About Memphis Housing Authority

The Memphis Housing Authority is a Section 8 and Public Housing Public Housing Agency in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Memphis Housing Authority serves Memphis.

Memphis Housing Authority Waiting Lists

Memphis Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List: Closed

The Memphis Housing Authority (MHA) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently closed. It was last open in 2013. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

In 2013, 10,000 qualified applicants were placed onto the waiting list by random lottery.

As of February 2014, there are more than 10,000 households currently on the waiting list.

Last Updated on 09/10/2015.

Public Housing Waiting List: Closed

The Memphis Housing Authority (MHA) is currently accepting Public Housing waiting list pre-applications for senior/disabled households.

Please note: The family Public Housing waiting list is currently closed.

The MHA offers 48 Public Housing communities with 2,703 units for families and senior/disabled households, ranging in size from studios to 4 bedrooms.

To apply, you must visit one of the following locations on Tuesdays or Thursdays, from 8:30 am until 2:00 pm CT:

  • Jefferson Square is located at 741 Adams Avenue, Memphis, TN 38105. The office can be reached by calling (901) 505-0275 during normal office hours.
  • Barry Towers is located at 255 North Lauderdale St., Memphis, TN 38105. The office can be reached by calling (901) 505-0328 during normal office hours.
  • Paul Borda Towers is located at 21 Neely St., Memphis, TN 38105. The office can be reached by calling (901) 505-0802 during normal office hours.
  • Dr. R. Q. Venson Center is located at 439 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38105. The office can be reached by calling (901) 505-0836 during normal office hours.
  • Kefauver Terrace is located at 7620 Robinson Cove, Memphis, TN 38105. The office can be reached by calling (901) 616-1883 during normal office hours.
Once the pre-application has been completed, it must be hand delivered to one of the locations listed above, from 8:30 am until 2:00 pm, on Tuesdays or Thursdays only.

No documents are needed at this time.

The MHA does have a preference for applicants that live and/or work in Memphis.

For more information, visit the MHA website, or call the office at (901) 544-1113 during normal office hours.

Last Updated on 09/10/2015.

About the Memphis Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

As of the most recent VMS report, Memphis Housing Authority manages 7,737 active Housing Choice Vouchers.

The following is a summary of the types of vouchers managed and the monthly costs of each:

Standard Homeownership Tenant Protection Ported Out VASH
Vouchers 6,454 34 800 100 345
Monthly Cost Per Voucher $552 $380 $630 $843 $341
Monthly Cost $3,560,501 $12,906 $504,006 $84,284 $117,595

Household Characteristics of Voucher Holders for Memphis Housing Authority

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 586 vouchers in the past year. The average voucher holder has received housing benefits for 7 years and 9 months. According to the 2016 PSH database, persons who were issued a voucher in the preceding 12 months waited an average of 8 months on the waiting list1.

Income Characteristics

According to 2016 Q4 Picture of Subsidized Households data, the average voucher household contains 2.8 persons and has a household income of $11,712 per year. 94% of households were very low income (VLI) and 73% were extremely low income (ELI). 34% of households had wages as a major source of income, 2% of households had welfare (TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance) as their primary source of income, and 63% of households had other income (Social Security, Disability or Pension) as their major source of income.

Heads of Household Characteristics

4% of households were headed by a person 24 years old or less, 66% were headed by a person 25 to 49 years old, 19% 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.

61% of households included children, 1% of which had two adults in the household. 60% of households with children have a female head of household. 90% of all households were headed by a female.

99% of all voucher households were headed by minorities with 95% of all heads of households being Black and 3% being Hispanic.

Of all households participating in the Memphis Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher program, 14% include at least one person with a disability. 23% of households with a head of household 61 years or less were headed by a person with a disability. 74% of households headed by someone 62 or older were headed by a person with a disability.

Bedroom Size and Overhousing

13% of voucher holders reside in a home with zero or 1 bedroom, 30% with 2 bedrooms and 57% with 3 or more bedrooms. 26% 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 Memphis Housing Authority voucher holders in 2016 was $319 and the average monthly HUD expenditure per voucher holder was $680. The average utility allowance across all voucher recipients is $165.



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.

Public Housing Operated by Memphis Housing Authority

Magnolia Terrace

669 N 3rd St
Memphis, Tennessee
Magnolia Terrace is a 69 unit low income housing apartment community in Memphis.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing Project Based Rental Assistance

Uptown Square Apartments

Image of Uptown Square Apartments
252 N Lauderdale Street
Memphis, Tennessee
Uptown Square Apartments is a 347 unit low income housing apartment community that provides St.-3 bedroom apartments for rent in Memphis. Rents at Uptown Square Apartments are $715-925.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Public Housing Project Based Rental Assistance

Latham Terrace

855 S 4th St
Memphis, Tennessee
Latham Terrace is a 80 unit low income housing apartment community in Memphis.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing Project Based Rental Assistance

Uptown Homes

Image of Uptown Homes
534 North Second Street
Memphis, Tennessee
Uptown Homes is a 106 unit low income housing apartment community that provides 2-5 bedroom apartments for rent in Memphis.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Public Housing Project Based Rental Assistance

Forty Homes for Lemoyne Gardens

838 Walker Ave
Memphis, Tennessee
Forty Homes for Lemoyne Gardens is a 107 unit low income housing apartment community in Memphis.
Some or all apartments in this community are rent subsidized, which means rent is income based.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Public Housing Project Based Rental Assistance