Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Minnesota
Minnesota has 135 housing authorities managing a combined 707 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 304 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 43%. This data was last verified on Oct 5, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 54,852 assisted housing units statewide — 15,548 public housing units and 39,304 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 74 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within Minnesota.
The affordable housing programs tracked in Minnesota include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (30 open), Public Housing (90 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (9 open), Mainstream (4 open), RAD (1 open), VASH. 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 Minnesota right now are Saint Cloud (58), Chaska (35), Faribault (16), Eagan (15), and Saint Paul (13) . 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: Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Authority — Kids@Home Program (closes Sep 25, 2026)
Eligibility Requirements for Minnesota
To qualify for assistance in Minnesota, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.
- 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 Minnesota legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.