HUD housing in Phoenix: programs, waitlists, and how to apply

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is HUD housing in Phoenix, and what programs actually exist?

"HUD housing" is shorthand people use for any federally subsidized rental in Phoenix, but it covers several different programs. Knowing which one you're dealing with changes everything: the application, the waitlist, and who you call when something breaks.

Here are the major HUD-funded options in Phoenix.

1. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, usually called Section 8. This is a tenant-based subsidy. You get a voucher, you find a private landlord willing to take it, and the local public housing authority pays part of your rent directly to that landlord.

2. Public housing. Actual apartment units owned and run by a housing authority. In Phoenix, the City of Phoenix Housing Department manages these communities. They're government-owned apartments, not vouchers.

3. Project-based Section 8 (PBV). Like HCV, except the subsidy sticks to a specific unit instead of the tenant. You have to live in that building to use it. Move out, and the subsidy stays behind.

4. Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties. Privately owned, built with federal tax credits, so they charge below-market rents to income-qualified tenants. HUD doesn't run them directly, but they're a big part of Phoenix's affordable stock. Our piece on the low income housing tax credit has more.

5. HUD-assisted senior and disability housing. Section 202 (supportive housing for the elderly) and Section 811 (for people with disabilities) fund specific properties around the Phoenix metro.

Two agencies run most of the local HCV and public housing programs. The City of Phoenix Housing Department (CPHD) serves city residents. The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC) covers unincorporated Maricopa County and other participating cities. ^[2]

Who qualifies for HUD housing in Phoenix?

Eligibility comes down to three things: income, family status, and citizenship or immigration status. HUD sets income limits every year by metro area. For the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale HUD metro area, the FY2024 limits look like this ^[3]:

Household Size	Extremely Low (30% AMI)	Very Low (50% AMI)	Low (80% AMI)
1 person	$18,550	$30,900	$49,450
2 persons	$21,200	$35,300	$56,500
3 persons	$23,850	$39,700	$63,550
4 persons	$26,450	$44,100	$70,600
5 persons	$28,600	$47,650	$76,300

The voucher program generally requires income at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) when you're admitted. HUD rules also require that 75% of newly issued vouchers go to households at or below 30% AMI ^[4].

You don't need kids. Singles, couples, and older adults all qualify if they meet the income and other rules. Housing authorities will check for disqualifying criminal history (certain drug or violent crimes can bar you), money owed to any housing authority, and immigration status. At least one household member has to be a U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant, and the subsidy gets prorated depending on who in the household qualifies ^[4].

Local preferences matter a lot. Both CPHD and HAMC give priority to applicants who are homeless, living in substandard housing, paying more than half their income in rent, or involuntarily displaced. A preference moves you up. Without one, the wait can run years longer.

What are Phoenix's Section 8 payment standards in 2025?

Payment standards are the ceiling a housing authority will put toward your rent and utilities for a given unit size. Each authority sets its own, based on a percentage of HUD's published Fair Market Rents (FMRs). CPHD and HAMC don't use identical numbers, so two vouchers on the same street can carry different standards depending on who issued them.

For the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale HUD metro area, the FY2025 Fair Market Rents are ^[5]:

Unit Size	FY2025 FMR (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale)
Efficiency (0-BR)	$1,128
1-Bedroom	$1,349
2-Bedroom	$1,650
3-Bedroom	$2,311
4-Bedroom	$2,721

Authorities can set payment standards anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR without special HUD sign-off. A few high-cost zip codes can carry exception rents above 110% if the authority asks and HUD agrees. Confirm the current figure with CPHD or HAMC, because these numbers reset every October.

The payment standard is not what HUD pays for your unit. The authority pays the lower of the payment standard or the actual gross rent (rent plus tenant-paid utilities). You cover the difference between the authority's payment and your real rent, and your share can't legally top 40% of your adjusted monthly income at initial lease-up under 24 CFR 982.508 ^[4].

