Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher · Project-Based Vouchers · Special programs

Applying for housing assistance with HACSC.

There are several ways to apply for help paying rent through HACSC. The right path depends on your situation, and most of HACSC's waiting lists are closed for now. The pages below give you the honest version: who's open, what to bring, how long it usually takes, and what to do if you can't apply right now.

Important: most waiting lists are closed today

HACSC's main Housing Choice Voucher waiting list has been closed since 2019; more than 2,000 households are still waiting from the 2018 opening. We can't accept new applications to that list right now. When it reopens, we will announce it on this page, in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Watsonville Pajaronian, and Hollister Freelance, and through our partner agencies.

However, several site-based and program-specific waiting lists are open today, see the list below.

What's open right now

Status as of May 19, 2026. This page is updated whenever a list opens or closes.

Program / Property	Status	Who it's for
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)	Closed	General HCV waiting list, closed since 2019
Resetar Residential Hotel (Watsonville)	Open	Site-based supportive housing; 89 units total, 52 PBV including 5 set aside for HUD-VASH veterans
VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing)	By referral	Veterans experiencing homelessness, apply through VA Palo Alto Health Care System
FUP (Family Unification Program)	By referral	Foster youth aging out of care, ages 18-24, apply through Santa Cruz County Family & Children's Services
Mainstream Vouchers	By referral	Non-elderly disabled households, apply through Central Coast Center for Independent Living
Saving for YOU (asset-building, MTW program)	Open to current HCV holders	Current HCV holders only, match savings + financial coaching

The honest application timeline

For applicants who do get onto a HACSC waiting list:

Today. You submit a pre-application (the form below). This takes 10-15 minutes. You'll receive a confirmation number and a written acknowledgment.
1-4 weeks later. HACSC verifies your contact information and reviews your pre-application for eligibility.
Months to years. Most HACSC waiting lists are 2 to 7 years from pre-application to a voucher offer, depending on the program and your preferences. We do not know exactly when your turn will come.
When your turn arrives. HACSC contacts you to complete the full application, verify income, household composition, and immigration status, and schedule an eligibility briefing.
Issuance. If eligible, you receive a voucher and 60-120 days to find a unit. HACSC's Mobility Counseling staff can help if you'd like assistance.
Lease-up. You sign a lease with your landlord, HACSC inspects the unit, and rental assistance begins.

If you can't wait, please see the alternatives below, there is help available today that doesn't require a HACSC voucher.

Pre-application form

This pre-application is for the Resetar Residential Hotel site-based waitlist (the only program currently open by direct application). For program-specific waitlists requiring referrals, see the partner contacts in the table above.

A real web form, not a PDF

The current site requires you to download, print, and physically mail or deliver a paper application. This redesign replaces that with an accessible online form that takes 10-15 minutes, works on a phone, supports screen readers, and is available in English and Spanish. When you submit, you receive a confirmation number, a PDF copy in the original HUD form layout for your records, and an email or postal confirmation depending on what you choose.

Your contact information

Full legal name As it appears on your government-issued ID. Required by HUD.

Email address We'll use this to confirm your application. Leave blank if you don't have one, see "Mail / text" below.

Phone number Cell or home phone. We may text confirmations to a cell number.

Mailing address Where HACSC can send mail. If you're currently homeless, you can use a friend or family address, a shelter address, or General Delivery at a USPS location.

Your household

How many people are in your household? Count everyone who will live in the assisted unit, including children. Live-in aides are listed separately on the full application.

Estimated total annual household income Best estimate is fine. Include wages, Social Security, SSI, disability, child support, and any other income for everyone in the household. We verify income later, before issuing a voucher.

Optional preferences

These preferences may move you up the Resetar waitlist; they are not required. If you check a box that doesn't apply, your application can be removed from consideration later, please answer honestly.

My household includes a person with a disability (verified during eligibility review).

My household includes a U.S. military veteran.

I am currently experiencing homelessness or am at imminent risk of becoming homeless.

I was displaced by a federally-declared disaster (e.g., 2023 Pajaro flood, 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire).

Accommodations and language

What language do you prefer for all written and spoken communication from HACSC? If you choose Spanish, your case manager (when assigned) will be a Spanish-speaking staff member or will arrange an interpreter at no cost to you.

Do you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability? Examples: a larger-print copy of HACSC mail, deadline extensions, a live-in aide, or an extra bedroom for medical equipment. You can also request an accommodation separately.

You will receive a confirmation number on the next screen and a written acknowledgment within 5 business days. This pre-application is for prototype purposes only and is not submitted to HACSC.

I'm a current HACSC tenant

The current site routes you through several different forms; this is the consolidated list.

If you can't apply with HACSC right now

HACSC isn't the only door to housing help in Santa Cruz County. The list below is the help that's available today.

2-1-1 Santa Cruz County: Call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Free 24/7 information about all housing assistance, food, healthcare, and crisis services in the county.
Community Action Board (CAB) of Santa Cruz County: Emergency rental assistance, deposit assistance, utility help. cabinc.org
Walnut Avenue Family & Women's Center: Domestic violence shelter and housing advocacy. (831) 426-6962 (24/7).
Pájaro Valley Shelter Services: Shelter and supportive housing for families in South County. (831) 722-1122
Encompass Community Services: Behavioral health, family support, and supportive housing. encompasscs.org
Catholic Charities of Santa Cruz County: Emergency assistance and immigration legal help. (831) 722-5060
MidPen Housing and Eden Housing operate affordable housing properties in the county. Each property has its own waiting list. midpen-housing.org · edenhousing.org