Section 8 Waiting Lists Opening This Week: What to Know Before You Apply
Five housing authorities are set to open Section 8 waiting lists between November 4 and 8, 2026, according to HUD Housing Network.
The lists are in Texas, California, Puerto Rico, Colorado, and Nebraska.
Two of the five have no website on file, so you'll need to call them.
First, a quick refresher
The Housing Choice Voucher program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled with renting in the private market.
Here's how the money works:
- The housing authority generally pays the landlord the difference between 30 percent of household income and a local payment standard.
- The program puts the choice of housing in the family's hands.
- Seventy-five percent of new households admitted each year must have "extremely low" incomes, meaning at or below the poverty line or 30 percent of local median income, whichever is higher.
Voucher or project-based? Know the difference
Two of this week's openings are project-based vouchers, and they work differently from the regular kind.
- Tenant-based (Housing Choice Voucher): the housing authority issues a voucher and the family picks its own unit.
- Project-based: the assistance is tied to the unit, so a family that moves out has no right to continued help.
There is a safety net, though.
A family leaving a project-based unit may be eligible for a tenant-based voucher when one becomes available.
This week's openings
Dates and details below come from HUD Housing Network's November 5 report, so confirm with each authority before you act.
Mission Housing Authority (Mission, Texas)
- Type: Housing Choice Voucher
- Opened: Wednesday, November 4
- How to apply: online at missionha.org
Check the site for a closing date, since the window may already be short.
City of Anaheim Housing Authority (Anaheim, California)
- Type: Project-Based Voucher
- Opened: Thursday, November 5
- How to apply: online at anaheim.net
Anaheim's own site says its project-based waiting list is open to people who live or work in the city of Anaheim.
It also notes that the regular Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed.
Municipality of Ceiba (Ceiba, Puerto Rico)
- Type: Housing Choice Voucher
- Opens: Saturday, November 7
- How to apply: no website on file, so contact the municipality directly
Housing Catalyst (Fort Collins, Colorado)
- Type: Project-Based Voucher
- Opens: Saturday, November 7
- How to apply: online at housingcatalyst.com
Ask which developments and unit sizes are included before you apply.
Beatrice Housing Authority (Beatrice, Nebraska)
- Type: Housing Choice Voucher
- Opens: Sunday, November 8
- How to apply: no website on file, so call the authority directly
Get your paperwork ready
HUD Housing Network suggests gathering these documents ahead of time:
- Photo ID and Social Security cards for every household member
- Birth certificates
- Recent pay stubs and benefit statements (SSI, SSDI, TANF, unemployment)
- Two to three months of bank statements
- Current household and contact details
- Rental history and your landlord's contact information (for voucher lists)
Requirements vary by housing authority, so ask what yours needs.
Your game plan
Start with Mission and Anaheim, since both are already open.
Then call Ceiba and Beatrice before the weekend so you're ready on opening day.
After that, prepare for Fort Collins on Saturday.
Whatever you do, don't pay anyone to apply.
Quick answers
What is a waiting list?
Local housing authorities keep these lists to decide who gets a voucher, and some use lotteries while others go first-come, first-served.
How long is the wait?
It depends on the authority, and larger communities can take months or longer.
How do I check my status?
Contact the housing authority directly, since some remove names to keep their lists current.
References
- HUD Housing Network. "Section 8 Waiting Lists Open November 2026." Brittney Richey. Published November 5, 2026. https://hudhousingnetwork.com/articles/section-8-waitlist-openings/section-8-waiting-lists-open-november-2026
- U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (archived by UNT Web Archive). "Housing Choice Voucher Program." Archived October 6, 2012. https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121006195435/http://www.usich.gov/funding_programs/programs/housing_choice_voucher_program
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (archived by UNT Web Archive). "Housing Choice Voucher Program Section 8." Archived December 18, 2020. https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218122758mp_/https://www.hud.gov/topics/housing_choice_voucher_program_section_8
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "Policy Basics: The Housing Choice Voucher Program." Date not listed. https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-the-housing-choice-voucher-program
- City of Utica Section 8. "Project-Based Program" (HUD project-based voucher FAQ). Date not listed. https://www.cityofutica.com/departments/section-8/project-base-program/index
- West Palm Beach Housing Authority. "Project Based Vouchers." Date not listed. https://wpbha.org/housing/project_based_vouchers/
- City of Anaheim. "Applicants" (Anaheim Housing Authority). Date not listed. https://www.anaheim.gov/675/Applicants
- City of Anaheim. "FAQ: Anaheim, CA." Date not listed. https://www.anaheim.gov/m/faq?cat=50