Here's what that means for a landlord. Say you want $1,800 for a two-bedroom and the payment standard is $1,650. The tenant has to eat that $150 gap on top of their normal share. Plenty of families can't, so pricing near the payment standard keeps your unit reachable for voucher holders.

Are Phoenix Section 8 waitlists open right now?

Everyone asks this. The honest answer: it changes constantly, and you have to check each agency directly.

As of mid-2025, both CPHD and HAMC have kept their HCV waitlists closed for long stretches, which is normal for large Phoenix-area authorities. HAMC opened a waitlist lottery in 2022 and shut it fast after tens of thousands of applications poured in. CPHD has cycled through short openings the same way. ^[2]

When a list does open, it usually opens as a lottery. Everyone who applies during the window gets thrown into a random draw for the waitlist, not lined up by when they applied. So applying on day one instead of day five of a two-week window changes nothing about your odds.

Here's what you can do right now.

Check our open Section 8 waiting lists page, which tracks openings nationwide. Sign up for email alerts directly on the HAMC and CPHD sites. Then look past Phoenix: Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, and Chandler each run some rental assistance of their own and sometimes have open lists when Phoenix's are shut.

While you wait, don't skip project-based Section 8 and LIHTC apartments. Those keep their own waitlists, run by individual property owners, completely separate from the voucher list. Landing an affordable place while you wait for a voucher is a real plan, not a consolation prize.

How do you apply for HUD housing in Phoenix?

The process depends on the program. Here's how the two main paths work.

For Housing Choice Vouchers, applications open only when the waitlist opens. You apply through whichever authority's list is open: CPHD at phoenix.gov, or HAMC at maricopa.gov. Both offer online applications during openings, and paper applications are sometimes available at their offices for people who can't apply online. You'll need to provide:

• Names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for everyone in the household
• Current address and contact info
• Income documentation (pay stubs, benefit award letters)
• A declaration of citizenship or eligible immigration status

At the application stage, you usually don't hand over documents. You just get on the list. The paperwork gets collected later, when your name comes up.

For public housing, CPHD runs its own communities, and applications go straight through their office. Public housing and HCV waitlists are separate. Being on one doesn't put you on the other.

For project-based units and LIHTC properties, contact each property. There's no central Phoenix database. The HUD Resource Locator at resources.hud.gov lets you search HUD-assisted properties by address or zip code. ^[6] For these units, calling or showing up in person usually gets you further than anything online.

One thing to know: if you've applied to more than one Phoenix-area authority, each application stands alone. Getting housed by HAMC doesn't drop you from CPHD's list, and the reverse is true too. Once you're housed, withdraw from the other lists yourself, because the systems don't talk to each other.

What is public housing in Phoenix and how is it different from a voucher?

Public housing in Phoenix means units owned and run by the City of Phoenix Housing Department. CPHD manages roughly 400 public housing units across several properties, including family and senior communities. ^[2] These are government-owned apartments where rent sits at 30% of your adjusted gross income, so if your income drops, so does your rent.

Vouchers work the other way around. With a housing choice voucher program subsidy, you rent from a private landlord and the authority pays part of the bill. You pick your location and you can move when your lease ends. Public housing chains you to one building in one spot.

The trade-off is real. Public housing gives you rent stability, since income-based rent adjusts on its own. Vouchers give you flexibility, but you have to find a willing private landlord, and in Phoenix's tight market that's been genuinely hard, especially for larger families who need three or four bedrooms.

Public housing tenants can sometimes get a voucher through a "voucher-out" process when a property is being redeveloped. Several older Phoenix sites have gone through HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which converts public housing to project-based vouchers. Tenants in RAD-converted buildings keep their subsidy, but their legal status shifts a bit. If you're in a CPHD property, it pays to know exactly which kind of subsidy you have.

What happens at a HUD housing inspection in Phoenix?

