Housing Authority of Charleston, SC: waitlist, vouchers, and how to apply

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston?

The Housing Authority of the City of Charleston, known as HAC, is the local public housing agency (PHA) that HUD authorizes to run federally funded housing programs inside Charleston city limits and parts of Charleston County. HAC runs two main things: the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which is what most people mean by Section 8, and a smaller set of public housing units the agency owns and manages itself.^[1]

HAC is its own government body. It is not the same as Charleston County or the City of Charleston government. It has a separate board, an executive director, and its own staff. If you live outside the city but inside Charleston County, you may need the Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority instead. The two agencies cover different areas and keep separate waitlists.^[2]

The main office is at 3 Gamecock Avenue, Charleston, SC 29403. The main phone number has historically been (843) 722-6471. Verify current contact info on the official site at charlestonhousing.org before you drive over, because hours and staff change. HAC has run housing in Charleston since 1937, which makes it one of the older authorities in the Southeast.

Is the HAC Section 8 waitlist open right now?

This is the first question everybody asks, and the honest answer is that the list opens rarely and closes fast. HAC's HCV waitlist has historically opened for a short window, sometimes only a few days, then shut again once the applications pile up. The last opening was announced on the agency's website, in local media, and through community partners.^[2]

Check charlestonhousing.org directly and sign up for any email or text alert the agency offers. That is the only reliable way to catch an opening. HAC has used an online application portal in recent years, so you can apply from your phone during the window. Paper applications at the office usually are not accepted for the main HCV list.

A closed HAC list does not leave you stuck. You can check open Section 8 waiting lists across South Carolina, apply to the Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, which runs its own list, or look at the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing), which handles some rental programs at the state level.^[3]

Waitlists in high-demand markets like Charleston often stay closed for a year or more between openings. Nobody publishes a live wait figure for HAC. Nationally, the median wait for a voucher in a high-cost metro runs around 2 to 3 years according to HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households.^[4]

Who qualifies for a HAC voucher or public housing?

Eligibility for the Housing Choice Voucher program at HAC follows federal rules under 24 CFR Part 982. You pass four tests.^[5]

First, income. Your household's gross income has to fall at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the Charleston-North Charleston metro. HUD updates these limits every year, usually in April. For FY2024, the 50% AMI limits for the Charleston metro are roughly:

Household size	50% AMI income limit
1 person	$30,700
2 persons	$35,100
3 persons	$39,500
4 persons	$43,850
5 persons	$47,350
6 persons	$50,850
7 persons	$54,350
8 persons	$57,850

Federal law requires that at least 75% of new vouchers issued in any year go to families at or below 30% AMI (extremely low income). So if your income sits higher but still under 50%, expect a longer wait.^[5]

Second, citizenship or eligible immigration status. At least one household member has to be a U.S. citizen or a qualifying non-citizen. Mixed-status families can still apply, and the subsidy is prorated to cover only eligible members.^[5]

Third, background screening. HAC checks criminal history, prior evictions from assisted housing, and debts owed to any housing authority. A lifetime sex offender registration and certain drug-related convictions are mandatory denials under federal rules. Most other criminal history is judged case by case.^[5]

Fourth, you have to be a family as HUD defines it, which reaches well past the nuclear family. Single people qualify. Elderly and disabled single-person households often get preference.

Does HAC have local preferences that move you up the waitlist?

Yes, and they matter more than most applicants realize. Most PHAs set local preferences, and HAC is no exception. Historically HAC has given preference to people who live or work in Charleston and to homeless households referred through Continuum of Care (CoC) partner agencies.^[2]

Here is why that matters. Say HAC's waitlist has 3,000 households on it. If you have no local preference, families who do get pulled and offered vouchers ahead of you, even if they applied months later. When you apply, you will usually be asked to document any preference you claim, so keep paperwork ready: pay stubs showing a Charleston address, a letter from an employer, or documentation of homelessness from a shelter or outreach worker.

HAC can change its preferences between openings, and sometimes does. Read the current announcement yourself. Do not assume it matches what a neighbor told you from the last time the list opened.

How does the HAC voucher actually work once you receive one?

When HAC issues your voucher, you get a Certificate of Eligibility and a briefing packet. The voucher has a term, usually 60 to 120 days, during which you have to find a unit that passes inspection and a landlord willing to join the program.^[5]

You pay part of the rent. HAC pays the rest straight to the landlord. Your share is generally set so you spend 30% of your adjusted gross income on rent and utilities. If the unit's rent runs higher than HAC's payment standard for that bedroom size, you cover the difference on top of the 30%. Federal rules cap your share at 40% of adjusted income the first time you lease a unit.^[5]

The landlord signs a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract with HAC. Follow your lease and the program rules, and the agency pays its share every month. The rental assistance is portable to other jurisdictions after you have rented under the voucher for at least 12 months in most cases.

HAC's vouchers are tenant-based, which means the assistance follows you, not the unit. Move, and you take the voucher to another qualifying unit, including one outside Charleston.

What are HAC's payment standards for 2024?

Payment standards are the most HAC will pay toward rent plus utilities for each bedroom size. They are set as a percentage of HUD's Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for the Charleston metro. PHAs can set payment standards between 90% and 110% of FMR without special HUD approval, and above 110% with it.^[5]

HUD's FY2024 FMRs for the Charleston-North Charleston, SC HUD Metro FMR Area are:^[6]

Bedroom size	HUD FMR (FY2024)
Studio (0 BR)	$1,351
1 bedroom	$1,492
2 bedrooms	$1,768
3 bedrooms	$2,329
4 bedrooms	$2,781

HAC sets its actual payment standards off these numbers. Charleston rents have jumped since 2021, so HAC has raised payment standards more than once. The standard in a given month can differ from the FMR table above, so confirm with HAC before you sign a lease. In popular areas like West Ashley or the peninsula, the gap between FMR and real asking rents gets wide, which is exactly why tenants sometimes struggle to find a unit the voucher fully covers.^[6]

If a unit's rent tops HAC's payment standard, you can still rent it. You just pay the overage yourself on top of your regular 30%-of-income share.

How does the inspection process work for HAC landlords and tenants?

Before HAC approves a unit and starts paying, an agency inspector has to confirm it meets HUD's Housing Quality Standards (HQS) under 24 CFR 982.401. HQS runs about a dozen categories: structural condition, plumbing, heating, electrical safety, lead-based paint for units built before 1978, and more.^[7]

The sequence goes like this. The tenant finds a unit, the landlord agrees in writing, and the landlord submits a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) to HAC. HAC then schedules an inspection, usually within 10 to 15 business days, though that stretches with workload. Both landlord and tenant should plan to be reachable.

Fail, and the landlord gets a list of deficiencies with a deadline. Minor fixes (a broken outlet cover, a missing smoke detector) usually get 30 days. Serious problems like no heat or exposed wiring need immediate correction. If repairs run past the deadline, the tenant may have to find another unit before the voucher expires.

For landlords, passing on the first try is worth real effort. A re-inspection burns time, and the tenant's voucher clock keeps ticking. The most common failure points in South Carolina's older housing stock are lead paint documentation for pre-1978 units, rotted window sashes, and missing carbon monoxide detectors.

HAC also runs annual inspections on units already under HAP contract. Landlords get notice ahead of time. The housing section 8 program guide has a full breakdown of what inspectors look for.

What do Charleston landlords need to know about accepting HAC vouchers?

South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income anti-discrimination law as of mid-2024, so landlords in Charleston are generally not required to accept vouchers.^[8] Accepting them still pays off for a lot of landlords, though.

HAC pays its share of the rent directly and on schedule. As long as the tenant stays current on their portion and the unit passes inspection, the agency check does not bounce. In price ranges where the FMR tracks close to market rent, the program works well financially.

