How to apply for public housing

What public housing is

Public housing is rental housing owned by a public housing agency (PHA) and subsidized by HUD. It ranges from single-family homes and duplexes to large apartment developments and high-rises reserved for older adults. About 3,000 agencies nationwide operate public housing, and many developments have been converted to project-based Section 8 through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) in recent years—so the number of traditional public housing units is shrinking.

Unlike a voucher, the assistance is tied to the unit: you live in housing the agency owns, and the agency is your landlord.

Who qualifies

Unlike vouchers, public housing does not have the special student rule, so college students in low-income households can often live in public housing.

How to apply

1. Find your agency in HUD’s PHA directory, or search developments in HUD’s resource locator.
2. Ask how its lists work: one community-wide list, separate lists by development, or site-based lists for senior buildings.
3. Check which lists are open. Public housing lists are often open when voucher lists are closed.
4. Apply online, on paper, or in person using the agency’s instructions. Include every household member.
5. Choose developments carefully if the agency lets you, considering location, accessibility, bedroom size, and schools.
6. Keep your application current—respond to every update letter and report address or household changes.

Designated housing: some buildings are designated for elderly families (62+), for people with disabilities, or for both. If you qualify, ask about these lists specifically; they often move faster.

Screening interview

When your name is near the top, the agency schedules an interview and verifies income, household composition, status, and screening factors. It may:

• Check references from current and prior landlords
• Run criminal background and sex-offender registry checks
• Visit your current home (some agencies)
• Request documents similar to the Section 8 checklist

If denied, you receive a written notice and can request an informal hearing. Bring evidence of mitigating circumstances or rehabilitation, and ask for a reasonable accommodation if a disability is connected to the reason.

Unit offers

When a unit of the right size becomes available, the agency makes an offer. Agencies set policies for:

• How many offers you receive (commonly one or two)
• How long you have to accept (often a few days)
• What counts as good cause to refuse—typically a documented health, disability, or safety reason, or a work or childcare conflict

Refusing without good cause can move you to the bottom of the list or remove you. Before refusing, ask the agency what will happen and whether your reason qualifies. If a household member needs an accessible unit, request it as a reasonable accommodation; agencies must offer accessible units first to households that need the features.

How rent works

Once a year, you choose one of two rent options:

Income-based rent — the highest of:

• 30% of monthly adjusted income
• 10% of monthly gross income
• The agency’s minimum rent (up to $50)

If you pay some utilities, the agency subtracts a utility allowance; if the allowance is more than your rent, you may receive a utility reimbursement.

Flat rent — a fixed amount set by the agency at no less than 80% of the Fair Market Rent (or Small Area FMR) for the unit. Families with rising incomes often choose flat rent because it doesn’t increase with earnings. If a new flat rent would raise a family’s rent more than 35%, the increase is phased in.

If you choose flat rent and then face a financial hardship, you can ask to switch to income-based rent before the next annual choice. See how rent is calculated for deductions, which work the same way.

Community service and self-sufficiency requirement

Each non-exempt adult must complete 8 hours per month of community service, participation in an economic self-sufficiency program (job training, education, counseling), or a combination. You are exempt if you are:

• 62 or older
• Blind or disabled and certify that you cannot comply because of the disability—or the primary caretaker of such a person
• Engaged in work activities
• Exempt from or complying with TANF or state welfare work requirements

Agencies verify compliance annually. Failure to comply can lead to non-renewal of the lease at the end of the 12-month term (not eviction mid-lease), and you must be offered a chance to cure the shortfall first.

Over-income residents

Under HOTMA, if your income exceeds HUD’s published over-income limit (based on 2.4 times the very low-income limit, with applicable adjustments) for 24 consecutive months, the agency must, according to its policy, either terminate your tenancy within six months after the final over-income notice or charge an alternative non-public housing rent based on market rates. You receive written notices when you first exceed the limit, at 12 months, and at 24 months, and you can request a hearing if you disagree. If your income drops below the limit at any point, the clock resets.

Living in public housing: key rules

• Lease: a 12-month lease that renews automatically unless there is a lease violation or community service noncompliance.
• Reporting: report income and household changes under the agency’s policy; annual reexaminations are required (every three years for families on flat rent, with annual family composition updates).
• Smoke-free: HUD requires public housing to be smoke-free (no lit tobacco products in units, indoor common areas, or within 25 feet of buildings).
• Pets: common household pets are allowed subject to reasonable rules; assistance animals are separate.
• Transfers: agencies must transfer residents for reasonable accommodations and VAWA emergencies and may transfer for over- or under-housing, safety, or other reasons in their transfer policy.
• Inspections: units are inspected under HUD’s NSPIRE standards.

Grievances and evictions

Public housing residents have a grievance procedure for disputes over agency actions or failures to act that adversely affect them. In most cases, you must receive notice and the opportunity for an informal settlement and a hearing before an impartial officer. In states where HUD has determined that court eviction procedures provide adequate due process, agencies may skip the grievance process for evictions involving criminal activity or other specified grounds.

For nonpayment of rent, federal rules currently require public housing agencies to give 30 days’ written notice before filing an eviction, including an itemized amount owed and information about how to seek rental assistance. See facing eviction.

Resident participation

Residents can form resident councils, serve on the agency’s Resident Advisory Board (which reviews the PHA Plan), and in many agencies elect a resident commissioner to the board. Agencies must provide funding for resident participation activities. These are good ways to influence rules on maintenance, safety, and policy changes.

Found a changed rule or a broken link? Report a correction for this guide.