Keep Your Voucher Kit
Got a letter from your housing authority or your landlord and not sure what to do? This kit explains the moments a family can lose a Section 8 voucher or a home, what the federal rules say about each one, and gives you sample letters to fill in and send.
General information, not legal advice. We are not lawyers and do not file anything for you.
What is inside
An 18 page PDF, US Letter, that prints on a home printer. Updated October 2026.
Part 1: nine situations, one plain guide
For each: what can happen, what the rules say (with the section number), a "do this week" checklist, and which letter to send. The situations: your voucher is about to expire; the unit failed inspection or the owner will not repair; your housing authority says it will end your voucher; you were denied as an applicant; your yearly review or an income change; your landlord wants you out; moving or porting your voucher; other ways families lose a voucher; and protections for disability and domestic violence.
Part 2: sample letters and checklists
Letter 1, request for an informal hearing (participants, 24 CFR 982.555). Letter 2, request for an informal review (applicants, 982.554). Letter 3, voucher extension request with a search log (982.303). Letter 4, notice of move and portability request (982.353 to 982.355). Letter 5, reasonable accommodation request for a disability. Checklist 6, yearly review (recertification) and what to report between reviews. Three short notes: a repair request, an inspection request and a report of a change.
Part 3: tools and sources
A hearing day checklist, a notice and deadline tracker, how to send a letter so you can prove it, and a list of sources with the date each one was checked.
A look inside
A page from Part 1: the rules, with section numbers, and a "do this week" checklist.
Letter 1, request for an informal hearing. Fill in the blanks, sign it and send it.
Who it is for
- Families with a Housing Choice Voucher who got a notice from the housing authority
- Applicants who were denied or taken off a waiting list
- Families whose voucher is about to expire, or who need to move
- Anyone helping a family read a notice and decide what to send
What it does not do
It cannot tell you whether you will win, and it does not promise any result. It does not cover your state's eviction law, which is different in every state. It is not a lawyer and does not file anything for you. If you could lose your voucher or your home, free legal help may be available: lsc.gov (find legal aid) or dial 2-1-1.
Follow your own notice Deadlines and steps vary by housing authority. Follow the dates on your own notice. If a notice says something different from the kit, follow the notice and ask the housing authority to explain.
Free guides first
Frequently asked questions
- What do I get when I buy the Keep Your Voucher Kit?
- An 18 page PDF: a plain guide to nine situations where a voucher or home is at risk, five fill-in sample letters (informal hearing, informal review, extension, moving, reasonable accommodation), a yearly review checklist, three short notes, a hearing day checklist and a deadline tracker. It costs $12, one time.
- How do I get the download?
- Right after you pay, you land on a page with a download button, and we also email the link to the address you used at checkout. The link works with your payment, so you can download the kit again later.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. This is general information, not legal advice. We are not lawyers and do not file anything for you. The letters are samples that you fill in, sign and send yourself.
- Will the kit get my voucher back or win my hearing?
- We cannot promise any result. The kit explains the steps and the federal rules, and gives you letters to send on time. What happens next is up to your housing authority and, if it goes that far, a hearing officer or a court.
- Does it work in my state?
- The guide covers the federal Housing Choice Voucher rules in 24 CFR part 982, which apply nationwide. Your housing authority sets its own deadlines and forms, so follow the dates on your notice. The kit does not cover state and local eviction law.
- Is my payment safe?
- Payment is handled by Stripe. We never see or store your card number.
- Is the kit available in Spanish?
- Not yet. The kit is in English. The free Section 8 Move-In Pack is available in English and Spanish.
- How recent is the information?
- The kit was updated in October 2026, and every rule it cites was checked against the eCFR and HUD.gov on October 21, 2026. The sources and dates are listed in the kit.
Sources, checked on the dates shown
- 24 CFR part 982 (Housing Choice Voucher program), sections 982.303, 982.310, 982.353 to 982.355, 982.404, 982.516, 982.551 to 982.555, eCFR. Checked October 21, 2026.
- HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Tenant Rights and How Housing Choice Voucher Participants Can Resolve Disputes with the Public Housing Agency (HUD Exchange fact sheets). Checked October 21, 2026.
- HUD and U.S. Department of Justice, Joint Statement on Reasonable Accommodations under the Fair Housing Act, May 17, 2004. Checked October 21, 2026.