40% of Napa County households are deemed low or very low income, earning 80% or less of the area median income. Many families are paying 50% or more of their income for housing or living in overcrowded or substandard housing in order to keep the cost down.
Many earn $6.75 to $9.00 per hour, working for retail stores, hotels and resorts, wineries, nursing homes, landscaping companies, banks and other service jobs. Some are seniors, living on modest, fixed incomes. Others are people with special needs and disabilities.

Firstly, families must income-qualify. They can earn no more than 60% of the area median income which, in Napa County, equates to about $34,380 per year for a single person or $49,080 for a family of four.

Those who wish to be considered must undergo a screening process, due both to management policy and to satisfy the requirements of lenders and government entities who have partnered with NVCH to make this housing possible.

Prospective residents are asked to complete a detailed application and family interview. Income and assets must be verified by a third party, and reports gathered from previous landlords and from credit and criminal reporting sources. Letters of reference are also required as well as copies of supporting documents such as tax returns, state or national photo identification cards, social security identification, bank statements, etc.

Once offered an apartment, residents must agree to follow the house rules, set for each property and to meet the terms and conditions of our resident lease. In these documents, we set standards that encourage responsible behavior and ensure that our properties are clean, safe and operate efficiently. Living at our properties also requires that residents be respectful of one another, of property management staff and those living in the surrounding neighborhood.

Yes. separate lists are kept for each of the properties. In general, households that have been waiting the longest are considered first for openings. However, consideration is also given to family size and other special needs and preferences which are matched with the available unit.