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Public Housing vs. Section 8: Differences and How to Apply

By KPCB StaffCombined Expertise In The Low Income Housing Space For 10 Years · How we write our guides

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Public housing means you rent an apartment owned and run by your local housing authority. Section 8, officially the Housing Choice Voucher program, helps you pay rent on a private apartment you find yourself, and in many cases you can take the voucher with you when you move. In both programs you usually pay about 30% of your adjusted income in rent, and you apply through your local public housing agency (PHA) for free.

How public housing and Section 8 compare

The biggest difference is where the help is attached. In public housing, the help comes with the unit, so if you move out you leave the help behind. With a voucher, the help goes with your household, and you choose the home.

Public housingSection 8 (Housing Choice Voucher)
Who owns the homeYour local housing authorityA private landlord you choose
Where you can liveA unit the PHA offers youAny eligible unit whose landlord agrees to take part and that passes the health and safety inspection
Income limit to qualifyLow income: up to 80% of area median incomeGenerally very low income: up to 50% of area median income
Who gets most openingsAt least 40% of new admissions each year must be extremely low-income familiesAt least 75% of new admissions each year must be extremely low-income families
Your rentIncome-based rent (usually 30% of adjusted monthly income), or a flat rent you can choose once a yearUsually 30% of adjusted monthly income; at move-in it can be up to 40% if the unit costs more than the PHA's payment standard
Who gets paidYou pay rent to the PHAYou pay your share to the landlord, and the PHA pays the rest directly to the landlord
MovingThe help stays with the apartmentYou can move with your voucher anywhere in the U.S. where a PHA runs a voucher program, with some limits
Where to applyYour local PHAYour local PHA

Both programs use the same basic eligibility rules, the same rent formula, and the same federal background check rules. A PHA that runs both may keep one combined waiting list or separate lists, and you can be on both.

Who qualifies

HUD's eligibility rules for public housing and vouchers look at three things.

  1. Your household's income. HUD sets income limits for every county and metro area. "Low income" means up to 80% of the area median income and "very low income" means up to 50%. Public housing accepts low-income families. Vouchers mostly go to very low-income families. Look up the FY2026 income limits for your area on HUD User; they took effect May 1, 2026.
  2. Your household type. A single person counts as a family, and so does a household with or without children. HUD also defines an elderly family (the head, spouse, or sole member is 62 or older) and a disabled family (the head, spouse, or sole member has a disability). Some PHAs give these households a preference, and some public housing buildings are set aside for elderly or disabled families.
  3. Citizenship or immigration status. You need U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If only some members of your household have eligible status, federal rules let the family get prorated assistance, which means a reduced amount based on how many members are eligible.

For vouchers, HUD also says the head of household needs a valid Social Security number.

Public housing has one more limit. The PHA matches families to units by size, such as the number of bedrooms, so the unit sizes a PHA has can affect how soon you get an offer.

Meeting these rules only means you can apply. The housing authority decides who is eligible, and its written admission policies (for vouchers, this is called the Administrative Plan) explain its local rules. Our guide to Section 8 income eligibility goes into more detail, and the benefit finder can show you other programs to check.

How to apply

You apply for both programs through your local public housing agency. HUD does not take applications itself.

  1. Find your PHA. Use HUD's PHA contact directory and pick your state. The directory does not show which agencies run public housing and which run vouchers, so call or check the PHA's own website. If you cannot reach the PHA, HUD says to contact your local HUD field office.
  2. Check which waiting lists are open. Each PHA opens and closes its own lists, and its website or front desk can tell you which are taking applications now.
  3. Fill out the application or pre-application. Each PHA decides whether you apply online, on paper, or in person. Use a phone number, mailing address, and email you check often.
  4. Ask to be added to the other program too. If a PHA keeps separate lists and the other list is open, federal rules say it must offer to put you on it. Applying for one program cannot be used to drop you from the other list or lower your place.
  5. Get your documents ready. HUD says the PHA will ask for whatever it needs to check your application, such as birth certificates and tax returns. Expect to show proof of income, Social Security cards, and proof of citizenship or immigration status.

Applying is always free. HUD's Office of Inspector General warns that housing authorities and government agencies "will never ask you to pay for admission to housing assistance programs or to join a waitlist." Fake waitlist ads on social media try to collect fees or your Social Security number. Confirm any opening by calling the PHA at the number on its official website, and report scams to the HUD OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735.

For a full walkthrough of the voucher side, see the steps to Section 8.

What the housing authority asks about you

For public housing, HUD says the PHA collects the names of everyone in the household, your current address and phone number, your family situation, past landlord references, the income you expect over the next 12 months, and your employer and bank details. Some PHAs also visit your current home.

