About Housing Authority of Baltimore City

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City is a Section 8 and Public Housing Public Housing Agency in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City serves Baltimore city and Baltimore.

Housing Authority of Baltimore City Waiting Lists

Public Housing Waiting List: Open Indefinitely

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) is currently accepting Public Housing waiting list applications for families and senior disabled individuals.

The HABC offers 17 mixed population apartment communities, 12 family apartment communities, and two apartment communities dedicated to senior individuals. For a complete list of the apartment communities this housing authority offers, please follow this link.

There are three ways to apply:
1. Request an application be mailed to you by calling 410-396-3225, during normal office hours, Monday-Friday.
2. Visit the leasing office to pick up an application, located at 1225 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223, or the central office at 417 E. Fayette St., Rm 266, Baltimore, MD 21223, during normal office hours, Monday-Friday.
3. Download the application here, then print and complete.

Once the application has been completed, it can be mailed or hand delivered to 1225 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223. No documents are needed at this time.

This housing authority does have a preference point system: involuntary displaced; substandard housing; homeless; intimidated crime victim or intimidated witness; domestic violence victms; hate crime victims or reprisals; previously or currently enrolled in an educational, training or upward mobility programs; working families; unable to work because of age (62) or disability; live and/or work in Baltimore City; and veterans and their families.

For more information, visit the HABC website, or call the office at (410) 396-4061 during normal office hours, Monday-Friday.

Last Updated on 12/08/2015.

Housing Authority of Baltimore City Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List: Closed

About the Housing Authority of Baltimore City Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the most recent VMS report, Housing Authority of Baltimore City manages 16,866 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following is a summary of the types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each:

Standard Homeownership Family Unification Tenant Protection Moving To Work Ported Out VASH Non-Elderly Disabled Litigation
Vouchers 1,849 113 96 659 11,290 658 436 34 1,731
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $1,223 $616 $1,085 $833 $885 $1,021 $722 $838 $1,307
Monthly Cost $2,261,911 $69,612 $104,193 $549,051 $9,986,698 $671,673 $314,817 $28,482 $2,261,911

Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Housing Authority of Baltimore City

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 10% having issued approximately 1,625 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 12 years and 6 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 6 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2.4 persons and has a household income of $14,673 per year. 97% of households were very low income (VLI) and 81% were extremely low income (ELI). 31% of households had wages as a major source of income, 10% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 56% 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, 56% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 24% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 17% 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.

49% of households included children, 2% of which had two adults in the household. 46% of households with children have a female head of household. 80% of all households were headed by a female.

96% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 95% of all heads of households being Black and 0% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Housing Authority of Baltimore City Housing Choice Voucher program, 26% include at least one person with a disability. 39% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 82% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

34% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 28% with 2 bedrooms and 38% with 3 or more bedrooms. 13% 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 Housing Authority of Baltimore City voucher holders in 2016 was $362 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $966. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $169.



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 Operated by Housing Authority of Baltimore City

Westhills Square

Image of Westhills Square
4906 Alson Drive
Baltimore, Maryland
Westhills Square is a 12 unit low income housing apartment community that provides 1-2 bedroom apartments for rent in Baltimore.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing

Terrace Garden Co-op

Image of Terrace Garden Co-op
751 West Saratoga Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Terrace Garden Co-op is a 88 unit low income housing apartment community that provides 1-2 bedroom apartments for rent in Baltimore.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing

Pleasant View Gardens

201 N Aisquith St
Baltimore, Maryland
Pleasant View Gardens is a 311 unit low income housing apartment community in Baltimore.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Public Housing

Reservoir Hill

2325 Callow Ave Rear
Baltimore, Maryland
Reservoir Hill is a 64 unit low income housing apartment community in Baltimore.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing

Mt Pleasant Village

800 Dartmouth Rd
Baltimore, Maryland
Mt Pleasant Village is a 216 unit low income housing apartment community in Baltimore.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing