Analysis by Lorena Bentley
Last Updated: August, 17th 2024
This waiting list is for Public Housing rental housing assistance in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency last accepted Public Housing waiting list applications from June 17, 2024, until August 17, 2024. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.
Preferences
This waiting list had the following preferences:
Selection Process
Selected applicants were placed on the waiting list by date and time the application was received, by order of preferences
Application Method
There were three ways to apply while the waitlist was open:
Once the paper application was completed, it was to be: returned to the Administrative Office.
For more information, visit the DMMHA website.
Sources: This information was verified by the DMMHA public notice on May 24, 2024.
2, 3, 4 and 5-Bedroom has preferences for: Displaced by Natural Disaster, Victims of Domestic Violence, Working/Employed, Displaced by Government Action. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
2, 3, 4 and 5-Bedroom Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency.
Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency provides affordable housing for up to 3,992 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Polk County, Iowa.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To pick up an application, you must visit a location set by the housing authority to pick up a paper form. This place may be a housing authority office, local government building, or another location that is helping with the waiting list opening. The application must be completed and sent back to the housing authority according to their instructions.
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.
To request an application by phone, you must call a phone number and ask for the housing authority to send you an application. The housing authority will offer at least one way to get an application, usually by mail, email, or fax. The application must be completed and sent back to the housing authority according to their instructions.
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.
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 Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency.
At the start of 2024, Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency was managing 424 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 403 units occupied. This represents 95% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency.
According to HUD, there is a total of 515 people living in Public Housing units managed by Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency, with the average number of people per household being 1.
The 403 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 6 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 60 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 15 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency.
The Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 95% of its units occupied by households with 5% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 403 Public Housing households in units managed by Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency, 21 have at least one child. There are 4 two-parent households in the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing units, and 17 single-parent households. There were 17 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing tenant households is $15,038 The average annual income per person is $11,709 The average Public Housing household annual income is 20% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 8 | 2% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 28 | 7% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 222 | 55% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 64 | 16% |
| $20,000+ | 81 | 20% |
Of all Public Housing households, 42 (10%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 0 (0%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 352 (83%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $274 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $3,288.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $346 per month or $4,152 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $139,438 per month, which is $1,673,256 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $196 per month. It is important to note this is not the actual cost renters will pay for utilities, but an estimate based on the energy cost estimates of the program.
Of the 424 households living in Public Housing units, 371 (92%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 16 (4%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 16 (4%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 1% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
36% of Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency Public Housing program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.
| Race | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 12 | 3% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 105 | 26% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 4 | 1% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 258 | 64% |
| Black Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| White Hispanic | 24 | 6% |
| Other Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 8 | 2% |
| 25-50/td> | 77 | 19% |
| 51-61 | 77 | 19% |
| 62-84 | 234 | 58% |
| 85 or Older | 8 | 2% |
Check your waiting list status occasionally.
If you request it, housing agencies are required to confirm if you are still on a waiting list, and some may also state your current position.Tamisha Smith says:
"Affordable Housing Online is very informative, and the emails with updates are so convenient."