Analysis by David Layfield
Last Updated: December, 17th 2024
The Oakland Housing Authority is opening the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Section 8 waiting list from January 7, 2025 a 12:00AM until Januray 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
The waiting list is a random lottery. Date and time of application does not matter. 5,000 applicants will be chosen at random to place on the waiting list after the application window has closed.
To apply when the waiting list opens, go online here.
You can also fill out a paper application with assistance from OHA staff.
This information was verified by the OHA public notice on December 17, 2024 by Dave Layfield.
Oakland, California Section 8 Voucher Waiting List is managed by Oakland Housing Authority.
Oakland Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 15,687 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Oakland, California.
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 must wait to apply for a waiting list that is open soon until it opens on the date announced by the housing authority. The housing authority will not accept applications until this waiting list opens.
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.
To apply in person, a paper form must be completed at a location set by the housing authority. This place may be a housing authority office, local government building, or another location that is helping with the waiting list opening.
A waiting list sorted by random lottery orders applicants who are selected for the waiting list by a random number system. The time you apply does not factor into your waiting list placement.
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 Oakland Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Oakland Housing Authority was managing 14,152 Section 8 vouchers. Of the total number of vouchers managed, there were 11,605 households with a voucher. This represents 82% of the total voucher allotment for Oakland Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 25,635 people living in households with a Section 8 voucher issued by Oakland Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 2.
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 Oakland Housing Authority Section 8 HCV program that this waiting list covers had 82% of its vouchers utilized by households with 18% unutilized at the start of 2024. This means that 2547 Section 8 vouchers out of a total of 14,152 were in processing at the time HUD reported the data.
Of the 11,605 Section 8 voucher-holding households with the Oakland Housing Authority, 4,104 have at least one child. There are 566 two-parent households in the Oakland Housing Authority voucher program, and 3,538 single-parent households. There were 3,538 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Oakland Housing Authority Section 8 Voucher holders is $21,810 The average annual income per person is $10,532 The average voucher holder earns 18% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 464 | 4% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 812 | 7% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 4,526 | 39% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 1,393 | 12% |
| $20,000+ | 4,526 | 39% |
Of all voucher holders, 4,104 (29%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 991 (7%) voucher-holding households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 8,208 (58%) 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 Oakland Housing Authority Section 8 program, the federal government is providing, on average, $1,858 per month to each household, for an average annual cost of $22,296. The program as a whole is paying landlords $21,562,090 per month, for an annual economic benefit to landlords of $258,745,080
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the Section 8 tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Oakland Housing Authority Section 8 HCV programs, the average family expenditure is $575 per month or $6,900 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $6,672,875 per month, which is $80,074,500 per year.
The average total rent paid to Section 8 landlords is $2,433 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 $133 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 14,152 households with a Section 8 voucher, 4,178 (36%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 3,713 (32%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 3,713 (32%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 23% of Housing Choice Voucher recipients are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
95% of Oakland 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 | 2,553 | 22% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 7,659 | 66% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 0 | 0% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 580 | 5% |
| Black Hispanic | 116 | 1% |
| White Hispanic | 464 | 4% |
| Other Hispanic | 116 | 1% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 116 | 1% |
| 25-50/td> | 4,178 | 36% |
| 51-61 | 2,553 | 22% |
| 62-84 | 4,410 | 38% |
| 85 or Older | 348 | 3% |
Prepare to pay a fee to apply for units that accept Section 8 vouchers.
While there is no charge for Section 8 applications, a private landlord may charge a fee to apply for an available unit.Vickie Fields-Byrd says:
"Affordable Housing Online is an important source for people who have trouble finding information. Thank you so much for keeping your eyes and ears open for all of us!"