Before a voucher can go to work in any private rental, the housing authority has to inspect it. The inspection confirms the unit meets HUD's Housing Quality Standards (HQS), spelled out in 24 CFR 982.401. ^[4] Think of HQS as a floor for habitability: working heat, no major roof leaks, safe wiring, no pest infestations, working smoke detectors, and enough space for the household.

In Phoenix, the authority that issued your voucher schedules the inspection. Timelines vary but usually run one to three weeks from when the landlord and tenant file the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA). Fail the inspection, and the landlord gets a window to fix things and ask for a reinspection, typically 24 hours for life-safety problems and 30 days for everything else.

Landlords, take note. The most common Phoenix-area HQS failures are missing or broken window locks, missing outlet covers, dead bathroom exhaust fans, and water heater temperature-pressure relief valves that aren't piped down correctly. A quick self-inspection before the inspector shows up saves everyone a week.

Tenants, take note too. If a unit you love fails and the landlord won't fix it, walk. Your voucher isn't locked to that address until the lease is signed and the HAP contract is executed.

Once a unit passes and the lease is signed, HUD requires periodic inspections. The authority schedules them and gives you notice. If the unit develops serious HQS failures during your tenancy, the authority can abate (stop) payments to the landlord until repairs get done.

Can Phoenix landlords refuse Section 8 vouchers?

Yes, and this one is genuinely thorny in Arizona. Unlike California, Illinois, or Oregon, Arizona has no statewide ban on source-of-income discrimination. It goes further: a preemption law, A.R.S. 33-1317, explicitly stops cities and counties from requiring private landlords to accept vouchers. ^[7] Phoenix cannot pass a local ordinance forcing landlords to take Section 8.

So most private Phoenix landlords can legally turn away voucher holders, and many do. Voucher holders here report real trouble finding willing landlords, especially in higher-opportunity neighborhoods.

What landlords can't do: refuse someone because of race, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or familial status under the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. Chapter 45). ^[8] Some landlords who say they "don't take Section 8" are really trying to screen out families with children or certain racial groups. If you think a landlord rejected you for a discriminatory reason and used your voucher status as cover, file a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at hud.gov. ^[8]

For a landlord weighing whether to participate, the draws are a guaranteed rent payment from the authority every month, a tenant pool the authority has already vetted, and regular rent adjustments. The friction is the initial inspection timeline and the paperwork. The VoucherReady landlord kit walks through the RFTA, the HAP contract, and inspection prep in one place.

How does porting a Section 8 voucher to or from Phoenix work?

Portability lets you move to a different housing authority's territory and keep your subsidy. Under 24 CFR 982.353, you can port out of the issuing authority's area once you've finished your first 12 months on the lease, or sooner if an exception applies (like fleeing domestic violence). ^[4]

Got a voucher from another city and want to move to Phoenix? You "port in" to CPHD or HAMC. The receiving authority can either absorb your voucher (take over administering it) or bill your original authority. That choice affects your payment standards. If you're absorbed, Phoenix's standards apply. If you're billed, your original authority's standards may follow you.

A few port-in practicalities. Contact HAMC or CPHD before your voucher expires. Push your issuing authority to send your paperwork fast. Phoenix rents run high compared to most smaller Arizona towns, so someone porting in from Yuma or Flagstaff can hit a payment standard gap if their home authority's standards were lower and they end up billed.

Porting out of Phoenix works the same in reverse. Once you're eligible, you can move anywhere in the country. Phoenix's payment standards stop applying the moment you land under a new authority. If you're moving and porting, plan for a gap of several weeks between the day you notify your authority and the day the receiving authority confirms your voucher is live there.

Where can Phoenix voucher holders search for available rentals?

Finding a private landlord who'll take a voucher is often the hardest part of the whole thing. The authority doesn't place you anywhere. You find the unit yourself.

