There are currently 9,609 Public Housing communities in the United States containing 1,170,016 rental units. These properties are operated by 3,136 different Public Housing Authorities across America. To find the units open in your area, simply select your State/County below and contact the Public Housing Authority of your choice.

	Open Waiting Lists
State	Family	Senior or Disabled	Other	Open Waiting Lists
Alabama	102	102	0	204
Alaska	1	1	0	2
Arizona	13	12	1	26
Arkansas	79	81	5	165
California	26	26	1	53
Colorado	20	25	2	47
Connecticut	12	19	2	33
Delaware	3	4	0	7
District of Columbia	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Florida	43	37	1	81
Georgia	126	124	1	251
Guam	1	1	0	2
Hawaii	1	1	0	2
Idaho	3	7	0	10
Illinois	71	71	1	143
Indiana	21	24	0	45
Iowa	25	30	2	57
Kansas	53	61	0	114
Kentucky	75	75	0	150
Louisiana	70	70	1	141
Maine	12	15	0	27
Maryland	11	13	2	26
Massachusetts	27	51	4	82
Michigan	64	89	0	153
Minnesota	65	83	5	153
Mississippi	33	34	0	67
Missouri	69	76	6	151
Montana	8	8	0	16

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	Open Waiting Lists
State	Family	Senior or Disabled	Other	Open Waiting Lists
Nebraska	20	30	35	85
Nevada	0	0	0	0
New Hampshire	11	12	0	23
New Jersey	18	40	2	60
New Mexico	18	20	0	38
New York	58	65	2	125
North Carolina	75	71	2	148
North Dakota	11	11	0	22
Ohio	35	37	0	72
Oklahoma	71	75	3	149
Oregon	12	10	0	22
Pennsylvania	62	64	1	127
Puerto Rico	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Rhode Island	6	16	1	23
South Carolina	23	20	0	43
South Dakota	7	15	0	22
Tennessee	69	70	0	139
Texas	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Utah	8	11	0	19
Vermont	7	7	0	14
Virgin Islands	1	1	0	2
Virginia	18	18	1	37
Washington	23	21	2	46
West Virginia	29	30	1	60
Wisconsin	51	74	1	126
Wyoming	5	6	0	11

WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING?

Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. 

Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single family houses to high-rise apartments for elderly families. There are approximately 1.2 million households living in public housing units, managed by some 3,300 HAs. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to local housing agencies (HAs) that manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford. HUD furnishes technical and professional assistance in planning, developing and managing these developments.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. An HA determines your eligibility based on:

1. annual gross income;
2. whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and
3. U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If you are eligible, the HA will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. HAs will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project’s environment.

HAs use income limits developed by HUD. HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low income limits at 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which you choose to live. Income limits vary from area to area so you may be eligible at one HA but not at another. The HA serving your community can provide you with the income levels for your area and family size, or you can also find the income limits here on the internet.

HOW DO I APPLY?

If you are interested in applying for public housing, contact your local HA.

HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORK?

The application must be written. Either you or the HA representative will fill it out. An HA usually needs to collect the following information to determine eligibility:

1. Names of all persons who would be living in the unit, their gender, date of birth, and relationship to the family head;
2. Your present address and telephone number;
3. Family characteristics (e.g., veteran) or circumstances (e.g., living in substandard housing) that might qualify the family for tenant selection preferences;
4. Names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for information about your family’s suitability as a tenant;
5. An estimate of your family’s anticipated income for the next twelve months and the sources of that income;
6. The names and addresses of employers, banks, and any other information the HA would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition; and
7. The PHA also may visit you in your home to interview you and your family members to see how you manage the upkeep of you current home.

After obtaining this information, the HA representative should describe the public housing program and its requirements, and answer any questions you might have.

SEARCH AVAILABLE UNITS in your area:

• Privately owned subsidized housing – HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income tenants. Search for an apartment and apply directly at the management office.
• Public Housing – affordable apartments for low-income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities. To apply, contact a public housing agency.

WILL I NEED TO PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENTATION?

Yes, the HA representative will request whatever documentation is needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns) to verify the information given on your application. The PHA will also rely on direct verification from your employer, etc. You will be asked to sign a form to authorize release of pertinent information to the PHA.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED?

An HA has to provide written notification. If the HA determines that you are eligible, your name will be put on a waiting list, unless the HA is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the HA will contact you. If it is determined that you are ineligible, the HA must say why and, if you wish, you can request an informal hearing.

WILL I HAVE TO SIGN A LEASE?

If you are offered a house or apartment and accept it, you will have to sign a lease with the HA. You may have to give the HA a security deposit. You and the HA representative should go over the lease together. This will give you a better understanding of your responsibilities as a tenant and the HA’s responsibilities as a landlord.

ARE THERE ANY SELECTION PREFERENCES?

Sometimes there are. Giving preference to specific groups of families enables an HA to direct their limited housing resources to the families with the greatest housing needs. Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to HUD and the local HAs, long waiting periods are common. In fact, an HA may close its waiting list when there are more families on the list than can be assisted in the near future.

Each HA has the discretion to establish preferences to reflect needs in its own community. These preferences will be included in the HAs written policy manual. You should ask what preferences they honor so you will know whether you qualify for a preference.

HOW IS RENT DETERMINED?

Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP) in this program, would be based on your family’s anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow HAs to exclude from annual income the following allowances: $480 for each dependent; $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability; and some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities. Based on your application, the HA representative will determine if any of the allowable deductions should be subtracted from your annual income. Annual income is the anticipated total income from all sources received from the family head and spouse, and each additional member of the family 18 years of age or older.

The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:

1. 30 percent of the monthly adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less deductions allowed by the regulations);
2. 10 percent of monthly income;
3. welfare rent, if applicable; or
4. a $25 minimum rent or higher amount (up to $50) set by an HA.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HA?

An HA is responsible for the management and operation of its local public housing program. They may also operate other types of housing programs.

(1) On-going functions: (a) Assure compliance with leases. The lease must be signed by both parties; (b) Set other charges (e.g., security deposit, excess utility consumption, and damages to unit); (c) Perform periodic reexaminations of the family’s income at least once every 12 months; (d) Transfer families from one unit to another, in order to correct over/under crowding, repair or renovate a dwelling, or because of a resident’s request to be transferred; (e) Terminate leases when necessary; and (f) maintain the development in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition.

(2) Sometimes HAs provide other services, that might include such things as: homeownership opportunities for qualified families; employment training opportunities, and other special training and employment programs for residents; and support programs for the elderly.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY IN PUBLIC HOUSING?

In general, you may stay in public housing as long as you comply with the lease.

If, at reexamination your family’s income is sufficient to obtain housing on the private market, the HA may determine whether your family should stay in public housing.

PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMS