"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Rental Assistance Available

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - The Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation (HACN) has openings for families, available under both the Rental Assistance program (RAP) and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program for Mayes, Delaware and Ottawa Counties.

Both programs issue the eligible family a coupon allowing them to search for an eligible housing unit to lease as long as the unit falls within the Fair Market Rent guidelines. Families are allowed to find their own rental property of the appropriate size and payment. Subsidized rent is paid by HACN based on the family's income and the gross rent of the unit.

These programs are designed to allow eligible families to choose their own dwelling unit as long as the unit meets HUD Housing Quality Standards, occupancy standards, and the unit is within the 14-county Cherokee Nation jurisdictional boundaries. The eligible applicant is allowed to choose any type of housing such as a house, apartment, duplex or mobile home, as long as the unit meets the inspection requirements.

All applicants must meet eligibility guidelines. Guidelines include: must meet income limits, must be a U. S. citizen, each family member five years of age or older must have a social security card and the applicant or family member must have CDIB or be a citizen of a federally recognized tribe. A criminal background check will be conducted on persons eighteen years of age or older because assistance will not be paid for a person that has a background of violent crimes or drug related crimes.

Eligibility requirements for the Rental Assistance Program include the head of household or spouse must be a citizen of a federally recognized tribe or must have a dependant living in the home who is a citizen of a federally recognized tribe. The Housing Choice Voucher Program does not have this requirement.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a Housing & Urban Development (HUD) program open to the public and is based on income and family size.

For more information or for an application, you may contact the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation office nearest you at the following locations, or download an application from the HACN web site.

In Mayes County contact the Locust Grove HACN office, located at 322 Willard Stone Drive, or call (918) 479-5128 or toll free 1-(888) 354-8021; or the Pryor HACN office, located at 100 Cherokee Heights, or call (918) 825-4811.

For Delaware and Ottawa Counties contact the Jay HACN office, located at 109 13th Street, or call (918) 253-8315 or toll free 1-(800) 250-6661; or the Grove HACN office, located at 434 Chopper Court, or call (918) 786-4212.