Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing Waiting List is Closed as of July 2024. The waiting list was last open in December 2020 and remains closed.

Nathan Brunet

Analysis by Nathan Brunet

Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024

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This waiting list is for Public Housing rental housing assistance in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs (MHACB) waiting list for Publics Housing apartments is currently closed. Applications were last accepted on December 9, 2020. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.

There were two ways to apply during the opening period: 

  1. Print the online paper application.
  2. Pick up an application from the MHACB.

Once the application was completed, it was either:

  1. Mailed to the MHACB.
  2. Faxed to the MHACB.
  3. Emailed to the MHACB.

This waiting list had the following preferences:

  • Elderly and disabled families residing within the city limits of Council Bluffs -5 Pts. Families who live, work or have been hired to work within the city limits of Council Bluffs-3 Pts.Low income families residing within the city limits of Council Bluffs -2 Pts.
  • Near elderly families residing within the city limits of Council Bluffs -4 Pts.
  • Families displaced by natural disaster such as fire, earthquake, flood, etc., causing the unit to be uninhabitable-1 Pt.
  • Families displaced by government action or code enforcement or problems with contract renewals at other HUD subsidized projects-1 Pt.
  • Victims of domestic abuse only so long as the abusing family member is not included in the family-1 Pt.
  • Low income families living outside the city limits of Council Bluffs-1 Pt. Near elderly families living outside the city limits of Council Bluffs-1 Pt. Elderly and disabled families living outside the city limits of Council Bluffs-1 Pt.

Selected applicants were placed on the waiting list by date and time the application is received, weighed by order of preferences.

For more information, visit the MHACB website.

Sources: This information was verified by the MHACB on December 16, 2020.

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Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing Applicant Preferences

Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs has preferences for: Near-Elderly, Elderly, Displaced by Natural Disaster, Victims of Domestic Violence, Live, Work, or Attend School Locally, Working/Employed, Displaced by Government Action, Disabled. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.

Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs

Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs.

Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs provides affordable housing for up to 1,020 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.

This housing agency serves Council Bluffs, Iowa.

What should I do after applying to the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

After applying, it's a good practice to keep a record of any application that you submit. This will help you keep track of your application, and is especially useful if you apply to multiple waiting lists. You can do this easily with a document on your computer or mobile device, and also with a notebook or piece of paper.

Make sure to write down your application or confirmation number with the application details. This number will be important to reference in the future. Once you have this information written, keep it stored in a place that's easy to access when you need it.

With this information safely stored, all you have left to do is wait to find out if you've been selected for the waiting list.

When will I know if I've been selected for the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

Depending on the area, it may take weeks or even months to know if you've been selected for the waiting list. Your wait for an announcement is usually the longest in areas with large populations and a high demand for housing assistance.

Check if the public notice states when the housing authority plans to announce the results, or how long it may take to review applications. Contact the housing authority if this information isn't available.

How do I know if I've been added to the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

Once all applications are reviewed, the housing authority will either contact everyone who has been placed on the waiting list, or message everyone who applied to check their results.

The housing authority will use the contact information you give in the application to reach you (usually by mail, email, or phone). For this reason, it is very important to put valid contact information on your application. Make sure you keep your contact information up to date, and that you respond quickly if any further action is required.

If you don't get contacted by the housing authority, it might mean that you were not chosen for the waiting list. Sometimes, housing authorities do not contact applicants who were not placed on the waiting list. Check with the housing authority for confirmation.

How can I check my status on the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

To check your status on the waiting list, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or visit the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to check your status.

Some housing authorities will give your spot on the waiting list, but others might only confirm that you're still on the waiting list. Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when checking your status.

How long will it take to get to the top of the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

The wait to reach the top of this waiting list will be different for everyone.

This waiting list has at least one preference, so those who qualify will have a shorter wait than those who don't. After sorting preferences, applicants are placed on the waiting list by date and time the application was received by the housing authority. So applying soon after the waiting list opens will give you a shorter wait than those who wait to apply after you.

If you are closer to the top of the waiting list, your wait may be just weeks or months long. But if you're closer to the end of the waiting list, it could take years to reach the top.

How do I update my application for the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list?

To update your waiting list application, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or submit a form to the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to update your application.

Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when updating your application.

When can I apply for a Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list that is closed?

You cannot apply for a waiting list that is closed until it is reopened by the housing authority. It is not known when the housing authority will announce the next opening.

For the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list, how do I print out an application?

To print out an application, a paper form must be printed from a device that is connected to the internet. This document is usually in the form of a .doc, docx, or .pdf. The application must be completed and sent back to the housing authority according to their instructions.

How is a Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing waiting list sorted by date and time?

A waiting list sorted by date and time orders applicants who are selected for the waiting list by the date and time the housing authority receives the application. Those who apply earlier will generally be placed higher on the waiting list.

Who lives in Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing units?

If you are considering applying to live in a Public Housing unit, you may be interested to know who already lives in these units, and what the households tend to look like. Fortunately, we can provide some helpful statistics using HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households. The following data describes the economic and demographic characteristics of renters who live in Public Housing units provided by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs.

How many renters live in Public Housing units provided by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs?

At the start of 2024, Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs was managing 295 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 283 units occupied. This represents 96% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs.

According to HUD, there is a total of 285 people living in Public Housing units managed by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs, with the average number of people per household being 1.

How long did current Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing tenants spend on a waiting list before occupying a Public Housing unit?

The 283 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 3 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 59 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 21 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs.

Are there any Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing units not occupied?

The Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 96% of its units occupied by households with 4% unoccupied at the start of 2024.

How much do Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing households earn?

The average annual household income for Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing tenant households is $14,567 The average annual income per person is $14,056 The average Public Housing household annual income is 21% of the local Area Median Income.

Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing household annual income
Annual Income Range ($) Number of Households % of Vouchers
Less than $5,000 17 6%
$5,000 - $9,999 14 5%
$10,000 - $14,999 147 52%
$15,000 - $19,999 57 20%
$20,000+ 48 17%

What is the source of income for Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing households?

Of all Public Housing households, 30 (10%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 3 (1%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 260 (88%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).

How much does a Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing unit cost?

For the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $390 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $4,680.

How much does the average Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing tenant pay per month in rent?

HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.

For the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $345 per month or $4,140 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $97,635 per month, which is $1,171,620 per year.

What is the race and ethnicity of Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing households?

13% of Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.

Racial/ethnic makeup of Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing tenants
Race Number of Households % of Households
Asian/Pacific Islander 3 1%
Black Non-Hispanic 17 6%
Native American/Alaskan 3 1%
White Non-Hispanic 246 87%
Black Hispanic 0 0%
White Hispanic 11 4%
Other Hispanic 3 1%

What are the ages of tenant heads of households in the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs Public Housing program?

Age Range of Head of Household Number of Households % of Households
Under 24 8 3%
25-50/td> 59 21%
51-61 68 24%
62-84 136 48%
85 or Older 8 3%