The friction sits in three spots: the inspection, the HAP contract paperwork, and the rent cap. The RFTA and HAP contract are standard forms, but they take time to fill out. Landlords also cannot charge more than HAC's approved rent, which is capped at the payment standard plus documented rent for comparable units.

Want to list a unit for voucher holders? Post it on the HUD-supported resource HousingSearch.org, ask HAC about its landlord outreach office, or list on platforms like Go Section 8 that reach voucher holders directly. Searching section 8 houses for rent in Charleston shows you the market from the tenant's side.

VoucherReady's one-time landlord kit walks through the RFTA, HAP contract, and inspection checklist in plain language, which helps if you are doing this for the first time.

Landlords who want to run low-income housing long-term sometimes pair the voucher program with low income housing tax credit financing, which cuts acquisition or rehab costs.

Can you port your HAC voucher out of Charleston?

Yes. Portability rules in 24 CFR 982.353 let you move to any part of the country where a housing authority runs the HCV program, as long as your lease has expired or you hold an initial voucher.^[5] Portability is one of the most underused features of the whole program.

Here is the basic flow. You tell HAC you want to port out. HAC notifies the receiving PHA in your destination. That PHA either bills HAC (administers the voucher on HAC's behalf) or absorbs it into its own program, often after a year. Porting into Charleston works in reverse: your current PHA contacts HAC, and HAC decides whether to administer or absorb.

Coming back matters too. Port out of HAC, then want to return to Charleston later, and you have to port back. There is no automatic return. Plan for it if the move is temporary.

One common mistake: tenants assume they can port the day they get a voucher. Federal rules require you to live in HAC's jurisdiction when you first receive the voucher and lease up there, unless you have a qualifying reason like family unification or a job. After 12 months of continuous occupancy under a HAP contract, you can port freely.^[5]

For the full mechanics, the moving and porting hub covers the federal framework.

What other housing programs does HAC run beyond Section 8?

HAC runs a modest public housing portfolio on top of vouchers. These are units the agency owns, where rent runs about 30% of adjusted income, same as the voucher math but without the tenant hunting for a private landlord. Demand for public housing in Charleston is high, and that waitlist can run as long as the voucher one, or longer.^[2]

HAC has also administered special HUD programs, including Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers for homeless veterans, in partnership with the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston. HUD-VASH vouchers come with case management and sit outside the general HCV waitlist.^[12] Veterans facing homelessness should contact the VA directly for a referral rather than applying through the regular HAC list.

Homeless or at-risk households in Charleston can reach programs through the Charleston-area Continuum of Care, run by the Lowcountry Continuum of Care. Some of those programs use dedicated vouchers or project-based vouchers (PBVs) attached to specific buildings instead of the general list.^[2]

For older adults and people with disabilities, HAC's public housing includes some units designed or set aside for that group. Low income senior housing is covered separately, but note that HAC-administered senior developments take a different application than the HCV program. If you are 62 or older or have a qualifying disability, ask HAC specifically about elderly and disabled preference and any dedicated buildings.

HAC also runs a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program for HCV participants who want to build savings and lean off the subsidy over time. As your earnings grow on FSS, money goes into an escrow account you collect when you finish the program. It is one of the better financial tools a voucher holder can touch.

How do HAC's income limits compare to the broader Charleston housing market?

Charleston has turned into one of the pricier housing markets in the South over the past decade. Median gross rent in the Charleston metro passed $1,600 a month in the 2022 American Community Survey, and rents on the peninsula, Daniel Island, and Mount Pleasant run well above that.^[9]

A family at 50% AMI (about $43,850 for four people) that spends 30% of income on housing has roughly $1,096 a month to work with. HUD's FY2024 two-bedroom FMR for the Charleston metro is $1,768. So HAC's payment standard likely covers a real chunk of the rent in most submarkets, but the tenant's 30% share still leaves gaps in premium neighborhoods.

