How long are affordable housing waiting lists?

The median Housing Choice Voucher waiting list length is 1.5 years, though the largest waiting lists have wait times longer than 7 years.

In the report, Housing Spotlight: The Long Wait for a Home, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) found that over half of all waiting lists were closed to new applicants and do not plan to reopen soon under current funding levels and policies.

For some populations, including the elderly and households with disabilities, wait times may be significantly shorter. For example, according to Affordable Housing Online data, 31% of housing choice voucher waiting lists featured a preference for elderly households.