What does CMHA mean in HOUSING & AMENITIES

CMHA provides a variety of housing options designed to meet the needs of residents with low and moderate incomes. We offer public housing, private market rental assistance (including Section 8 vouchers), and homeownership programs.

Eligibility requirements vary depending on the program. Generally, applicants must be a resident of Franklin County, Ohio; have an income at or below 80 percent of area median income; have good rental history, if applicable; have verifiable income; pass a criminal background check; and not owe money to any Housing Authority.

First you must complete the pre-application form located on our website. After submitting the form, you will receive instructions regarding next steps for submitting additional required documents that will allow us to determine your eligibility.

Depending on the type of assistance requested, documents may include proof of identity and date of birth (i.e., driver’s license or state ID card); Social Security cards and numbers for all household members; proof that all adult members are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; income verification (i.e., pay stubs or tax returns) for everyone in the household over 18 years old who is working; verification of other sources of income such as Social Security benefits, child support payments or alimony; current lease agreement, if applying for tenant-based rental assistance; and recent bank statements from all family members in order to identify assets owned by each member.

Processing times can vary based on several factors including volume of applications received, completeness/ accuracy of submitted documentation, and availability/ approval status from outside agencies or partners. We aim to review applications in 45 days from submission date but this can change due to various factors throughout the process so please contact us directly if you would like further information about your individual application status.

Unfortunately we do not currently provide emergency housing services directly through CMHA but we can refer residents in need of emergency shelter services to our partner network which may be able to assist them.

Generally people making 80 percent or less than median family income for their area are considered low-income holders as determined by HUD guidelines.

There is a one-time administrative fee when signing a lease with us and tenants may be responsible for paying utilities depending on their chosen residence location.