Emergency Housing Vouchers Program
The Garden Grove Housing Authority (GGHA) is pleased to announced that we have accepted 117 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) and funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law No: 117-2). The EHVs are provided to help assist individuals and families who are (1) homeless, (2) at risk of homelessness, (3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, or (4) recently homeless. The effective date of the EHV award is July 1, 2021.
To ensure that the EHVs assist families who are most in need, the GGHA will work with community partners to determine the best use and targeting for the vouchers along with other resources available in the community.
The GGHA will partner with the Continuum of Care (CoC) and/or other homeless or victim services providers to assist qualifying families through a direct referral process.
Individual and Family Eligibility under the Qualifying Categories
In order to be eligible for an EHV, an individual or family must meet one of four eligibility categories:
- Homeless
- At risk of homelessness
- Fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking
- Recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family's homelessness or having high risk of housing instability.
In general, the verification that the individual or family meets one of these four eligibility categories is conducted by the CoC or another partnering agency that makes direct referrals to the GGHA. The CoC or other direct referral partner must provide supporting documentation to the GGHA of the referring agency's verification that the family meets one of the four eligible categories for EHV assistance.
EHV families are issued EHVs as the result of either:
- The direct referral process from the CoC Coordinated Entry (CE) System and/or other partnering organizations, or
- A situation where the GGHA makes an EHV available in order to facilitate an emergency transfer in accordance with the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as outlined in the GGHA's Administrative Plan.
In general, the GGHA will only accept referrals from the COC or other community partners. Whether or not you are on the current housing authority Section 8 waiting list, please call 211 for additional information on how you may qualify for an Emergency Housing Voucher.
