Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Kentucky
Kentucky has 119 housing authorities managing a combined 422 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 206 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 49%. This data was last verified on Oct 5, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 61,833 assisted housing units statewide — 21,562 public housing units and 40,271 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 92 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within Kentucky.
The affordable housing programs tracked in Kentucky include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (35 open), Public Housing (95 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (12 open), Mainstream (1 open), RAD (1 open), VASH (2 open). Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application process, and wait times. In most cases, applicants can apply to multiple program types at the same housing authority, and there is no limit to the number of housing authorities you can apply to statewide.
The cities with the most open waitlists in Kentucky right now are Bowling Green (31), Eddyville (9), Jackson (8), Newport (5), and Falmouth (5) . Applicants who are flexible about location will generally receive assistance sooner than those who apply to a single waitlist in a high-demand area.
Latest opening: Housing Authority of Irvington — HCV
Eligibility Requirements for Kentucky
To qualify for assistance in Kentucky, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).
- Income: Below HUD local limits
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or eligible legal status
- Background: Criminal background check required
- Residency: Preferences often given to locals
Real-Time Data Verification
Section 8 Waitlist aggregates data from official Kentucky legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.