Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 130 housing authorities managing a combined 1056 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 561 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 53%. This data was last verified on Oct 5, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 132,119 assisted housing units statewide — 30,538 public housing units and 101,581 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 12 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within Massachusetts.
The affordable housing programs tracked in Massachusetts include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (40 open), Public Housing (102 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (35 open), Mainstream (5 open), RAD (1 open), VASH (4 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 Massachusetts right now are Chelmsford (46), Middleborough (25), Brookline (20), Newton Highlands (19), and Boston (18) . 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: Newton Housing Authority — Other (closes Nov 23, 2026)
Eligibility Requirements for Massachusetts
To qualify for assistance in Massachusetts, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
- 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 Massachusetts legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.