Analysis by Nathan Brunet
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
The Oak Ridge Housing Authority (ORHA) is currently accepting Public Housing waiting list applications.
There are two ways to apply:
Once the application has been completed, call the ORHA to schedule an application interview at (865) 482-1006, Ext 122.
The following documentation is required with the application: Birth certificates, Social Security Cards, proof of all income, and photo IDs for all adult household members.
This waitign list has the following preferences: Displaced from the voucher program due to reductions in federal funding, veterans, elderly, disabled, or working family.
For more information, visit the ORHA website, or call the office at (865) 482-1006, from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; and on Wednesdays from 8:30 am until 12:00 pm.
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Oak Ridge Housing Authority has preferences for: Elderly, Veterans, Working/Employed, Displaced by Government Action, Disabled. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority.
Oak Ridge Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 423 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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 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 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.
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 Oak Ridge Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Oak Ridge Housing Authority was managing 127 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 122 units occupied. This represents 96% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 273 people living in Public Housing units managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 122 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 7 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 24 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 20 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority.
The Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 96% of its units occupied by households with 4% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 122 Public Housing households in units managed by Oak Ridge Housing Authority, 62 have at least one child. There are 8 two-parent households in the Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 55 single-parent households. There were 55 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $19,622 The average annual income per person is $8,769 The average Public Housing household annual income is 28% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 7 | 6% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 7 | 6% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 33 | 27% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 17 | 14% |
| $20,000+ | 56 | 46% |
Of all Public Housing households, 44 (35%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 3 (2%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 72 (57%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $509 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $6,108.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Oak Ridge Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $452 per month or $5,424 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $55,144 per month, which is $661,728 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $202 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 127 households living in Public Housing units, 49 (40%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 35 (29%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 38 (31%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 9% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
27% of Oak Ridge 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 | 2 | 2% |
| 25-50/td> | 62 | 51% |
| 51-61 | 26 | 21% |
| 62-84 | 29 | 24% |
| 85 or Older | 1 | 1% |
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.Kimberly Leighton says:
"I rely on Affordable Housing Online to keep me aware of housing opportunities that I would otherwise have no clue exist."