The Denver Housing Authority will distribute Housing Choice Vouchers for low income families by way of lottery.

Affordability housing lottery applications open for 48 hours on Sept. 21 at 12:01 a.m. and closes on Sept. 22 at 11:59 p.m.

Housing Choice Vouchers, previously known as Section 8, is a federal government grant to assist “very low to low-income families live within the community,” the city’s housing authority said in a news release. Thousands of residents are expected to apply.

A March SurveyUSA polls shows 50% of Denverites believe affordable housing is the most important issue in the city.

Requirements to be considered for the voucher program:

• Meet HUD basic eligibility requirements: not a registered sex offender and/or not convicted of methamphetamine manufacture or production on public housing premises.
• Have not been evicted from federally assisted housing for drug-related criminal activity in the past 3 years.
• Have not been evicted from federally assisted housing within the past 5 years.
• Does not owe money to any subsidized housing programs.
• Cannot exceed income guidelines.

“This once per year lottery begins the application process for people who are interested in and eligible for affordable housing in Denver,” Loretta Owens, director of Housing Choice Vouchers for DHA said. “We expect to receive thousands of applications this year with the continued need for safe, decent, and affordable housing options.”

The housing voucher program pays a portion of the owners rent to make housing affordable for low-income residents, according to DHA.

Lottery entry submissions are found at www.denverhousing.org. DHA is also offering two Opportunity Centers at 855 South Irving Street and North Lincoln Homes at 1401 Mariposa Street. Both center’s will provide computers to submit applications.

Do not pay anyone to be in the housing voucher lottery, the DHA advised.