Cambridge Housing Authority
Cambridge Housing Authority is a Public Housing Agency that participates in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing, and Moving to Work programs. As of October 1st, 2020, Cambridge Housing Authority has 6 waiting lists that are open now or opening soon.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List is open indefinitely. The Project-Based Voucher Waiting List is open indefinitely. The Senior and Disabled Project-Based Voucher Waiting List is open indefinitely. The Elderly/Disabled Site Based Waiting List is open indefinitely. The Family Site-Based Waiting List is open indefinitely. The Single Room Occupancy Waiting List is open indefinitely.
Cambridge Housing Authority serves Cambridge.
Waiting List Statuses
| Waiting List | Status |
|---|
| Cambridge, Massachusetts Housing Choice Voucher |
Open Until Further Notice |
| Project-Based Voucher |
Open Until Further Notice |
| Senior and Disabled Project-Based Voucher |
Open Until Further Notice |
| Elderly/Disabled Site Based |
Open Until Further Notice |
| Family Site-Based |
Open Until Further Notice |
| Single Room Occupancy |
Open Until Further Notice |
Open Cambridge 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.
Cambridge Housing Authority Website: http://www.cambridge-housing.org/.
Cambridge Housing Authority Phone: (617) 864-3020.
Open Until Further Notice:
Cambridge, Massachusetts 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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.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 Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open. This waiting list opened on October 3, 2016 at 10:00 am ET, and is open indefinitely.
Cambridge, MA is about 3 miles west of Boston, MA.
To apply, complete the online pre-application here.
The following documentation is required of all members of the household: Social Security Number, name, date of birth, income.
Income eligibility can be found in the middle of this page here.
This waiting list has the following preferences: Cambridge resident, Cambridge shelter or transitional facility, employed in Cambridge, veteran. Further explanation of each preference can be found here.
Applicants who apply by October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery, by order of preferences.
Applicants who apply after October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by date and time the pre-application is received, by order of preferences.
For more information, read the CHA public notice, visit the CHA website, or call the office at (617) 864-3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (617) 520-6406.
Next Steps
Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.
Last Updated on 06/28/2018.
Open Until Further Notice:
Project-Based 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 Project-Based Voucher Waiting List
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Standard Section 8 Project-Based Voucher waiting list is currently open. This waiting list opened on October 3, 2016 at 10:00 am ET, and is open indefinitely.
To apply, complete the online pre-application here.
The following documentation is required of all members of the household: Social Security Number, name, date of birth, income.
Income eligibility can be found in the middle of this page here.
This waiting list has the following preferences: Cambridge resident, Cambridge shelter or transitional facility, employed in Cambridge, veteran. Further explanation of each preference can be found here.
Applicants who apply by October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery, by order of preferences.
Applicants who apply after October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by date and time the pre-application is received, by order of preferences.
For more information, read the CHA public notice, visit the CHA website, or call the office at (617) 864-3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (617) 520-6406.
IMPORTANT:
This is not the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Section 8 Project-Based Voucher tenants are required to live in a specific apartment community or scattered site. After one year of occupancy, a Project-Based Voucher tenant may request to be placed on a waiting list to receive the next available Housing Choice Voucher or similar tenant-based rental assistance.
Last Updated on 06/27/2018.
Open Until Further Notice:
Senior and Disabled Project-Based 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 Senior and Disabled Project-Based Voucher Waiting List
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Elderly/Disabled Section 8 Project-Based Voucher waiting list is currently open. This waiting list opened on October 3, 2016 at 10:00 am ET, and is open indefinitely.
To apply, complete the online pre-application here.
The following documentation is required of all members of the household: Social Security Number, name, date of birth, income.
Income eligibility can be found in the middle of this page here.
This waiting list has the following preferences: Cambridge resident, Cambridge shelter or transitional facility, employed in Cambridge, veteran. Further explanation of each preference can be found here.
Applicants who apply by October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery, by order of preferences.
Applicants who apply after October 31, 2016 will be placed on the waiting list by date and time the pre-application is received, by order of preferences.
For more information, read the CHA public notice, visit the CHA website, or call the office at (617) 864-3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (617) 520-6406.
IMPORTANT:
This is not the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Section 8 Project-Based Voucher tenants are required to live in a specific apartment community or scattered site. After one year of occupancy, a Project-Based Voucher tenant may request to be placed on a waiting list to receive the next available Housing Choice Voucher or similar tenant-based rental assistance.
Last Updated on 06/27/2018.
