Columbia Housing

Waiting Lists

Learn more about Columbia Housing.

Closed: City of Columbia and Richland County, South Carolina Section 8 HCV

The Columbia Housing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from December 18, 2019, until December 20, 2019. 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.

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

3,000 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery.

For more information, visit the Columbia Housing website.

Sources: This information was verified by the Columbia Housing website, as of December 5, 2019.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in City of Columbia and Richland County, South Carolina.

Last Updated on 06/22/2020.

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Closed: Columbia Housing Section 8 Project-Based Voucher

The Columbia Housing waiting list for Section 8 Project-Based Voucher apartments is currently closed. It was last open for two weeks in May 2016. 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 on the CHA website.

For more information, visit the Columbia Housing website.

Last Updated on 06/22/2020.

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Closed: 3, 4, and 5-Bedroom Public Housing

The Columbia Housing (CH) Public housing waiting list for 3, 4 and 5-Bedroom apartments is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from September 30, 2020, until October 2, 2020.

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

The maximum income limits for each household size were as follows:

  • 1 person $25,450 | 5 Persons $39,250
  • 2 Persons $29,050 | 6 Persons $42,150
  • 3 Persons $32,700 | 7 Persons $45,050
  • 4 Persons $36,300 | 8 Persons $47,950

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

2000 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH public notice, as of September 3, 2020.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Public Housing rental assistance in Richland County, South Carolina. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 03/31/2022.

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Closed: 2-Bedroom Public Housing

The Columbia Housing (CH) Public Housing waiting list for 2-Bedroom apartments is currently closed. Applications were last accepted from June 9, 2021 until June 11, 2021. 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.

The maximum income limits for each household size were as follows:

  • 1 person $40,400 | 5 Persons $62,350
  • 2 Persons $46,200 | 6 Persons $66,950
  • 3 Persons $51,950 | 7 Persons $71,550
  • 4 Persons $57,700 | 8 Persons $76,200

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

2000 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH public notice on May 12, 2021.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Public Housing rental assistance in Richland County, South Carolina. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 03/31/2022.

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Closed: Arrington Manor Public Housing

The Columbia Housing (CH) Public Housing waiting list for Studio, 1 and 2-Bedroom apartments at Arrington Manor is closed.

The CH last accepted applications for this waiting list for one day only on February 21, 2023. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to CH, "Only applicants 50 years of age and older will be eligible for Arrington Manor."

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

The maximum income limits for each household size were as followed:

  • 1 Person $45,150
  • 2 Persons $51,600
  • 3 Persons $58,050
  • 4 Persons $64,500
  • 5 Persons $69,700

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

250 applicants were placed on this waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH public notice on January 24, 2022.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Public Housing rental assistance in Richland County, South Carolina. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 02/28/2023.

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Closed: Lewis Scott Court and Cayce Housing Public Housing

The Columbia Housing (CH) Public Housing waiting list for 2, 3 and 4-Bedroom apartments at Lewis Scott Court and Cayce Housing is closed.

The CH last accepted applications for this waiting list for one day only on February 21, 2023. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.

Please note: According to the CH "CH is only accepting qualified applicants for 2, 3, and 4 bedroom units in this community."

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

The maximum income limits for each household size were as followed:

  • 1 Person $45,150
  • 2 Persons $51,600
  • 3 Persons $58,050
  • 4 Persons $64,500
  • 5 Persons $69,700

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

250 applicants were placed on this waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH public notice on January 23, 2022.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Public Housing rental assistance in Richland County and Cayce, South Carolina. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 02/28/2023.

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Closed: Oak Read High Rise Senior Public Housing

The Columbia Housing (CH) Public Housing waiting list for Studio and 1-Bedroom apartments at Oak Read High Rise is closed.

The CH last accepted applications for this waiting list for one day only on February 21, 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.

The maximum income limits for each household size were as followed:

  • 1 Person $45,150
  • 2 Persons $51,600
  • 3 Persons $58,050
  • 4 Persons $64,500
  • 5 Persons $69,700

Preferences have not yet been confirmed.

250 applicants were placed on this waiting list by random lottery, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH public notice on January 23, 2022.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Senior Public Housing rental assistance in Columbia, South Carolina. Apartments offered through this waiting list are only located within this service area.

Last Updated on 02/28/2023.

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Closed: Lorick Place Apartments, Project-Based Low-Income

The Columbia Housing (CH) last accepted Project-Based waiting list applications for 2 and 3-Bedroom apartments at Lorick Place for one day only on March 7, 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.

The maximum income limits for each household size were as follows:

  • 2 Person $28,250 | 5 Persons $43,550
  • 3 Persons $32,250 | 6 Persons $46,750
  • 4 Persons $40,300 | 

Preferences have not been confirmed.

500 applicants were placed on the waiting list by random lottery.

For more information, visit the CH website.

Sources: This information was verified by the CH notice on March 6, 2023.

Service Area

This waiting list is for Other rental assistance in Columbia, South Carolina.

Last Updated on 03/10/2023.

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About Columbia Housing

1917 Harden Street, Columbia, SC | Visit Website | (803) 254-3886

Columbia Housing provides affordable housing for up to 6,034 low and moderate income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Public Housing programs..

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

  • Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)
  • Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV)
  • Moderate Rehabilitation
  • Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)

Housing Authority Jurisdiction

Low-income housing managed by Columbia Housing is located in Richland County, SC.

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

Office Hours

Open today from 8:00am to 5:00pm ET.

Day Hours
Monday 8:00am-5:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am-5:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am-5:00pm
Thursday 8:00am-5:00pm
Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

About the Columbia Housing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the HUDs most recent Voucher Management System report, Columbia Housing manages 3,805 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 Tenant Protection Ported Out VASH Non-Elderly Disabled
Vouchers 2,924 79 266 31 356 82
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $628 $525 $591 $836 $481 $452
Monthly Cost $1,834,956 $41,506 $157,277 $25,910 $171,225 $37,076
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 15% having issued approximately 226 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 8 years and 5 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 16 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 $12,502 per year. 95% of households were very low income (VLI) and 70% were extremely low income (ELI). 41% of households had wages as a major source of income, 1% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 51% 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, 65% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 22% were headed by a person 51 to 60 years old, and 11% were headed by a person 62 years old or older. In addition, 0% of households were headed by a person 85 years old or older.

58% of households included children, 1% of which had two adults in the household. 57% of households with children have a female head of household. 88% of all households were headed by a female.

95% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 94% of all heads of households being Black and 0% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Columbia Housing Housing Choice Voucher program, 11% include at least one person with a disability. 19% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 60% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

16% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 34% with 2 bedrooms and 50% with 3 or more bedrooms. 25% 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 Columbia Housing voucher holders in 2016 was $303 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $616. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $193.

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.