Key Rental Assistance

Key Rental Assistance (Key) is a partnership between the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to provide rental assistance for low-income people with disabilities, including those experiencing homelessness. Key works in conjunction with the Targeting Program, which requires that developers of rental housing financed through the Housing Credit Program to set aside 10% percent (up to 20%) of their units for people with disabilities. These Targeted Units qualify for Key Rental Assistance, which makes up the difference between the Key payment standard set by the state (total rent an owner can collect) and up to 25% of the resident’s gross income (which they pay for rent). Supportive services for tenants are coordinated through DHHS. If rental assistance is available through another program, such as Section 8 or Rural Development, Key is not used but the units are included in Targeted Unit counts. Key is project-based – it cannot be transferred to a different property or used outside the Targeting Program. For additional details, please see the Targeting Program Manual at https://www.nchfa.com/sites/default/files/page_attachments/TargetingProgramManual.pdf