OAKLAND — For the first time since 2011, people were able to apply to get on the waitlist for an Oakland housing choice voucher, formerly known as Section 8 housing. 

Recipients of a housing choice voucher are responsible for paying 30-40 percent of their monthly income towards rent and utilities, and some eventually use their voucher for the city's homeownership program, like Alyssia Simpson. 

"I never thought I would see the day that I would actually purchase a home, and I've done it," said Simpson. "It's my home for me and my family." 

Simpson purchased her first home a little over a year ago. She said the only reason she was able to do it is because is because of Oakland's housing choice voucher still commonly referred to by its former name of Section 8.

"Honestly, I don't know. I don't know where my family and I would be living," said Simpson, pondering what would happen if she never applied for a housing choice voucher. "I don't even know if we would have a home to live in." 

Simpson first applied about 15 years ago. 

She spent five years on the waitlist then she got a letter in the mail that she was up for her voucher and she and her children would be able to move into an apartment. 

Simpson spent nearly a decade renting, then moved into the homeownership program. It allows participants to use their subsidies towards a monthly mortgage payment. 

"Sometimes it's surreal for me when I pull up to my house, and I'm like ' I own that. Fhis is my house. I own it.' Wow. I can't even explain how surreal it is sometimes."

In order to be eligible for a housing choice voucher an applicant must make under 50% of the median income for the area, for a family of four in Oakland that's just under $78,000 a year. 

It's been nearly 14 years since the waitlist was last open, Executive Director of the Oakland Housing Authority Patricia Wells said she's been waiting for this day. 

"It's a long time coming," said Wells. 

Despite the waitlist opening, the Oakland Housing Authority has not received any new vouchers from the federal government. Instead, they are planning to re-issue existing vouchers from recipients who have moved on from the program.

Wells explains while many of the applications come from Oakland, there are also applicants from throughout the US.   

"We've received over 18,000 applications. And keep in mind the 18,000 folks will be put into a lottery because the waitlist will only have 5,000 slots." 

OakHA will work its way through all the people on that waitlist, they hope they will be able to re-open the waitlist again in five to eight years. 

Simpson knows applying for Section 8 still comes with a stigma, but she hopes anyone who is eligible will apply anyway. It has allowed her not only to buy a home, but go back to school, get her master's degree and advance her career. 

"Don't feel like Section 8 is going to limit you in what you want to do in your life," said Simpson. 

The waitlist closed on Jan. 26.