Analysis by Nathan Brunet
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
The Gary Housing Authority (GHA) Public Housing waiting list is currently closed. It was last open for various communities and bedroom sizes in July, 2019. There is no notice of when this waiting list will reopen.
For more information, visit the GHA website.
Gary Housing Authority Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Gary Housing Authority.
Gary Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 3,949 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Gary and Merrillville, Indiana.
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.
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 Gary Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Gary Housing Authority was managing 642 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 520 units occupied. This represents 81% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Gary Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 1,058 people living in Public Housing units managed by Gary Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 520 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 17 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 16 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 3 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Gary Housing Authority.
The Gary Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 81% of its units occupied by households with 19% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 520 Public Housing households in units managed by Gary Housing Authority, 193 have at least one child. There are 6 two-parent households in the Gary Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 186 single-parent households. There were 186 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Gary Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $17,149 The average annual income per person is $8,412 The average Public Housing household annual income is 25% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 26 | 5% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 36 | 7% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 213 | 41% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 62 | 12% |
| $20,000+ | 182 | 35% |
Of all Public Housing households, 161 (25%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 385 (60%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Gary Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $2,014 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $24,168.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Gary Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $360 per month or $4,320 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $187,200 per month, which is $2,246,400 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $234 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 642 households living in Public Housing units, 229 (44%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 135 (26%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 156 (30%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 20% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
98% of Gary 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 | 5 | 1% |
| 25-50/td> | 187 | 36% |
| 51-61 | 68 | 13% |
| 62-84 | 239 | 46% |
| 85 or Older | 16 | 3% |
Wait until you have a Section 8 voucher to find housing.
It usually takes months or years to reach the top of a Section 8 HCV waiting list. Any apartments you see now will likely not be available when you get your voucher.Marla Senter says:
"Affordable Housing Online is the most cohesive and correct information on housing out there online or off."