Adams County Housing Authority

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Adams County Housing Authority.

Open: Adams County, Pennsylvania 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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.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 Adams County Housing Authority (ACHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open on a limited basis, since at least February, 2019, until further notice.

Please note: According to the ACHA, "You must meet one of the following preferences in order to be eligible to apply." A list of the preferences can be found here.

There are two ways to apply:

  1. Complete the application at the Adams County Housing Authority office at 40 East High Street, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 17325, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm ET, Monday through Thursday; and 8:00 am until 2:00 am on Friday. 
  2. Download and print the the application online here. Scroll down and select the "Housing Choice Voucher Application" link.

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

  1. Mailed to the Adams County Housing Authority office at 40 East High Street, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 17325.
  2. Faxed to the Adams County Housing Authority office (717) 334-8326.

The following documentation is required to apply: Proof of social security number for all household members, copy of birth certificate for all household members 17 years of age and younger, state/government issued photo driver's license or photo identification card for all household members 18 years of age or older, proof of current income and proof of preference for which the household is applying. More information about acceptable documentation needed at time of application can be found here.

Income limit information can be found here.

This waiting list has the following preferences: displaced from a residence in Adams County, Pennsylvania as a result of an emergency which has been declared a disaster, homeless households who are residing in Adams County but 'living on the street" or are staying in shelters, persons who live or work locally, family unification where lack of housing is a primary factor in the separation or threat of imminent separation of children from their families.

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

For more information, visit the ACHA 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 (717) 334-8326.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 03/05/2019.

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About Adams County Housing Authority

40 East High Street, Gettysburg, PA (717) 334-1518

Adams County Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 619 low and moderate income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program..

Housing Authority Jurisdiction

Low-income housing managed by Adams County Housing Authority is located in Adams County, PA.

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

About the Adams County Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Adams County Housing Authority manages 497 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 Ported Out VASH Non-Elderly Disabled
Vouchers 463 6 7 9 12
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $453 $743 $867 $322 $425
Monthly Cost $209,634 $4,456 $6,067 $2,899 $5,100
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 40 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 6 years and 2 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 9 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2 persons and has a household income of $13,795 per year. 97% of households were very low income (VLI) and 69% were extremely low income (ELI). 27% 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 68% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

2% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 43% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 23% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 32% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 3% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

36% of households included children, 5% of which had two adults in the household. 30% of households with children have a female head of household. 78% of all households were headed by a female.

22% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 12% of all heads of households being Black and 1% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Adams County Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 29% include at least one person with a disability. 47% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 59% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

52% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 34% with 2 bedrooms and 14% with 3 or more bedrooms. 5% 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 Adams County Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $338 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $552. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $131.

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.