How Do You Check the Status of a Section 8 Housing List Application?

Check the status of your Section 8 housing list application by inquiring through your local public housing agency, states the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Contact information for local agencies is available on the official website of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at HUD.gov.

Some local public housing agencies provide some information on the length of Section 8 or Housing Choice Voucher lists on their respective websites, HUD explains. These programs generally have long waiting lists, sometimes years, but these agencies offer other services regarding housing needs to assist those who are on an affordable housing waiting list.

After a local agency determines an applicant is eligible, the heads of household need to fill out an application and submit to the local housing authority. In some instances the application can be filed online. Certain circumstances surrounding the application sometimes affect how quickly an applicant gets approved for housing. Public housing authorities usually give preference to those who live in substandard housing, those who are homeless or those paying more than 50 percent of their household income for rent, the Department of Housing and Urban Development reports. Those who are involuntarily displaced are also given special treatment.