January 20, 2014
01/21/14 Elderly, disabled and low income families in Marshall County who are served through the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHDCA) will now have the opportunity to meet with representatives locally.
In mid-December the IHDCA contracted with the Warsaw Housing Authority to administer the vouchers for Marshall County.
In September of 2013 the Marshall County Housing Authority was dissolved because of funding issues. Funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over the years reduced the administrative funding needed to keep the Marshall County office open. The local office investigated a joint venture with the Kosciusko/Goshen Housing Authority, Fulton County and Warsaw Housing Authorities but was not successful with any of them. The Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority took control of the vouchers for Marshall County at that point.
On Thursday, January 16th representatives from the Warsaw Housing Authority were at the Marshall County Court House to meet with clients. The office is in the lowest level of the Court House, the former office of the Marshall County Housing Authority. Currently the local office will only be open by appointment only. County Commissioner Kevin Overmyer met with representatives on Thursday welcoming them and offering assistance to get the office back up and running.
The Warsaw Housing Authority will be administering the 170 monthly rent subsidies paid to private landlords on behalf of low-income persons or families under the Section 8 program for Marshall County. They will be meeting with tenants and landlords to review applications and housing conditions.
Sandra Austin, Deputy Director of the Warsaw Housing Authority said that all vouchers for the county are not currently full. Applications will soon be available on the Marshall County Government website (www.co.marshall.in.us) and elderly, disabled, and or low income families can print an application out for submission. Eligibility for the Housing Choice Voucher program is based on a family’s household income. The voucher covers a portion of the rent and the tenant is expected to pay the balance. The tenants’ share is an affordable percentage of their income and is generally calculated to be between 30 to 40 percent of their monthly-adjusted gross income for rent and utilities.
Preferences for acceptance into the program include Indiana residency, working families, disabled or elderly and homeless. The Housing Authority helps to provide safe and secure housing for families in Marshall County.
For more information on the Warsaw/Marshall County Housing Authority you can call 574-269-7641.