Philadelphia Housing Authority
2013 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
There are two waiting lists open now offered by Philadelphia Housing Authority.
Philadelphia Housing Authority Waiting Lists
| Waiting List | Status |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher | Open Now |
| Senior Designated Housing and Special Programs | Open Until Further Notice |
| Philadelphia Housing Authority Public Housing | Closed |
Philadelphia Housing Authority offers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing and Moving to Work programs in Philadelphia.
Go to the Pennsylvania Section 8 Waiting Lists page or the Pennsylvania Public Housing Waiting Lists page for more nearby housing applications.Open Now: Philadelphia Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open.
The PHA is accepting applications for this waiting list from January 23, 2023 at 6:00 am, until February 5, 2023 at 5:59 pm ET.
Update: As of January 23, 2023 at 10:55am, "The PHA's website is currently experiencing technical difficulties due to high website traffic following today's opening of the Housing Choice Voucher Wait List Lottery".
To apply during the opening period, complete the online application available here. No paper applications will be accepted.
Please note: The online application will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and important informational materials will be translated into Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Russian.
This waiting list has 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 will be 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.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via the designated call center at (215) 999-3102. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities using TDD or TTY technology may call 7-1-1 for assistance. The phone line will include live agent and interpreter services for applicants who may require translation or additional support due to a disability.
Next Steps
Learn more about what happens after the application is submitted.
Last Updated on 01/23/2023.
Open Until Further Notice: Senior Designated Housing and Special Programs Waiting List
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) waiting list for Senior Designated Housing and Special Programs is currently open.
Please Note: This is NOT the Section 8 HCV waiting list.
The PHA is accepting applications for this waiting list since at April 15, 2013, until further notice.
To apply during the opening period, complete the online application available here.
Preferences have not yet been confirmed.
It is not known how applicants will be placed on the waiting list.
For more information, visit the PHA website.
Sources: This information was verified by the PHA admissions page on December 27, 2022.
Service Area
This waiting list is for Other rental assistance in Philadelphia.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who need help completing the application due to disability can make a reasonable accommodation request to the housing authority via (215) 684-4000.
Last Updated on 12/27/2022.
Closed: Public Housing Waiting List
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.
About Philadelphia Housing Authority
Website: http://www.pha.phila.gov/.
Phone: (215) 684-4000.
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.
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