Open Until Further Notice:
Elderly/Disabled Site Based 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 Other Waiting List
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Elderly/Disabled Site Based waiting list is currently open. This waiting list opened on July 5, 2017 at 10:00 am ET, and is open indefinitely.
To apply, complete the online pre-application here.
Income eligibility and community information can be found on public notice here.
This waiting list has unconfirmed preferences that can be found on the application.
Applicants who apply by July 31, 2017 will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery, by order of preferences.
Applicants who apply after July 31, 2017 will be placed on the waiting list by date and time the pre-application is received, by order of preferences.
For more information, read the CHA public notice, visit the CHA website, or call the office at (617) 864-3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via 6178643020.
Last Updated on 07/06/2017.
Open Until Further Notice:
Family Site-Based 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 Other Waiting List
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Family site-based waiting list is currently open, from September 1, 2018, until further notice.
To apply, complete the online application here.
The application is online only, and no paper applications will be available or accepted. Only one application per household will be accepted. If an applicant does not have access to the Internet, they can use a computer at a local library, or at one of the location listed here. If there are any difficulties in submitting the online application, contact the housing authority.
Income limit information can be found here.
This waiting list has the following preferences: Live or work locally, veterans.
Selected applicants will placed on the waiting list by date and time the application is received, by order of preferences.
For more information, visit the CHA website, or call the CHA office at (617) 864- 3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (617) 864- 3020.
Last Updated on 12/03/2018.
Open Until Further Notice:
Single Room Occupancy 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 Other Waiting List
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Single Room Occupancy waiting list is currently open indefinitely.
Please note: This program offers housing for individuals in congregate living, typically in a shared common space.
To apply, complete the online pre-application here.
The following documentation is required of all members of the household: Social Security Number, name, date of birth, income.
For more information, visit the CHA website, or call the office at (617) 864-3020.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via 6178643020.
Last Updated on 07/06/2017.
About Cambridge Housing Authority
More information about Cambridge Housing Authority can be found on its website at http://www.cambridge-housing.org/.
Representatives of Cambridge Housing Authority may be available by phone at (617) 864-3020. Unless otherwise noted above, applications will not be provided or accepted by phone.
Open today from 8:30am to 6:00pm ET.
Office Hours
| Day |
Hours |
| Monday |
8:30am-6:00pm
|
| Tuesday |
8:30am-6:00pm
|
| Wednesday |
8:30am-6:00pm
|
| Thursday |
8:30am-6:00pm
|
| Friday |
8:30am-12:00pm
|
| Saturday |
Closed
|
| Sunday |
Closed
|
About the Cambridge Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program
As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Cambridge Housing Authority manages 6,452 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 | Moving To Work | VASH | Non-Elderly Disabled |
| Vouchers |
11 | 1,815 | 2,731 | 114 | 73 |
| Monthly Cost Per Voucher |
$698 | $1,282 | $1,373 | $1,085 | $1,172 |
| Monthly Cost |
$7,676 | $2,326,790 | $3,749,880 | $123,724 | $85,550 |
Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Cambridge 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 17% having issued approximately 307 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 6 years and 5 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 18 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 $19,869 per year. 91% of households were very low income (VLI) and 71% were extremely low income (ELI). 36% of households had wages as a major source of income, 3% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 59% 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, 32% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 24% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 43% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 5% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.
27% of households included children, 6% of which had two adults in the household. 21% of households with children have a female head of household. 66% of all households were headed by a female.
62% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 40% of all heads of households being Black and 4% being Hispanic.
Of all households participating in the Cambridge Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 25% include at least one person with a disability. 37% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 45% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.
Bedroom Size and Overhousing
53% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 30% with 2 bedrooms and 17% with 3 or more bedrooms. 8% 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 Cambridge Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $458 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $1,013. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $116.
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 Cambridge Housing Authority
14 Roosevelt Towers
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Subsidized
Family & Senior
55 Essex St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
100 Harvard St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 Corcoran Ln
Cambridge, Massachusetts
131 Washington St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
50 Churchill Ave
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Call For Rent
1 BR 55+
Accessible
15 Lambert St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
150 Erie St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Call For Rent
Studio-1 BR 55+
Accessible
64 Magee Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts
1 Jackson Pl
Cambridge, Massachusetts
20 Chestnut St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
240 Green St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Call For Rent
1-2 BR 55+
Accessible
2050 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, Massachusetts
2353 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, Massachusetts
9 Woodrow Wilson Ct
Cambridge, Massachusetts
1 Lincoln Way
Cambridge, Massachusetts
259 Harvard St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Low Income Housing Managed by Cambridge Housing Authority
86 Otis St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
210 Otis St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
