Analysis by Lorena Bentley
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
This waiting list is for Public Housing rental housing assistance in Gainesville, Georgia.
The Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) Public Housing waiting list for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-Bedroom apartments at Harrison Square and Scattered Sites 1 is currently open. Applications are being accepted from May 3, 2021 at 8:00 am ET, until further notice.
To apply during the opening period, complete the online application.
The maximum income limits for each household size are as follows:
This waiting list has the following preferences:
Selected applicants will be placed on the waiting list by date and time the application is received, weighed by bedroom size and order of preferences.
For more information, visit the GHA website.
Sources: This information was verified by the GHA on April 15, 2021.
The application may be completed online at https://apps.gainesvillehousing.org/apply/ApplKeyinfo.aspx.
Harrison Square and Scattered Sites 1 has preferences for: Live, Work, or Attend School Locally, Displaced by Government Action. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
Harrison Square and Scattered Sites 1 Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Gainesville Housing Authority.
Gainesville Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 447 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs.
This housing agency serves Gainesville, Georgia.
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 can apply for a waiting list that is open until further notice while it stays open for an unknown period of time. Usually, the housing authority is accepting applications until the waiting list closes, but some of these waiting lists never close.
To apply online, an electronic form must be submitted to the housing authority on the internet. Many online applications require an account to be created to log in, and also a valid email address.
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 Gainesville Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Gainesville Housing Authority was managing 131 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 131 units occupied. This represents 100% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Gainesville Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 363 people living in Public Housing units managed by Gainesville Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 3.
The 131 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 51 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 16 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 12 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Gainesville Housing Authority.
The Gainesville Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 100% of its units occupied by households with 0% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 131 Public Housing households in units managed by Gainesville Housing Authority, 66 have at least one child. There are 7 two-parent households in the Gainesville Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 59 single-parent households. There were 59 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Gainesville Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $19,087 The average annual income per person is $6,783 The average Public Housing household annual income is 25% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 5 | 4% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 22 | 17% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 47 | 36% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 12 | 9% |
| $20,000+ | 46 | 35% |
Of all Public Housing households, 52 (40%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 12 (9%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 66 (50%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Gainesville Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $660 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $7,920.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Gainesville Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $442 per month or $5,304 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $57,902 per month, which is $694,824 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $125 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 131 households living in Public Housing units, 24 (18%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 39 (30%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 68 (52%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 23% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
79% of Gainesville 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.
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 3 | 2% |
| 25-50/td> | 64 | 49% |
| 51-61 | 28 | 21% |
| 62-84 | 34 | 26% |
| 85 or Older | 4 | 3% |
Even if it looks difficult to get housing, apply anyway.
Some factors make it look like a longshot to get housing. Any waiting list opening is a legitimate chance to get housing, no mattter how long it takes.Margaret L. Bost says:
"I'm really happy I found Affordable Housing Online. Thank you so much for helping people with low incomes to be able to achieve their dream."