Search Low Income Apartments And Waiting Lists

Because of the high demand of affordable housing, and comparatively low supply, it is not rare to be on a waiting list for several years. For example, in some areas, 20,000+ people may apply through an office that is only placing 1,000 of those applicants on the waiting list. Generally, large metropolitan areas have long waiting lists, while lower populated areas have shorter waiting lists. There are housing authorities and apartment communities with very short waiting lists, or no waiting lists at all, but these opportunities are extremely rare.

Also, the Section 8 and Public Housing programs tend to have the longest waiting lists. Affordable housing properties that offer other programs, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, likely have shorter waiting lists than Section 8 and Public Housing. You can search our website for your area of interest, and scroll down to the list of affordable housing communities that may have other programs available.

Please contact the housing authority or apartment community for more information.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/Why-Is-The-Wait-So-Long

No, HUD's affordable housing programs are not emergency housing programs, and due to high demand, it is common to be on a waiting list for several months or years. Generally, large metropolitan areas have long waiting lists, while lower populated areas have shorter waiting lists.

However, your state may have its own emergency assistance program that helps with rent, utilities or other emergencies; and HUD has made that information easy to find.

• If you are in need of emergency housing, or at risk of losing your current housing, visit HUD's website here. Select the link for your state, and on the next page, scroll down to the "I Want To" section. There, select the "Find Homeless Resources" link for a list of available local resources. Helpful resources include:
  • Shelter locations (Locations will be listed for men, women, and children)
  • Emergency rental assistance
  • Avoid foreclosure
  • Help with your utility bills
  • Food banks
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Homeless service groups
  • Legal assistance
  • Social Security offices
  • Homeless veterans
  • United Way
  • Jobs and job training
  • Help hotlines
  • HUD resources
• If you need to find an affordable apartment quickly, waiting lists for apartment communities run by private management companies are usually shorter than a Section 8 or Public Housing waiting list managed by a HUD housing authority. However, many waiting lists are still months or years long, and applicants must go through an approval process that takes some time.
  • You can search for an affordable apartment in your area here. Type your city or county in the search bar at the top of the page, and then select the area in the drop down menu. The pages for many communities listed on Affordable Housing Online include a way to directly contact the management office for more information. If these options are available, you can call the phone number provided on the page, or send an online message directly to the office through Affordable Housing Online's form. If these methods of contact are not available on a community’s page, visit the community's location for more information.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/Does-HUD-Help-In-Emergency-Cases-For-Housing

Section 8 is the common term for federal low-income rental assistance programs managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The term Section 8 is usually used to describe the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which helps tenants pay rent based on their income, and pays participating landlords the remainder of the rent. "Section 8" can also refer to the Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program, and the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program. In both programs, the tenant typically pays 30% of their monthly income for housing costs.

Section 8 may also refer to either the tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program or the Project-based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program.

It gets its name from being Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/what-is-section-8

While you may apply anywhere in the country, you must live within the jurisdiction of the housing authority providing assistance once you have been notified that you may begin to receive rental assistance.

In regards to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, if you were not a resident of the area you applied to, you must live within the jurisdiction of that housing authority for one year before you are able transfer to a new area, known as porting. If you were a resident of the housing authority's jurisdiction when applying, you may port it to a new area at any time.

For example, if you live in California, and there is a Section 8 HCV opening by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) in Maryland, you must move to that housing authority's jurisdiction to receive rental assistance. But, if you lived in Baltimore, MD when you applied to the HABC Section 8 HCV waiting list, you may port it out of the area at any time after receiving your voucher.

Contact the housing authority in your area of interest to find out more information about its specific jurisdiction. You can search our website for housing authority contact information here.

If you are looking for a unit that will accept your voucher, please read our guide here.

Also, the housing authority you applied through may have information on landlords who accept vouchers. Contact the housing authority office for more information. Please click the link above to search for housing authority contact information.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/In-what-areas-can-you-live-for-section-8

Depending on the housing program you apply to, applications for an open waiting list will be available from the area's housing authority, or by an affordable apartment community's management company (or landlord).

Housing authorities manage the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing programs, but not all offer both programs. The housing authority may also participate in other housing programs, and offer affordable apartment communities as well.

In addition to programs available by housing authorities, property management companies and private landlords operate affordable apartment communities.

How to get an application varies by each housing office. Applications are usually available online, in the office, or by calling to request one via mail.

The housing authority pages on Affordable Housing Online provide information on how to apply to a specific waiting list. You can find more information on how to apply to open Section 8 waiting lists here, and open Public Housing waiting lists here. If information on how to apply is not available, contact the housing authority for assistance.

Affordable apartment community pages on Affordable Housing online have buttons that allows you to email or call the property, and find out how to apply. If contact information is not available, visit the property in person. You can start your search for an affordable apartment here.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/How-Do-I-Apply