Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program

The Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8 Vouchers) is a federally funded, locally administered rental assistance program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HCV is administered locally by the New Castle County Housing Authority (NCCHA).  NCCHA currently helps to house roughly 1,700 families throughout New Castle County, Delaware. 

You can find out more about the basics of the HCV Program here.

Please note:  NCCHA caseworkers Do Not Take Walk-In's. In-person appointments or hearings must be scheduled in advance with caseworkers. In addition, please allow staff 48 hours to respond to messages. If you do not receive a response within that timeframe, please contact Ms. Dennis or Ms. Scarpitti. 

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NCCHA is once again maintaining a listing of units know to be available and ready for HCV tenants. You can view the one-, two-, and three-bedroom listing documents in this folder, which will be updated regularly. 

Property owners and managers wishing to add or remove a unit from the listing, please contact [email protected]. 

Tenants may still seek housing from any market landlord who is open to working with the HCV Program, and additional rental listings are still available on DelawareHousingSearch.org. 

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Through a Memorandum of Understanding with Newark Housing Authority, it will now be easier for Housing Choice Voucher clients of each agency to seek housing in the other's service area. In other words, NCCHA voucher holders may now search for and move into qualified homes within the city limits of Newark, while remaining our clients, and vice versa. Learn more on our Portability Page.

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Through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by County Executive Matt Meyer and Wilmington Housing Authority Director Ray Fitzgerald, it will now be easier for Housing Choice Voucher clients of each agency to seek housing in the other's service area. In other words, NCCHA voucher holders may now search for and move into qualified homes in Wilmington, while remaining our clients, and vice versa. Learn more on our Portability Page.

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All business with NCCHA should be handled by phone, email, mail or fax when possible. However, the Gilliam Building is open to the public, documents may be dropped off in the lobby and caseworkers may be able to schedule meetings with tenants as needed.

Annual Inspections are currently being performed on behalf of NCCHA by contractor McCright & Associates, while NCCHA inspectors are back in the field addressing complaints and move-in inspections. Contact NCCHA with any questions or issues regarding inspections.

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Current Base* Payment Standards for NCC:

(Effective January 1, 2023)

# of BedroomsNCCHA Payment Standard
Efficiency$1,020
One Bedroom$1,162
Two Bedroom$1,404
Three Bedroom$1,707
Four Bedroom$1,990


* Please note that HUD's 'Small Area Fair Market Rent' guidelines add variability to the Payment Standard in some New Castle County zip codes to account for different average rental rates around the county. For a full listing of specific Fair Market Rents by Zip Code, please see this document (pdf).

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NCCHA Administrative Plan (2018)

As of June 2019, NCCHA has adopted a revised "Administrative Plan," which outlines specifically how NCCHA interprets and operates the HCV Program within its jurisdiction, as well as local policies and standards. (Click on the link above to view the document.)


Page Updated 8/1/2023