HUD's search tool at affordablehousingonline.com (a private aggregator HUD links to) and the HUD Resource Locator at resources.hud.gov both list some HUD-assisted and voucher-friendly properties. ^[6] Neither is complete.

Go Section 8 (gosection8.com) is a heavily used private listing site where Phoenix landlords post voucher-friendly units and tenants search by zip code, bedroom count, and payment standard. Listings go stale, but it's worth a check every few days.

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace sometimes carry listings tagged "Section 8 welcome" or "HCV accepted." Local nonprofits like the Phoenix Rescue Mission and Chicanos Por La Causa sometimes keep landlord lists for their housing case managers.

For section 8 houses for rent specifically, single-family homes in Phoenix's outer neighborhoods (West Phoenix, Laveen, parts of South Mountain, Maryvale) tend to have more voucher-friendly landlords than central-corridor apartments. Geography still shapes your kids' schools and your commute, though, so don't chase willingness alone.

Once you find a unit, the landlord has to submit a Request for Tenancy Approval. Walk them through it. Plenty of Phoenix landlords who are open to vouchers have never done it, and the RFTA is what trips them up. A checklist in hand moves things faster.

VoucherReady's free search tools let you cross-check payment standards against listed rents in Phoenix zip codes before you burn an afternoon touring units that won't clear the affordability math.

What HUD housing options exist specifically for seniors and people with disabilities in Phoenix?

Phoenix has a real supply of HUD-assisted housing built for low-income seniors and people with disabilities, sitting outside the general voucher and public housing queues.

Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly funds nonprofit developers to build and run housing for households where the head or spouse is 62 or older. Rent runs 30% of adjusted income. Several Section 202 properties operate around the Phoenix area, and you apply directly to each one. ^[9]

Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities uses a similar structure for non-elderly people with significant disabilities. Arizona also runs a state partnership with HUD that pairs 811 rental assistance with Medicaid long-term care services. ^[10]

For both, use HUD's Resource Locator at resources.hud.gov to find specific Phoenix-area properties, then call each one for waitlist status. Section 202 and 811 waitlists can be shorter than the general HCV list, or closed for years, depending on turnover at that building.

Seniors who already hold vouchers may also qualify for the voucher program's Homeownership Option, which puts the subsidy toward a mortgage instead of rent. It's uncommon but real. Our low income senior housing page covers more paths.

The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) also runs state-funded programs that can layer on top of HUD assistance. Its site at housing.az.gov lists what's currently available. ^[11]

What should Phoenix landlords know before accepting a voucher tenant?

Joining the HCV program in Phoenix puts you in a three-way relationship: you, your tenant, and the housing authority. The authority pays its share through a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with you, which is separate from your lease with the tenant.

Here's the logistics that trip people up.

The HAP contract is between you and the authority. If the tenant stops paying their portion, you can't go after the authority for it. You pursue the tenant for their unpaid share and follow normal Arizona eviction procedure (A.R.S. Title 33) for nonpayment.

Rent increases need advance notice to the authority, usually 60 days before renewal. You can't push rent above the payment standard and expect the authority to cover the gap. You can only raise it if the tenant can carry the bigger tenant portion.

The first inspection can eat a few weeks. Plan for that gap between agreeing on a unit and the first HAP payment landing. Phoenix landlords often negotiate a delayed start date with the tenant to bridge it.

Our hud housing overview covers HAP contract basics more broadly. For Phoenix-specific onboarding, both the CPHD and HAMC sites have landlord sections with the current RFTA forms and HAP contract templates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Phoenix Section 8 waitlist open in 2025?

As of mid-2025, both the City of Phoenix Housing Department and the Housing Authority of Maricopa County have their Housing Choice Voucher waitlists closed. Openings get announced on each agency's website and can happen with little notice. Checking both sites regularly, or signing up for their email alerts, is the most reliable way to catch one. Other Maricopa County cities sometimes open lists when Phoenix's are closed.

How long is the wait for Section 8 in Phoenix?

