Public housing in Puerto Rico
Data from November 2026
Public housing agencies in Puerto Rico
73 public housing agencies administer 33,928 Section 8 vouchers and 54,032 public housing units in Puerto Rico. Each one takes applications and runs its own waiting list.
Key numbers in Puerto Rico
- Agencies
- 73
- take applications and keep their own waiting lists
- Section 8 vouchers
- 33,928
- total they manage, not openings
- Public housing units
- 54,032
- 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 Puerto Rico.
- 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 Puerto Rico
Largest first. Search by name or municipality.
-
Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · San Juan Municipio
12,452 vouchers · 54,032 public housing units
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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 Puerto Rico?
At the housing agency for your area; Puerto Rico has 73. 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 Puerto Rico?
The agencies in Puerto Rico administer 33,928 Section 8 vouchers and 54,032 public housing units, according to HUD’s list retrieved November 6, 2026. They are program totals, not available vacancies.