After it checks your information, the PHA notifies you in writing. If you are eligible, you go on the waiting list, or you get help right away if a unit or voucher is available.

How rent is figured

Both programs start with the same federal formula, called the total tenant payment. It is the highest of:

  • 30% of your monthly adjusted income (your income after allowed deductions)
  • 10% of your monthly gross income
  • the part of any welfare payment that is set aside for housing, if you get one
  • the PHA's minimum rent

For public housing and vouchers, a PHA can set a minimum rent of up to $50 a month. If you cannot pay it because of a hardship, such as losing your job, a death in the family, or facing eviction, the PHA must grant an exemption under its written policies.

Public housing rent

Once a year, the PHA must let you choose between income-based rent and a flat rent. The flat rent is based on what the unit would rent for on the private market and must be at least 80% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the area. If you pay your own utilities, the PHA lowers the flat rent by a utility allowance.

Section 8 rent

With a voucher, the PHA pays the landlord the difference between its payment standard and your share. HUD says your share is usually 30% of your adjusted monthly income. If you pick a unit that costs more than the payment standard, your share goes up, but when you first move in it cannot be more than 40% of your adjusted monthly income.

Background checks and evictions

The same federal rules apply in both programs. The PHA must deny your household if any member:

  • has ever been convicted of making methamphetamine on the grounds of federally assisted housing
  • is subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement in any state
  • is currently using illegal drugs, or the PHA has reasonable cause to believe someone's drug use or alcohol abuse would threaten the health, safety, or peaceful enjoyment of other residents

The meth and lifetime registration bans are permanent. For other criminal history, the PHA decides using its own written policy and a "reasonable time" period it sets, so rules differ from one agency to the next.

If you have an eviction

If anyone in your household was evicted from federally assisted housing for drug-related criminal activity, the PHA must deny admission for three years from the eviction date. It may still admit you sooner if that person finished a supervised drug rehab program the PHA approves, or if the circumstances that led to the eviction no longer exist (the federal rule gives the example of the person having died or being in prison).

Other evictions, and money you owe a past landlord or PHA, are handled under each agency's own policy. Ask your PHA how it treats them, and whether paying off or setting up a payment plan on an old balance would help.

Your rights before a denial

Before denying you because of a criminal record, the PHA must tell you, give you a copy of the record, and let you dispute whether it is accurate or relevant. It cannot charge you for the records check. If you are denied, the PHA must tell you why. You can ask for an informal hearing (public housing) or an informal review (vouchers). If someone in your household has changed, bring proof such as letters from a probation officer, a landlord, a counselor, or a rehab program.

Read more in what Section 8 looks for in a background check. For help with a denial, free legal aid offices are listed at LawHelp.org.

What happens on the waiting list

HUD says waiting times can be long. How long depends on your area, how many people applied, how many units or vouchers open up, and the PHA's preferences. A PHA may give preference to working families, people with disabilities, or people who live or work in its area. It must tell all applicants about its preferences and let them show they qualify. Public housing cannot require you to already live in the area, though it may give a preference to people who live or work there.

A few things improve your chances:

  • Apply to more than one PHA, and to both programs where lists are open.
  • Report any change of address, phone, or household size to every PHA you applied to, so they can reach you when your name comes up.
  • Ask each PHA about its preferences and send proof if you qualify.
  • Look at other affordable rentals while you wait, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit apartments.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for public housing and Section 8 at the same time?

Yes. Federal rules say a PHA cannot refuse to list you, drop you, or lower your place on the voucher list because you applied for or got other housing help, including public housing. If the PHA keeps separate lists and the other one is open, it must offer to add you.

Which is better, public housing or Section 8?

It depends on what you need. A voucher lets you pick your neighborhood and move with your help, but you have to find a landlord who will take it. Public housing has you rent directly from the PHA, and it accepts households with somewhat higher incomes (up to 80% of area median income).

Can I keep my help if I move out of public housing?

No. The help stays with the public housing unit. Some PHAs allow transfers between their own units or programs under their written policies, so ask before you move out.

Can I move to another state with a Section 8 voucher?

Usually, yes. If you lived in the PHA's area when you applied, you can use your new voucher anywhere in the U.S. If you did not, the PHA can make you lease in its own area for the first 12 months. See transferring a Section 8 voucher to another state.

Do I need to be a senior or have a disability to get public housing?

No. Public housing is open to low-income families and single people of any age. Some buildings are set aside for elderly or disabled families, and some PHAs give these households a preference.

Does it cost money to apply?

No. Housing authorities never charge to apply or to join a waiting list. If someone asks you to pay, it is a scam. Report it to the HUD OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735.

Sources

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