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Philadelphia Housing Authority

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Philadelphia Housing Authority.

Closed: Philadelphia Housing Authority Section 8 HCV

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed.

The PHA last accepted applications for this waiting list from January 23, 2023, until February 5, 2023. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application.

This waiting list had the following preferences: Applicants who currently live, work, or have been hired to work in Philadelphia. The PHA will make 2,000 vouchers immediately available to qualified applicants within the preference group.

10,000 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery, by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the PHA website.

Sources: This information verified by the PHA public notice on January 10, 2023.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in Philadelphia, PA.

Last Updated on 02/05/2023.

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Closed: Philadelphia Housing Authority Public Housing

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) Public Housing waiting list is closed.

The PHA last accepted applications for this waiting list on April 15, 2013. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

For more information, visit the PHA website.

Last Updated on 12/27/2022.

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About Philadelphia Housing Authority

2013 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA | Visit Website | (215) 684-4000

Philadelphia Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 35,093 low and moderate income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Public Housing programs..

In addition, Philadelphia Housing Authority offers other programs for eligible households, including:

  • Moving to Work

Housing Authority Jurisdiction

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

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

Office Hours

Open today from 9:00am to 5:00pm ET.

Day Hours
Monday 9:00am-5:00pm
Tuesday 9:00am-5:00pm
Wednesday 9:00am-5:00pm
Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm
Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

About the Philadelphia Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Philadelphia Housing Authority manages 18,517 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 Family Unification Tenant Protection Moving To Work Ported Out VASH
Vouchers 265 444 353 374 14,536 470 683
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $634 $560 $884 $660 $632 $603 $595
Monthly Cost $168,075 $248,442 $311,886 $246,691 $9,187,756 $283,612 $406,181
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 3% having issued approximately 5,785 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 8 years and 10 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 7 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 $13,947 per year. 96% of households were very low income (VLI) and 82% were extremely low income (ELI). 28% 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 57% 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, 55% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 26% 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.

50% of households included children, 2% of which had two adults in the household. 48% of households with children have a female head of household. 83% of all households were headed by a female.

91% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 84% of all heads of households being Black and 1% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Philadelphia Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 28% include at least one person with a disability. 40% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 83% 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, 24% with 2 bedrooms and 52% with 3 or more bedrooms. 27% 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 Philadelphia Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $330 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $734. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $172.

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.