Analysis by Nathan Brunet
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) Public Housing waiting list is currently closed. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.
To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to pick up an application at the DCHA office.
Preferences were not confirmed.
It was not known how applicants were placed on the waiting list.
For more information, visit the DCHA website here.
Let's Discuss District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing
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District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing Waiting List is managed by District of Columbia Housing Authority.
District of Columbia Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 24,937 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves District Of Columbia, District Of Columbia.
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.
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.
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 District of Columbia Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, District of Columbia Housing Authority was managing 7,870 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 5,352 units occupied. This represents 68% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by District of Columbia Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 8,749 people living in Public Housing units managed by District of Columbia Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 5,352 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 191 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 535 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 10 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by District of Columbia Housing Authority.
The District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 68% of its units occupied by households with 32% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 5,352 Public Housing households in units managed by District of Columbia Housing Authority, 1,653 have at least one child. There are 79 two-parent households in the District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 1,574 single-parent households. There were 1,653 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $19,958 The average annual income per person is $11,055 The average Public Housing household annual income is 18% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 161 | 3% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 963 | 18% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 1,927 | 36% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 589 | 11% |
| $20,000+ | 1,713 | 32% |
Of all Public Housing households, 1,968 (25%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 394 (5%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 4,722 (60%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $1,121 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $13,452.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the District of Columbia Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $412 per month or $4,944 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $2,205,024 per month, which is $26,460,288 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $185 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 7,870 households living in Public Housing units, 2,729 (51%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 1,284 (24%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 1,338 (25%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 19% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
99% of District of Columbia Housing Authority 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 | 54 | 1% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 5,084 | 95% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 0 | 0% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 54 | 1% |
| Black Hispanic | 107 | 2% |
| White Hispanic | 54 | 1% |
| Other Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 375 | 7% |
| 25-50/td> | 1,605 | 30% |
| 51-61 | 1,177 | 22% |
| 62-84 | 2,034 | 38% |
| 85 or Older | 107 | 2% |
Preferences are not a requirement.
You should still consider applying to waiting lists with preferences you don't qualify for. There is still a chance to get housing.Bishop Demetres Walker says:
"I love Affordable Housing Online, it keeps me posted and updated with new opportunities."