Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Columbus, Ohio

About Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority is a Section 8 and Public Housing Public Housing Agency in Columbus, Ohio.

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority serves Columbus.

Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Waiting Lists

Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List: Open Indefinitely

Please note: The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority covers Columbus, OH.

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open. It opened on September 9, 2015, and is open indefinitely. This waiting list was last open in May 2006.

To apply, complete the online application here. The online portal will be open 24 hours; 7 days a week.

Applicants will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery.

Once the pre-application has been submitted, applicants can check their status by calling the waiting list status line at (614) 421-6180. A recording will also help guide applicants through the next steps of the process. This line will be open all hours.

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 In the case that the office sends a notice that does not get returned, or if application information is out of date, your name may be terminated from the waiting list.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.

According to this 10/6/15 news article, more than 24,000 people have applied since the waiting list reopened in September 2015. The CMHA issued 200 vouchers in October 2015.

For more information, visit the CMHA website, or call the office at (614) 421-6000.

Last Updated on 07/14/2017.

Public Housing Waiting List: Closed

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority CMHA) is not accepting Public Housing waiting list pre-applications fat this time.

The CMHA offers 11 family Public Housing communities, and two communities dedicated to senior/disabled individuals. For a complete list of each community the CMHA offers, please follow this link.

For more information, visit the CMHA website, or call the office at (614) 421-6000.

Last Updated on 10/07/2015.

About the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the most recent VMS report, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority manages 12,221 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

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

	Standard	Homeownership	Tenant Protection	Ported Out	VASH	Non-Elderly Disabled
Vouchers	9,926	105	960	108	350	772
Monthly Cost Per Voucher	$550	$529	$507	$789	$488	$392
Monthly Cost	$5,459,098	$55,558	$486,306	$85,240	$170,788	$302,278

Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Columbus Metropolitan 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 7% having issued approximately 1,781 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 8 years and 1 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 17 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 $11,841 per year. 97% of households were very low income (VLI) and 80% were extremely low income (ELI). 28% of households had wages as a major source of income, 2% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 57% 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, 55% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 24% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 20% 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.

45% of households included children, 6% of which had two adults in the household. 42% of households with children have a female head of household. 76% of all households were headed by a female.

79% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 78% of all heads of households being Black and 0% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 24% include at least one person with a disability. 41% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 91% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

24% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 32% with 2 bedrooms and 44% with 3 or more bedrooms. 31% 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 Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $291 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $664. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $139.

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 Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

Chestnut Grove Apartments

831 Acorn Grove Dr

Blacklick, Ohio

Chestnut Grove Apartments is a 75 unit low income housing apartment community that provides 1-2 bedroom apartments for rent in Blacklick. Rents at Chestnut Grove Apartments are Income Based-670.