That is the core tension in Charleston's voucher market. The program is funded at FMR, but asking rents in attractive areas sit above FMR, so voucher holders often end up clustered where rents are lower. It is not a Charleston-only problem. It is a national pattern HUD's own research documents.^[4] The practical move for tenants is to search across the whole metro instead of fixing on one neighborhood, and to ask HAC whether it has adopted Small Area FMRs (SAFMRs), which use ZIP-code-level rent data instead of a single metro-wide number and can open up higher-cost areas.

For HUD housing context and how FMRs work nationally, the voucher basics section has more.

What should you do if HAC denies your application or terminates your voucher?

Federal rules at 24 CFR 982.554 and 982.555 give you the right to an informal hearing if HAC denies your application or moves to end your assistance.^[5] This is a real protection. Do not toss the denial letter.

The denial letter has to state the reason. Common ones: income over the limit at final eligibility, disqualifying criminal history, a prior debt owed to a PHA, or missing documentation. Some can be rebutted. A drug conviction from 15 years ago is not an automatic bar in every case. HAC has discretion over many criminal history categories, and you can bring mitigating evidence to a hearing.

Request the informal hearing in writing, inside the deadline in the letter (usually 10 to 14 days). Bring documentation that speaks to the exact reason for denial. If you have an advocate, a legal aid attorney, or a HUD-approved housing counselor, bring them. SC Legal Services (sclegal.org) gives free legal help to qualifying low-income households in South Carolina and handles housing matters, including PHA disputes.^[10]

Lose the informal hearing and believe HAC broke federal rules? You can file a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) or the HUD field office in Columbia, SC.^[11] These processes move slowly, but the right to a hearing is real and worth using.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply to the Housing Authority of Charleston in SC?

You apply online through HAC's portal at charlestonhousing.org during an open waitlist period. The list opens periodically and closes once enough applications come in. Paper applications are generally not accepted for the HCV list. Watch the agency's website and local news for announcements. Applications take about 15 to 30 minutes and ask for household income, size, and residency details.

How long is the wait for a Section 8 voucher in Charleston, SC?

Nobody publishes a live wait figure for HAC. Nationally, HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households found median waits of 2 to 3 years in high-demand metros. Charleston's tight rental market and limited voucher funding put waits at or above that range. Local preferences for residents or workers in Charleston, plus CoC homeless referrals, move applicants up the list faster.

What is the income limit to qualify for HAC vouchers?

For FY2024, the 50% AMI income limit in the Charleston metro is about $30,700 for a single person and $43,850 for a family of four. Federal law requires HAC to issue 75% of new vouchers to households at 30% AMI or below. HUD updates these limits each April and posts them at huduser.gov.

Can a Charleston landlord refuse to accept a Section 8 voucher?

Yes, in most cases. South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income anti-discrimination law, so private landlords in Charleston are generally not required to accept vouchers. Some cities elsewhere have local ordinances that require acceptance, but Charleston had none as of mid-2024. Check charlestonhousing.org for any current local policy changes.

What is the HAC payment standard for a two-bedroom in Charleston?

HAC sets payment standards off HUD's Fair Market Rents. For FY2024, the Charleston metro two-bedroom FMR is $1,768. HAC's actual standard lands somewhere between 90% and 110% of that. Confirm the current standard with HAC before you sign a lease, since payment standards get adjusted periodically and neighborhood rates vary.

Does the Housing Authority of Charleston help homeless veterans?

Yes. HAC administers HUD-VASH vouchers with the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston. These are dedicated vouchers for homeless veterans and come with VA case management. Veterans must be enrolled with the VA and referred by a VA social worker. Contact the VA's homeless veteran programs directly rather than applying through the standard HAC waitlist.

How does HAC's inspection process work for a new rental unit?

After the tenant and landlord agree on a unit, the landlord submits a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) to HAC. HAC schedules an inspection to confirm the unit meets HUD Housing Quality Standards (24 CFR 982.401). Pass, and HAC approves the rent and signs a Housing Assistance Payments contract. Fail, and the landlord gets a deficiency list, usually with 30 days to fix issues before a re-inspection.

