Some people who need housing could be a step closer to getting it.
The Chattanooga Housing Authority opened its Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list Monday.
Thousands applied, according to Tammie Carpenter, CHA's Housing Choice voucher program director.
It was the first time since January that the agency accepted new applications for Housing Choice vouchers. People who receive vouchers may find housing and get the federal government to pay a portion of their rent.
Chattanooga has a deficit of more than 4,000 affordable rental units for households with incomes below $20,000, according to a 2013 housing study by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County's Regional Planning Agency.
The Chattanooga Housing Authority is participating in a pilot program which expands the areas in Chattanooga where Housing Choice Vouchers are accepted.Some 77 percent of Chattanooga households with income less than $20,000 pay more than a third of their income for housing and utilities, according to the study.
More than 6,500 people applied for the Housing Choice vouchers in January.
More than 3,000 people had applied Monday near the end of the business day. Applications were accepted online from 12 a.m. Monday until 11:59 p.m. The Chattanooga Housing Authority remained opened until 7 p.m. Monday to accommodate applicants who needed to use housing authority computers.
About 146 people had come in to use CHA computers by 4 p.m. Monday, officials said.
Housing officials will use a computer to randomly select 1,000 applicants for the waiting list. All applicants not selected must reapply the next time new applicants are accepted to be considered again. The housing authority will list randomly selected applicants on its website on Oct. 26.
Starting a week and a half from now, the Chattanooga Housing Authority will start contacting applicants for processing, Executive Director Betsy McCright said.
The housing authority's goal is to have all of its 3,500 vouchers result in leases by the end of the year.
The agency will continue issuing vouchers even after that because about 20 people a month leave the program, McCright said.
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at 423-757-6431 or yputman@timesfreepress.com.