Analysis by Nathan Brunet
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
The Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing waiting list is currently open, since at least January 7, 2019, until further notice. Waiting lists for a specific community or bedroom size may be closed. There are three ways to apply:
Required documents needed when submitting the application can be found here. Scroll down to the section titled "What do I bring to apply?"
Once the application has been completed, it must be hand delivered to the SHA at the address above on Mondays and Tuesdays only. Mailed applications will not be accepted.
This waiting list has the following preferences: Local residency; Working family; Elderly; Disabled.
For more information, visit the SHA waiting list page here, and the SHA Public Housing page here.
Springfield Housing Authority has preferences for: Elderly, Live, Work, or Attend School Locally, Working/Employed, Disabled. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Springfield Housing Authority.
Springfield Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 2,451 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Sangamon County, Illinois.
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.
To request an application by phone, you must call a phone number and ask for the housing authority to send you an application. The housing authority will offer at least one way to get an application, usually by mail, email, or fax. 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 Springfield Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Springfield Housing Authority was managing 768 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 737 units occupied. This represents 96% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Springfield Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 1,489 people living in Public Housing units managed by Springfield Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 737 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, 118 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 16 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Springfield Housing Authority.
The Springfield 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 737 Public Housing households in units managed by Springfield Housing Authority, 292 have at least one child. There are 8 two-parent households in the Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 284 single-parent households. There were 284 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $16,060 The average annual income per person is $7,928 The average Public Housing household annual income is 21% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 37 | 5% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 88 | 12% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 280 | 38% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 103 | 14% |
| $20,000+ | 229 | 31% |
Of all Public Housing households, 246 (32%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 38 (5%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 384 (50%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $739 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $8,868.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Springfield Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $343 per month or $4,116 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $252,791 per month, which is $3,033,492 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $212 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 768 households living in Public Housing units, 347 (47%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 81 (11%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 302 (41%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 20% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
72% of Springfield 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 | 59 | 8% |
| 25-50/td> | 332 | 45% |
| 51-61 | 155 | 21% |
| 62-84 | 192 | 26% |
| 85 or Older | 0 | 0% |
Applying for housing with bad credit.
Some housing assistance programs require a credit check, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credit apartments. Having bad credit may make you ineligible.Bri-Anna Barbosa says:
"Affordable Housing Online is very informative and helpful by keeping you up to date with housing, including what's available and how to apply."