Public housing in the District of Columbia
Data from November 2026
Public housing agencies in the District of Columbia
2 public housing agencies administer 16,776 Section 8 vouchers and 8,776 public housing units in the District of Columbia. Each one takes applications and runs its own waiting list.
Key numbers in the District of Columbia
- Agencies
- 2
- take applications and keep their own waiting lists
- Section 8 vouchers
- 16,776
- total they manage, not openings
- Public housing units
- 8,776
- total they manage, not openings
How it works
How they work
There are two main kinds of help: the voucher to rent in the private market and public housing. You apply for both at the agency for your area in the District of Columbia.
- Step 1
Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers)
The family finds a home on the private market. The agency pays part of the rent directly to the landlord and the family pays the difference.
- Step 2
Public housing
Homes the agency itself manages. Rent is set from the family’s income.
- Step 3
How to apply
Apply at the agency for your area. They check income and family size, and may close their waiting list when it is full: ask whether it is open and how long it takes.
According to HUD: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)· HUD: public housing program
Mixed-status families Section 8 and mixed-status families: how it works How the Section 8 voucher works, how aid is prorated in a mixed-status family, how to apply through your housing agency and what HUD proposed. Read the guideHUD’s list
Every agency in the District of Columbia
Largest first. Search by name or place.
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Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · District of Columbia
16,478 vouchers · 8,776 public housing units
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None match your search.
HUD’s official list exactly as published, retrieved November 6, 2026. Vouchers and units are totals each agency administers, not vacancies. Source: Public Housing Agencies (HUD) Retrieved November 6, 2026 Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (external site)
Frequently asked questions
What is a Section 8 voucher?
A Housing Choice Voucher from HUD’s federal program: the family rents on the private market and the housing agency pays part of the rent to the landlord. The family pays the difference.
How do I apply for a voucher or public housing in the District of Columbia?
At the housing agency for your area; the District of Columbia has 2. Each one has its own application and waiting list, and may close it when it is full. Call or check its site to see whether it is open.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in the District of Columbia?
The agencies in the District of Columbia administer 16,776 Section 8 vouchers and 8,776 public housing units, according to HUD’s list retrieved November 6, 2026. They are program totals, not available vacancies.