Form
Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Guidelines
Document
VAWA Submission
Form
FAQs
I received an email from DHA informing me that my application was selected from the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) or the DHA public housing program preliminary application database. What are my next steps?
The next step is to complete a full application on the RentCafe portal. You will need your user name and password to log in to the RentCafe applicant portal to complete your preliminary application.
You have 14 days to complete the full application, which includes the submission of key documents such as proof of income, bank statements, Social Security information and more.
I just submitted my preliminary application, what are the next steps and timing?
Your completed preliminary application will be added to the database. DHA will conduct a lottery when resources become available.
If you’re selected by the lottery, DHA will invite you to complete a full application.
If DHA reviews your application and determines that you are eligible, you will receive an invitation via Bob.ai to attend an orientation briefing, then you will receive your Housing Choice Voucher.
Preliminary applications not selected through the lottery process expire in 18 months, but you may re-apply.
How can I check my waitlist status?
Preliminary applications are maintained in our database for up to 18 months. If your application has not been selected in a lottery within 18 months it will expire, but you may re-apply.
You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into the RentCafe Applicant Portal:https://onlinedha.securecafe.com/onlineleasing/dha-live/guestlogin.aspx
It is important to remember the email address and password you used to create your RentCafe account so that you can check your DHA account information!
I am having issues with RentCafe and Bob.ai. Who can help me with my issue?
Typically, difficulty accessing RentCafe or Bob.ai is due to a misplaced username and password. It is critically important to remember your login information for RentCafe and Bob.ai!
For RentCafe, you may reset your password as needed directly on the portal by clicking the “Forgot Password?” link.
For Bob.ai questions, you may submit a request for assistance by clicking on the “Contact Support”link.
Pro tip: Be sure to use the same email address you used to register for RentCafe on Bob.ai so that your information is connected from one platform to the other!
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Fair Housing Statement
DHA is a Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity AgencyDHA does not discriminate on the basis of disability status in admission or access to its federally assisted programs and activities. Persons with disabilities have the right to request reasonable accommodations. DHA’s Disability Rights Coordinator coordinates compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in HUD’s regulations: DHA Disability Rights Coordinator, 3939 North Hampton Rd, Dallas, TX 75212; 469-965-1961 or TTY 711.
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