Analysis by Lorena Bentley
Last Updated: February, 29th 2024
The Mid-East Regional Housing Authority (MERHA) last accepted Public Housing waiting list applications for Barnes Court, Chestnut Court, Somerset Court and Union Court Apartments Apartments from the earliest confirmed open date of February 20, 2024, until February 29, 2024. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.
This waiting list was for the following properties:
To apply while the waitlist was open, applicants were required to complete the online application.
Preferences have not been confirmed.
It was not known how applicants were placed on the waiting list, by order of preferences.
For more information, visit the MERHA website.
Sources: This information was verified by the MERHA public notice on February 20, 2024.
Barnes Court, Chestnut Court, Somerset Court and Union Court Apartments Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Mid-East Regional Housing Authority.
Mid-East Regional Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 734 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
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 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.
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 Mid-East Regional Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Mid-East Regional Housing Authority was managing 197 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 185 units occupied. This represents 94% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Mid-East Regional Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 376 people living in Public Housing units managed by Mid-East Regional Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 185 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 28 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 17 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 9 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Mid-East Regional Housing Authority.
The Mid-East Regional Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 94% of its units occupied by households with 6% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 185 Public Housing households in units managed by Mid-East Regional Housing Authority, 85 have at least one child. There are 2 two-parent households in the Mid-East Regional Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 83 single-parent households. There were 77 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Mid-East Regional Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $14,477 The average annual income per person is $7,123 The average Public Housing household annual income is 27% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 22 | 12% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 19 | 10% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 78 | 42% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 20 | 11% |
| $20,000+ | 46 | 25% |
Of all Public Housing households, 51 (26%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 2 (1%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 126 (64%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Mid-East Regional Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $666 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $7,992.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Mid-East Regional Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $310 per month or $3,720 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $57,350 per month, which is $688,200 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $102 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 197 households living in Public Housing units, 33 (18%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 85 (46%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 67 (36%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 33% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
91% of Mid-East Regional 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 | 4 | 2% |
| 25-50/td> | 89 | 48% |
| 51-61 | 35 | 19% |
| 62-84 | 52 | 28% |
| 85 or Older | 4 | 2% |
Know your rights as a Section 8 tenant.
In many areas, private landlords with an available unit can refuse interested tenants who have a Section 8 voucher. Check your local laws.Judy Robinson Fiebiger says:
"Affordable Housing Online is an awesome website. It sure helps a lot of people who have financial issues."