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Harrisburg Housing Authority

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Harrisburg Housing Authority.

Open: Family Public Housing

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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) Family Public Housing waiting list is currently open, since at least August, 2018, until further notice. Waiting lists for a specific community or bedroom size may be closed.

Harrisburg, PA is about 100 miles east of Philadelphia, PA.

To apply, open and print the application forms online here. Select both the "Authorization for Release of Information Notice" and "Application for Admission" links.

Please note: As of July, 2019, the "Application for Admission" link is not active.

Once the application has been completed, it must be mailed or dropped off to the HHA Leasing Office, located at Governor’s Plaza, 2101 North Front Street, Building #3, Suite 101, Harrisburg, PA  17110.

This waiting list has the following preferences:

  • Disaster, Government Action, Action of Housing Owner, Inaccessibility, Property Disposition
  • Victims of domestic violence
  • Homelessness
  • Working families and those unable to work because of age or disability
  • Veterans and veterans’ families
  • Residents who live and/or work in the jurisdiction

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

For more information, visit the HHA Family Public Housing page, or the HHA website.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (717) 232-6781.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 07/29/2019.

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Open: Harrisburg Housing Authority Senior / Disabled Public Housing

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Note: Due to the decentralized nature of affordable housing information, the information about this waiting list may be out of date.

The Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) Elderly (55+ and 62+)/Disabled Public Housing waiting list is currently open, since at least August, 2018, until further notice. Waiting lists for a specific community or bedroom size may be closed.

Harrisburg, PA is about 100 miles east of Philadelphia, PA.

The HHA Elderly/Disabled Public Housing program has 267 efficiencies and 242 bedroom apartments in Morrison Towers, Lick Towers, and Jackson Towers.

There are two ways to apply: 

  1. Pick up an application at the HHA Application Office, located at 2101 North Front Street, Building #3, Suite 101, Harrisburg PA 17011.
  2. Call the Leasing and Occupancy Office at (717) 257-5420.

For more information, visit the HHA Elderly/Disabled Public Housing page, or the HHA website.

Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (717) 232-6781.

Next Steps

Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.

Last Updated on 07/29/2019.

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Closed: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Section 8 HCV

The Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) last accepted Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list applications from March 29, 2023, until March 30, 2023. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.

To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application. HHA did not accept paper applciations.

Preferences have not been confirmed.

It was not known how selected applicants were placed on the waiting list.

For more information, visit the HHA website.

Sources: this information was verified by the HHA notice on March 22, 2023.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Last Updated on 03/30/2023.

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About Harrisburg Housing Authority

351 Chestnut Street, Harrisburg, PA | Visit Website | (717) 232-6781

Harrisburg Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 3,052 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 Harrisburg Housing Authority is located in Harrisburg, PA.

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

About the Harrisburg Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Harrisburg Housing Authority manages 1,238 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

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

Standard Family Unification Tenant Protection Ported Out VASH Non-Elderly Disabled
Vouchers 803 4 90 29 141 118
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $663 $578 $273 $745 $460 $597
Monthly Cost $532,442 $2,313 $24,578 $21,618 $64,796 $70,435
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 25% having issued approximately 43 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 5 years and 7 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 23 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2.5 persons and has a household income of $13,246 per year. 98% of households were very low income (VLI) and 75% were extremely low income (ELI). 33% of households had wages as a major source of income, 5% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 60% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

5% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 58% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 18% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 19% 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.

55% of households included children, 3% of which had two adults in the household. 53% of households with children have a female head of household. 85% of all households were headed by a female.

88% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 70% of all heads of households being Black and 4% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Harrisburg Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 25% include at least one person with a disability. 31% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 90% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

33% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 22% with 2 bedrooms and 45% with 3 or more bedrooms. 14% 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 Harrisburg Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $354 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $587. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $162.

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.