Can I use my HAC voucher to move out of Charleston?

Yes, after 12 months of continuous occupancy under a HAP contract. Portability rules under 24 CFR 982.353 let you move anywhere in the U.S. where a housing authority runs HCV. You have to lease up in HAC's jurisdiction first. After a year, notify HAC in writing that you want to port, and HAC contacts the receiving PHA to start the transfer.

What is the Family Self-Sufficiency program at HAC?

FSS is a voluntary program for HCV participants that lets you build savings as your income grows. When your income rises during FSS, the extra subsidy that would have been reduced goes into an escrow account in your name. Complete the five-year program and meet your goals, and you get the escrow balance. Ask HAC's FSS coordinator to enroll at your voucher briefing.

What happens if HAC denies my Section 8 application?

You have the right to an informal hearing under 24 CFR 982.554. Request it in writing within the deadline in your denial letter (usually 10 to 14 days). Bring documentation that addresses the denial reason. Criminal history, income documentation errors, and PHA debt are the most common grounds, and some can be rebutted with evidence. SC Legal Services at sclegal.org offers free legal help to qualifying applicants.

Is the Charleston Housing Authority the same as Charleston County Housing?

No. The Housing Authority of the City of Charleston (HAC) covers the city limits and parts of the county under its jurisdiction. The Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority is a separate agency for unincorporated county areas. They keep separate waitlists, separate voucher pools, and separate contact info. If you are outside city limits, apply to the county authority.

Where can I find rental listings that accept HAC vouchers in Charleston?

HAC keeps a tenant resource list. You can also search platforms like HousingSearch.org or Go Section 8, ask HAC's housing specialists for a current landlord list, and check local Facebook groups and Craigslist for landlords who note voucher acceptance. The Charleston market moves fast, so start searching the day HAC issues your voucher instead of waiting.

Does HAC offer project-based vouchers or only tenant-based vouchers?

HAC has administered both. Project-based vouchers (PBVs) attach to specific units or buildings rather than the tenant. Land a PBV unit and later want to move, and you can request a tenant-based voucher after 12 months of occupancy. Ask HAC directly whether it has PBV-attached developments and how to apply, since those waitlists are often managed separately.

Sources

1. HUD.gov, Housing Choice Vouchers Fact Sheet: PHAs administer the HCV program under HUD authority; tenants pay roughly 30% of adjusted income toward rent
2. South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing): SC Housing administers state-level rental assistance programs separate from local PHA waitlists
3. HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, Picture of Subsidized Households 2023: Median wait for a Housing Choice Voucher in high-demand metros is approximately 2 to 3 years; voucher holders are disproportionately concentrated in lower-rent neighborhoods
4. Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR Part 982 (Housing Choice Voucher Program): HCV eligibility criteria, payment standard rules (90-110% of FMR), initial rent burden cap at 40% of adjusted income, portability rules, informal hearing rights
5. HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY2024 Fair Market Rents: FY2024 FMRs for Charleston-North Charleston HUD Metro FMR Area: Studio $1,351; 1BR $1,492; 2BR $1,768; 3BR $2,329; 4BR $2,781
6. Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR 982.401 (Housing Quality Standards): HUD Housing Quality Standards require units to meet safety, structural, and habitability requirements before a HAP contract can be executed
7. National Housing Law Project, Source of Income Discrimination Laws by State: South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income anti-discrimination law as of mid-2024; landlords are not required to accept vouchers
8. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Charleston-North Charleston MSA: Median gross rent in the Charleston metro exceeded $1,600/month in 2022
9. SC Legal Services: SC Legal Services provides free legal assistance to qualifying low-income households in South Carolina, including PHA dispute and housing matters
10. HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: FHEO accepts complaints against PHAs that act outside federal fair housing or program rules
11. HUD.gov, HUD-VASH Program Overview: HUD-VASH vouchers are dedicated to homeless veterans and administered by local PHAs in partnership with VA medical centers