Marin Housing Authority

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Marin Housing Authority.

Open: Chronic Homelessness Section 8 HCV

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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Housing Authority for the County of Marin (HACM) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program accepts a maximum of 50 applications a year for chronic homeless applicants is currently open until further notice.

Please note: According to the HACM, "The [Marin County Coordinated Entry (CE) provider] has adopted a 'Housing First' model which requires the applicant to have on-going case management with the County of Marin Health and Human Services."

To apply, referrals must be made from the Marin County Coordinated Entry (CE) provider at (415) 491-2574.

For more information, visit the HACM Waitlist page here, or the HACM website here.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (415) 491-2574.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 03/20/2019.

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Open: Involuntarily Displaced Section 8 HCV

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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Housing Authority for the County of Marin (HACM) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program accepts a maximum number of applications a year for involuntarily displaced applicants.

Please note: A maximum of 15 applicants a year are accepted for Victims of Domestic Violence; a maximum of 15 applicants a year are accepted for Victims of a Natural Disaster; a maximum of 5 applicants a year are accepted for State or Federal Witness Protection; and a maximum of 5 applicants a year are accepted for Eminent Domain.

To apply for Victims of Domestic Violence placement, referrals must be made from CalWORKS at (877) 410-8817, or Center for Domestic Peace at (415) 924-6616.

To apply for Victims of a Natural Disaster placement, referrals must be made from the American Red Cross at (800) 733-2767.

It is not known how to apply for State or Federal Witness Protection or Eminent Domain placement.

For more information, visit the HACM Waitlist page here, or the HACM website here.

Reasonable Accommodation

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

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 03/20/2019.

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Closed: General Section 8 HCV

The Housing Authority of the County of Marin (HACM) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently closed. It was last open in September, 2008. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

For more information, visit the HACM website here.

Last Updated on 03/20/2019.

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Closed: Toussin Senior Housing Near Elderly Section 8 Project-Based Voucher

The Marin Housing Authority (MHA) Near Elderly Section 8 Project-Based Voucher waiting list for 1-Bedroom apartments at Toussin Senior Housing is closed.

The MHA last accepted applications for this waiting list from October 4, 2021 until October 29, 2021. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to the MHA, to apply for this waiting list "Head of Household must be 55+ years of age".

There were two ways to apply during the opening period:

  1. Complete the online application.
  2. Call the MHA to request a paper application.

Once the application was completed, it was either:

  1. Emailed to the MHA.
  2. Mailed to the Marin Housing Authority.

The maximum income limits for each household size were listed on the public notice.

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

It was not known how applicants will be placed on the waiting list.

For more information, visit the MHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the MHA public notice on September 30, 2021.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Project-Based Voucher rental assistance in Marin County, California.

Last Updated on 12/06/2021.

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Closed: Edgewater, Piper Court and Fireside Lodge Section 8 Project-Based Voucher

The Marin Housing Authority (MHA) Section 8 Project-Based Voucher waiting list for apartments at Edgewater, Piper Court and Fireside Lodge is closed.

  • Edgewater has 1, 2 and 3-Bedroom units 
  • Piper Court has 2 and 3-Bedroom units
  • Fireside Lodge has Studio,1 and 2-Bedroom units. 

The MHA last accepted applications for this waiting list from October 4, 2021 until October 29, 2021. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to the MHA, to apply for this waiting list "Head of Household must be 55+ years of age".

There were two ways to apply during the opening period:

  1. Complete the online application.
  2. Call the MHA to request a paper application.

Once the application was completed, it was either:

  1. Emailed to the MHA.
  2. Mailed to the Marin Housing Authority.

The maximum income limits for each household size were listed on the public notice.

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

It was not known how applicants will be placed on the waiting list.

For more information, visit the MHA website.

Sources: This information was verified by the MHA public notice on September 30, 2021.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Project-Based Voucher rental assistance in Marin County, California.

Last Updated on 12/06/2021.

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Closed: Golden Gate Village Public Housing

The Housing Authority of the County of Marin (HACM) Public Housing waiting list for 1, 2, 3 and 4-Bedroom apartments at Golden Gate Village is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from August 2, 2021, until August 30, 2021. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application.

The maximum income limits for each household size were listed on the public notice.

This waiting list had the following preferences:

  • Work/School (8 Points)
  • Homeless (Coordinated Entry) (10 Points)
  • Veterans (1 Point)
  • Involuntary Displaced (10 Points)
  • Chronic Homelessness (Coordinated Entry) (4 Points)
  • Section 8 Participant (10 Points)

3,000 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the HACM website.

Sources: This information was verified by the HACM public notice on September 1, 2021.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Public Housing rental assistance in Marin City, California. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 03/09/2022.

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Closed: Marin Housing Authority Public Housing

The Housing Authority of the County of Marin (HACM) Public Housing waiting list is currently closed. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

For more information, visit the HACM website here.

Last Updated on 03/20/2019.

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About Marin Housing Authority

4020 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA | Visit Website | (415) 491-2525

Marin Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 2,701 low and moderate income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Public Housing programs..

Housing Authority Jurisdiction

Low-income housing managed by Marin Housing Authority is located in Marin County, CA.

Households with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher managed by this housing authority must rent within its jurisdiction.

About the Marin Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Marin Housing Authority manages 2,149 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following table summarizes types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each as of December 31st, 2021:

Standard Homeownership Family Unification Ported Out VASH
Vouchers 2,028 33 7 11 70
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $2,060 $1,707 $2,524 $805 $1,757
Monthly Cost $4,178,334 $56,347 $17,671 $8,853 $122,995
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 3% having issued approximately 655 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 12 years and 9 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 67 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 1.8 persons and has a household income of $18,324 per year. 96% of households were very low income (VLI) and 84% were extremely low income (ELI). 26% of households had wages as a major source of income, 4% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 68% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

1% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 30% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 27% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 43% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 4% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

24% of households included children, 2% of which had two adults in the household. 22% of households with children have a female head of household. 72% of all households were headed by a female.

43% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 16% of all heads of households being Black and 1% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Marin Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 34% include at least one person with a disability. 52% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 57% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

49% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 35% with 2 bedrooms and 17% with 3 or more bedrooms. 15% 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 Marin Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $485 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $2,140. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $96.

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.