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Fort Smith Housing Authority

2100 N 31st Street
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas 72904

Fort Smith Housing Authority is a housing authority that participates in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), and Public Housing programs. As of March 8th, 2021, Fort Smith Housing Authority has 2 waiting lists that are open now or opening soon.

Fort Smith Housing Authority serves Sebastian County.

Waiting List Statuses
Waiting List Status
Fort Smith Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Open Until Further Notice
Fort Smith Housing Authority Public Housing Open Until Further Notice

Open Fort Smith Housing Authority Waiting Lists

Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, some waiting list openings may be postponed until further notice. Visit the housing authority's website for the latest on its current operations, if one is available. If there is no information online, contact the housing authority directly. Due to a high volume of calls and modified office hours in most areas, it may take days or weeks to get a response.

Fort Smith Housing Authority Website: http://www.fortsmithhousing.org/.

Fort Smith Housing Authority Phone: (479) 782-4991.

Open Until Further Notice: Fort Smith Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List

Please Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

How To Apply to the Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List

The Fort Smith Housing Authority (FSHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open. This waiting list is open indefinitely.

Please note: This waiting list has preferences. This means that applicants who qualify for these preferences will receive assistance before applicants who do not. Because of these preferences, applicants who do not qualify may have a longer wait to receive assistance.


There are two ways to apply: 

  1. Download and print the application online here.
  2. Visit the FSHA office to request an application, located at 2100 North 31st Street, Fort Smith, AR 72904, from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm CT.

Once the application has been completed, it must be hand delivered to the FSHA office, located at 2100 North 31st Street, Fort Smith, AR 72904, from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.

This waiting list has the following preferences: Working family, elderly, disabled, terminated from HCV program due to insufficient funding, victim of domestic violence, victim of natural disaster, homeless.

Selected applicants will be placed on the waiting list by date and time of application submission, by order of preferences. 

When an applicant's name reaches the top of the waiting list, the FSHA will send a letter by mail with the required eligibility interview date and time. 

The average wait time to receive a Housing Choice Voucher is 1-4 years.

Important note: Applicants who have been placed on the waiting list must inform the housing authority immediately if your application information changes (such as contact information, income, and household members). In the case that the office sends a notice that does not get returned, or if application information is out of date, your name may be terminated from the waiting list. Contact the housing authority to find out how to update application information.

For more information, visit the FSHA website, or call the office at (479) 782-4991.

The Fort Smith Housing Authority (FSHA) is currently accepting Section 8 Project-Based Voucher applications.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. The Section 8 Project-Based Voucher program operates similarly to Public Housing, in which tenants must live in a specific unit to receive housing assistance. For HCV information, please scroll up above the PBV section.

To apply, download and print the application online here.

Once the application has been completed, it must must be:

  1. Emailed to jchambers@fortsmithha.com.
  2. Mailed to North Pointe/Clayton Heights Leasing Office, 3408 N. 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72904.
  3. Hand delivered to the address above.
  4. Faxed to (479) 494-7803.

Important note: Applicants who have been placed on the waiting list must inform the housing authority immediately if your application information changes (such as contact information, income, and household members). In the case that the office sends a notice that does not get returned, or if application information is out of date, your name may be terminated from the waiting list. Contact the housing authority to find out how to update application information.

For more information, visit the FSHA website, or call the office at (479) 782-4991.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via 4797824991.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 07/14/2017.

Open Until Further Notice: Public Housing Waiting List

Please Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

How To Apply to the Public Housing Waiting List

As of July 2017, the Fort Smith Housing Authority (FSHA) is currently accepting Scattered Site pre-applications.

Please note: The FSHA does not offer a Public Housing program.

There are two ways to apply:

  1. Visit the FSHA office to pick up a pre-application, located at 2100 N 31st St., Fort Smith, AR 72904 during normal office hours.
  2. Download a pre-application online here, then print and complete.

Once the pre-application has been completed, it can be mailed or hand delivered to the address listed above.

No documents are needed at this time. 

The following preferences have been identified: Working family, elderly, disabled, terminated from HCV program due to insufficient funding, victim of domestic violence, victim of natural disaster, homeless.

For more information, visit the FSHA website, or call the office at (479) 782-4991.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via 4797824991.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 07/10/2017.

About Fort Smith Housing Authority

More information about Fort Smith Housing Authority can be found on its website at http://www.fortsmithhousing.org/.

Representatives of Fort Smith Housing Authority may be available by phone at (479) 782-4991. Unless otherwise noted above, applications will not be provided or accepted by phone.

HCV Portability Status

As of 03/08/2021, it is not known if Fort Smith Housing Authority is either absorbing or billing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher portability requests for porting in. Learn more about porting Housing Choice Vouchers to a new area here.

About the Fort Smith Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Fort Smith Housing Authority manages 1,593 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following is a summary of the types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each as of December 31st, 2019:

Standard Tenant Protection Ported Out VASH
Vouchers 1,274 6 6 31
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $394 $325 $598 $321
Monthly Cost $501,750 $1,951 $3,590 $9,942

Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Fort Smith Housing Authority

Waiting List and Tenancy

According to the 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households database, the housing authority's voucher program has an annual turnover of 13% having issued approximately 115 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 4 years and 7 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 5 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 1.9 persons and has a household income of $11,447 per year. 93% of households were very low income (VLI) and 60% were extremely low income (ELI). 18% of households had wages as a major source of income, 1% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 81% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

3% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 48% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 25% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 24% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 1% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

32% of households included children, 2% of which had two adults in the household. 30% of households with children have a female head of household. 73% of all households were headed by a female.

42% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 32% of all heads of households being Black and 0% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Fort Smith Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 33% include at least one person with a disability. 63% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 48% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

45% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 29% with 2 bedrooms and 27% with 3 or more bedrooms. 17% of voucher recipients are considered overhoused, meaning they occupy a rental unit larger than their family size requires.

Rent, Assistance, and Utility Allowances

The average monthly tenant contribution to rent by Fort Smith Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $283 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $468. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $124.



1. This Picture of Subsidized Households data field is the average wait time of those who received a voucher in the preceding 12 months. Due to special voucher programs like VASH, recent waiting list purges, or waiting list preferences the average wait time can vary significantly from one year to the next and it is entirely possible many current applicants on the waiting list have been waiting for assistance for far longer.

Public Housing Apartments Operated by Fort Smith Housing Authority

Nelson Hall Homes

2100 N 31st St
Fort Smith, Arkansas
View Apartment