After waiting for the better part of a decade, one Sunnyvale woman's number was finally called, and she and her three daughters are hoping to be in subsidized housing by summer.

Rita--a 33-year Sunnyvale resident who asked that her last name not be used--said she has been waiting to receive a Section 8 affordable housing voucher since 1998.

The voucher will enable her to rent a home, with the Santa Clara County Housing Authority paying the majority of her rent. Voucher holders pay one third of their monthly income for rent; the housing authority pays the rest.

"Families can afford to live in a safe situation without having to live paycheck to paycheck," said Sunnyvale Community Services caseworker Jeanne Yeager. "It's a safety net."

Rita said she and her three daughters currently share two rented rooms in Sunnyvale, with little money to spare.

Due to high demand, the waiting list to receive vouchers has not been open since 1999. At the end of this month, the housing authority will announce when and where people can sign up to get on the waiting list for housing vouchers. According to Candy Capogrossi, executive director of the Santa Clara County housing Authority, there are still approximately 800 people--from the list that was started in 1999--who will receive vouchers before any new applicants.

Many county agencies keep close watch on housing issues because their clients are directly affected by the availability of affordable homes. Yeager said that in almost 19 years with the agency, she has seen countless clients benefit from subsidized housing.

"I'm always happy to see the system working, even if it is working slowly," Yeager said.

The slow process can be stressful for participants because they must constantly update their living information to stay on the list, a task that becomes difficult with families moving around because of housing costs or new jobs.

"People who have a hard time staying in one place usually don't remember to keep their addresses current with the housing authority," Yeager said.

Once Rita got her name on the waiting list, she had to periodically check with the housing authority to find out where she was on the list.

"I used to wait to call every six months, so I wouldn't be disappointed when my number didn't change," she said.

A year and a half ago, Rita said, she was number 1,397 on the list of those waiting to get a voucher.

Five months ago she was number 374.

And then two months ago, she got the call she had been waiting for. Her number had finally come up, and she could begin the process of receiving a voucher.

"I started calling everyone when my number came up; I was so excited," she said. "Getting a voucher would mean a lot of help for my family, a lot of security."

According to the Santa Clara County Housing Authority, there are several steps to take once someone is chosen from the list. An appointment with a housing authority specialist is scheduled, at which the applicant must present proof of income and other financial information. After that, the specialist determines if the application will be approved. Income and household information is gathered, and the final assistance money amount is determined.

If the application is finally accepted, the applicant receives a voucher and information related to renting and responsibilities.

Rita said she is currently waiting for her application to be processed.

Even if she receives a housing voucher, she is not guaranteed a rental unit, because Section 8 funding does not cover security deposits, which can often be as much as two month's rent.

"As soon as I found out that I was getting a voucher application, I started saving money to pay for a security deposit," she said.

Yeager said that she hopes Sunnyvale Community Services can help Rita with the deposit, as they have helped other Section 8 recipients. That help can be either financial assistance or help negotiating a payment plan with willing landlords.

"We just don't want them to lose the opportunity to get Section 8 housing," Yeager said.

To find out more about Section 8 housing or when the Santa Clara County Housing Authority, 505 W. Julian St. in San Jose, will begin accepting applications again, visit www.hacsc.org or call 408.275.8770.