Family Unification Vouchers

The Family Unification Program (FUP) Voucher is a housing choice voucher, also called a Section 8 voucher, that is specifically for families and youth who have been involved in the child welfare system (DCFS). Here we information relevant to youth. But find more information about FUP vouchers for families here.
Not all Public Housing Authorities offer FUP voucher so contact your PHA to see if there are FUP vouchers available.

Youth between 18 and 24, who were in foster care until they were at least 16 or who are still in foster care but will leave in the next three months (90 days) according to their transition plan.
DCFS-involved or previously DCFS-involved youth who are currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability

Up to 36 months (three years)
Some housing authorities offer a Family Self Sufficiency Program, which extends the voucher and offers a cash reward for completing the program. Please contact your local public housing authority for more information on the Family Self Sufficiency Program.

You can use the FUP voucher to lease a private apartment that is “decent, safe, and sanitary,” similar to a Section 8 housing voucher.

Your local public housing agency in partnership with DCFS
DCFS will decide whether or not youth meets requirements for FUP voucher and then refers the youth to the public housing agency (e.g. CHA in Chicago)
Youth who have aged out of care and are living in “inadequate housing” can also be selected by the CoC for a FUP voucher.

Complete an application through DCFS – they’ll determine whether or not you’re eligible and then you’ll be sent to the public housing authority who will place you on the housing choice voucher waitlist. When you’re approved by the PHA, you’ll get the voucher from them and then will be able to select an apartment same as you would with a Section 8 housing choice voucher.

You’ll also be eligible to receive what the federal government calls “supportive services” for the first 18 months that you have the FUP voucher. These services include money management skills, job preparation, educational counseling, and nutrition and meal prep assistance. It is mandatory that DCFS offers these services to you, according to the feds.

Yes, your local public housing authority will consider your income when they’re determining your eligibility for a voucher. If you make less than 50% of the middle income for your area (as decided by HUD, a federal housing agency) and meet the requirements listed above, you should be eligible to receive a voucher. Most (75%) of housing vouchers are given to people and families who make less than 30% of the middle income for their area.

You’ll be responsible for finding your apartment or home after getting the voucher, but you have to get approval from the public housing agency in order to actually move into your new home. There should be a date on your voucher that tells you by what deadline you have to apply for this approval.
After you get approval, you’ll sign a contract with the public housing authority so that they’ll be able to help you with your rent. Then you’ll sign a lease for the apartment or home.

After 1 year you are allowed to transfer your voucher to another PHA, even in another state. So for example, if you receive a FUP voucher in Chicago, after a year you could transfer that voucher to move to Indiana, as long as there is a PHA that can manage the voucher.
The public housing authority may limit the number of times you’re able to move while you’re using the voucher, but generally you’re allowed to move and continue to use the voucher to help you pay rent. You’ll have to let the PHA know before you move, and they’ll need to approve the new apartment/house where you’re moving.

This is where the information can get a little complicated. The FUP program uses the same rules as Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in order to figure out how much of your rent they’ll pay and how much you’ll pay.
They have what they call “total tenant payment” (TTP), which just means the amount of money you’ll be responsible for when it comes time to pay rent each month. Usually, TTP is 30% of the your income, because that’s what the federal government considers a reasonable “rent burden.” So 30% of your income will go toward rent, and then the PHA will pay the rest.
For example, let’s say you make $900 a month and live in an apartment where the rent is $1000 a month. You’ll pay $300 (30% of your income) toward rent, and then the PHA will cover the other $700 of your rent.
This is part of the reason why the PHA has to approve the apartment you move into – they want to make sure that you’re moving into an apartment that has a reasonable rent, considering the average rent for the area where it is. If they approve you for an apartment too far above the average rent value for that area, your TTP goes up to 40% of your income, meaning that’s how much you’ll have to pay toward rent. Using the same example as above, you’d pay 40% of your $900 – or $360 – and then the PHA will cover the rest of your monthly rent.

A couple notes:

*Here’s what they mean by “at risk of homelessness:”

You make less than 30% of the average income for your area (average income is determined by HUD, a federal housing agency)
You don’t have enough resources or a strong support network (for example, your friends, family, or community) that would help you avoid living on the street or in a shelter
You meet at least two of these qualifications:
- You’ve moved for financial reasons (for example, you couldn’t afford the rent at your apartment) two or more times in the two months (60 days) leading up to the day you applied for a FUP voucher
- You’re staying with a friend or family member because you can’t afford rent somewhere else
- You’ve been told you’ll be evicted within three weeks (21 days) of the day you applied for a FUP voucher
- You live in a hotel/motel and you’re not receiving help from an organization or the government to pay for your stay
- You’re leaving a hospital, mental health facility, foster care or group home, or jail/prison
- There are other parts of your housing situation that are unstable or put you at higher risk of homelessness (living on the street or in a shelter)
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