Analysis by Joshua Cappell
Last Updated: March, 8th 2026
This waiting list is for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental housing assistance in Augusta, ME.
The Maine State Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is now open.
Preferences: This program serves elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness.
For more information, visit the Maine State Housing Authority website.
The application may be completed online at https://info.affordablehousing.com/maine.
Maine State Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher has preferences for: Elderly, Homeless, Disabled. Preferences are not required but Section 8 Voucher applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
Maine State Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 Voucher Waiting List is managed by Maine State Housing Authority.
Maine State Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 4,527 low- and moderate-income households through its public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Aroostook County, Cumberland County, Franklin County, Hancock County, Kennebec County, Knox County, Lincoln County, Oxford County, Penobscot County, Piscataquis County, Sagadahoc County, Somerset County, Waldo County, Washington County, York County, Maine. Service does not extend to Auburn, Service does not extend to Augusta, Service does not extend to Bangor, Service does not extend to Bar Harbor, Service does not extend to Bath, Service does not extend to Brewer, Service does not extend to Caribou, Service does not extend to Ellsworth, Service does not extend to Fort Fairfield, Service does not extend to Lewiston, Service does not extend to Mount Desert, Service does not extend to Old Town, Service does not extend to Portland, Service does not extend to Saco, Service does not extend to Sanford, Service does not extend to Scarborough, Service does not extend to Southwest Harbor, Service does not extend to Tremont, Service does not extend to Van Buren, Service does not extend to Westbrook, Maine.
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 have a limited time to apply for a waiting list that is open now, before it closes on the date announced by the housing authority. The housing authority is accepting applications until the waiting list closes.
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 for a voucher, you may be interested to know who already has a voucher, 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 have a Section or project-based voucher issued by Maine State Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Maine State Housing Authority was managing 4,528 Section 8 vouchers. Of the total number of vouchers managed, there were 3,577 households with a voucher. This represents 79% of the total voucher allotment for Maine State Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 6,783 people living in households with a Section 8 voucher issued by Maine State Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 3,577 households with a Section 8 voucher at the start of 2024 waited on average 21 months to receive their voucher. Of those voucher-holding households, 501 got their voucher in the last year. This represents 14 percent of voucher holders with vouchers issued by Maine State Housing Authority.
Though Section 8 voucher programs are over-subscribed across the nation with all programs having a waiting list, each month, each housing agency managing vouchers has vouchers that are not issued to renters. This can result from turnover in the program if someone with a voucher buys a home, sees an increase in their income, passes away, or otherwise discontinues the use of their voucher.
The time it takes to transfer voucher funding from one recipient to another can be many months. Managing the Section 8 waiting list, qualifying new voucher holders, and approving new homes or apartments takes time. In addition, in some areas, there is an extreme housing shortage or landlords may refuse to rent to persons using a Section 8 voucher to pay their rent. This results in longer than usual ramp-up times for new voucher holders.
The Maine State Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program that this waiting list covers had 79% of its vouchers utilized by households with 21% unutilized at the start of 2024. This means that 951 Section 8 vouchers out of a total of 4,528 were in processing at the time HUD reported the data.
Of the 3,577 Section 8 voucher-holding households with the Maine State Housing Authority, 1,494 have at least one child. There are 181 two-parent households in the Maine State Housing Authority voucher program, and 1,313 single-parent households. There were 1,313 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Maine State Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher holders is $14,492 The average annual income per person is $7,753 The average voucher holder earns 21% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 107 | 3% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 286 | 8% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 1,717 | 48% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 572 | 16% |
| $20,000+ | 894 | 25% |
Of all voucher holders, 634 (14%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 136 (3%) voucher-holding households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 3,170 (70%) voucher-holding households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program pays 70% of the cost of rent plus utilities for any household receiving the housing assistance.
For the Maine State Housing Authority Section 8 program, the federal government is providing, on average, $910 per month to each household, for an average annual cost of $10,920. The program as a whole is paying landlords $3,255,070 per month, for an annual economic benefit to landlords of $39,060,840
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the Section 8 tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Maine State Housing Authority Section 8 HCV programs, the average family expenditure is $363 per month or $4,356 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $1,298,451 per month, which is $15,581,412 per year.
The average total rent paid to Section 8 landlords is $1,273 per month which includes payment contributed by both tenant households and the federal government. This is a program-wide rent average across all bedroom size rentals.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $137 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 4,528 households with a Section 8 voucher, 1,538 (43%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 1,180 (33%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 859 (24%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 21% of Housing Choice Voucher recipients are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
7% of Maine State Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.
| Race | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 107 | 3% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 72 | 2% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 3,327 | 93% |
| Black Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| White Hispanic | 72 | 2% |
| Other Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 107 | 3% |
| 25-50/td> | 1,610 | 45% |
| 51-61 | 823 | 23% |
| 62-84 | 1,002 | 28% |
| 85 or Older | 36 | 1% |
If you're a homeless veteran, contact your VA Medical Center.
You may have an opportunity to apply for a VASH voucher, which is a Section 8 voucher for homeless veterans.Takesha Powell says:
"Affordable Housing Online is a great resource that provides a lot of helpful links to get low-income and affordable housing."