Public housing in Rhode Island
Data from November 2026
Public housing agencies in Rhode Island
28 public housing agencies administer 11,616 Section 8 vouchers and 9,184 public housing units in Rhode Island. Each one takes applications and runs its own waiting list.
Key numbers in Rhode Island
- Agencies
- 28
- take applications and keep their own waiting lists
- Section 8 vouchers
- 11,616
- total they manage, not openings
- Public housing units
- 9,184
- 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 Rhode Island.
- 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 Rhode Island
Largest first. Search by name or county.
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Housing Authority Providence
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
2,675 vouchers · 2,603 public housing units
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Woonsocket Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
740 vouchers · 1,210 public housing units
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Housing Authority of the City of Pawtucket
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
800 vouchers · 790 public housing units
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The Housing Authority of the City of Newport
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Newport County
617 vouchers · 776 public housing units
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Central Falls Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
598 vouchers · 327 public housing units
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East Providence Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
470 vouchers · 409 public housing units
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Warwick Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Kent County
349 vouchers · 517 public housing units
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Cranston Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
262 vouchers · 602 public housing units
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Cumberland Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
384 vouchers · 176 public housing units
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Coventry Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Kent County
282 vouchers · 195 public housing units
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Bristol Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Bristol County
273 vouchers · 193 public housing units
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North Providence Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
277 vouchers · 145 public housing units
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Lincoln Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
133 vouchers · 252 public housing units
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Warren Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Bristol County
224 vouchers · 153 public housing units
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West Warwick Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Kent County
127 vouchers · 250 public housing units
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Johnston Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
209 vouchers · 150 public housing units
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Town of Westerly Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Washington County
198 vouchers · 123 public housing units
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East Greenwich Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Kent County
292 vouchers · 28 public housing units
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South Kingstown Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Washington County
142 vouchers · 70 public housing units
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Narragansett Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Washington County
186 vouchers · 9 public housing units
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Burrillville Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
88 vouchers · 76 public housing units
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Smithfield Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Providence County
56 vouchers · 50 public housing units
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Tiverton Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Newport County
59 vouchers · 45 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 Rhode Island?
At the housing agency for your area; Rhode Island has 28. 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 Rhode Island?
The agencies in Rhode Island administer 11,616 Section 8 vouchers and 9,184 public housing units, according to HUD’s list retrieved November 6, 2026. They are program totals, not available vacancies.