MEDIA RELEASE
BOLIVIA, N.C. – The Brunswick County Public Housing Agency will open the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List on Monday, March 11 through Monday, March 25, 2024. For the first time, Brunswick County will use an online lottery system to register and select individuals for the waiting list to avoid long lines and provide equal opportunity for all applicants.
This federal program assists very low-income households to afford decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing in the private rental market. Since this housing assistance is tenant-based, families choose their housing. Participants in the HCVP pay approximately 30% of their gross income to their landlords and Brunswick County Public Housing Authority (BCPHA) pays the balance directly to the landlord.
To be eligible for the lottery and program, households must meet the following criteria:
- Must not exceed current very low-income limits.
- Household members 18 years old and over must clear a criminal background check. Any drug-related or violent criminal activity in the past three years could lead to ineligibility.
- Must not owe a debt to BCPHA or any other housing authority.
- Must not have any previous terminations within the past three years from any HUD-assisted housing such as Section 8 or Public Housing.
How to Apply
On average, it takes about 5-15 minutes to apply, depending on the number of family members in the household.
Apply Online
From March 11 through March 25, eligible individuals can enter through the online lottery website at waitlistcheck.com/NC788.
Any computer with internet access can be used, whether it belongs to a relative, friend or caseworker. You can also use any available computer at public locations such as the Brunswick County library branches.
- Southport Branch - Margaret and James Harper, Jr. Library / 109 W. Moore St., Southport, 28461
- Shallotte Branch - Rourk Library / 5068 Main St., Shallotte, 28470
- Leland Branch - Leland Library / 487 Village Road, Leland, 28451
- Oak Island Branch - G.V. Barbee, Sr. Library / 8200 East Oak Island Drive, Oak Island, 28465
- Carolina Shores Branch - Southwest Brunswick Library / 9400 Ocean Highway West, Carolina Shores, 28467
Apply with Paper Application
Individuals who do not have access to a computer can also pick up a paper application in the lobby of the Brunswick County Social Services Building (Building B) at 60 Government Center Drive, Bolivia (28422) or call Public Housing at 910-253-2222 to ask for an application to be mailed to you.
All paper applications must be received by staff in the lobby of Brunswick County Social Services no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 25, 2024.
How the Lottery Works
After the lottery closes, a random computer draw will select 250 entries and place them on the waiting list. Brunswick County will send letters to all the selected entrants advising them that their names were placed on the waiting list. Individuals not selected from the lottery draw are welcome to enter future lotteries for the program.
The date and order that entries are submitted does not affect an individual’s chance of selection to the waiting list. Duplicate entries are eliminated, so no one has more than one chance of being selected. Each household member aged 18 or older may submit an entry.
Placement on the waiting list does not guarantee that the individual/household will receive a voucher. As vouchers become available, names are taken from the top of the waiting list and interviews are scheduled to determine if the applicant is eligible for the program. Once qualified, those households will receive a voucher.
Learn More About the Program and Eligibility
To learn more about the program and its eligibility requirements, visit the Brunswick County Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program webpage or read the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Frequently Asked Questions.
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Media Inquiries
For media inquiries, contact Communications Director Meagan Kascsak.
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