When Phoenix authorities have estimated wait times, the figures have run three to seven years for applicants without a local preference. Preferences for homelessness, displacement, or paying over 50% of income in rent move you up. Nobody has a precise current number, because wait times shift with funding, voucher use rates, and how many people sit ahead of you.

What is the income limit for Section 8 in Phoenix?

For FY2024, the very low income limit (50% of Area Median Income) for a family of four in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro is $44,100. The extremely low limit (30% AMI) for a family of four is $26,450. HUD updates these limits every spring. At least 75% of newly issued vouchers must go to households at or below 30% AMI under HUD rules.

Can I use my Section 8 voucher from another state in Phoenix?

Yes. The Housing Choice Voucher program is portable nationwide under 24 CFR 982.353. After your first 12-month lease, you can request to port your voucher to Phoenix. Contact both your current authority and either CPHD or HAMC to start. Allow several weeks for the paperwork transfer. Phoenix's payment standards apply once the local authority absorbs your voucher.

What does HUD actually pay toward rent in Phoenix?

The local authority pays the difference between your tenant payment (roughly 30% of adjusted income) and the payment standard for your unit size. For a two-bedroom in Phoenix, the FY2025 Fair Market Rent is $1,650. You pay your income-based share, the authority covers the rest up to the payment standard. If rent tops the standard, you cover the gap, capped at 40% of income at initial lease-up.

What is the difference between CPHD and HAMC in Phoenix?

The City of Phoenix Housing Department (CPHD) serves residents inside Phoenix city limits. The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC) serves unincorporated Maricopa County and some participating cities. Live in a suburb like Surprise or Buckeye, and HAMC is probably your agency. Both run Section 8 vouchers and public housing, but they keep separate waitlists and set different payment standards.

Are there income-restricted apartments in Phoenix that don't require a voucher?

Yes. LIHTC properties charge below-market rents to income-qualified tenants (usually 50% or 60% AMI) and don't require a voucher. Arizona has hundreds of them, and you apply directly to the property. The rent is discounted but fixed, not set at 30% of your income the way voucher or public housing rent is. The HUD Resource Locator and the Arizona Department of Housing site list many.

Does Phoenix have emergency housing assistance for people facing eviction?

The Emergency Rental Assistance programs funded during COVID-19 have largely ended. In 2025, limited help runs through the Arizona Department of Housing, Maricopa County Human Services, and nonprofits like St. Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army. These are one-time or short-term bridges, not ongoing subsidies. Call 211 Arizona for a current referral.

Can Phoenix landlords charge a security deposit when renting to Section 8 tenants?

Yes. The authority doesn't pay security deposits. Arizona law (A.R.S. 33-1321) caps residential deposits at one and a half months' rent. Landlords can charge voucher tenants the same deposit they'd charge anyone, subject to that cap. Some nonprofits offer deposit help to voucher holders, so ask your housing authority or case manager about local programs.

How do I find HUD-assisted senior housing in Phoenix?

Use HUD's Resource Locator at resources.hud.gov and filter by property type for Section 202 (elderly) or Section 811 (disability). Search by Phoenix zip code, then contact each property directly for waitlist status. The Arizona Department of Housing also lists affordable senior housing. These waitlists are separate from the general Section 8 list and sometimes shorter depending on the property.

What is the Housing Authority of Maricopa County's phone number and website?

The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC) is reachable through the Maricopa County website at maricopa.gov. Its physical office is in Phoenix. Phone and hours are posted on that page and change periodically, so check there for current contact info rather than trusting a number in any third-party article.

What criminal history disqualifies someone from HUD housing in Phoenix?

Federal law requires lifetime disqualification for anyone convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on federally assisted housing premises, and for registered sex offenders under a lifetime registration requirement. Past those two mandatory bars, authorities use discretion. Both CPHD and HAMC review criminal history and can deny applicants for drug or violent crimes, with look-back periods that vary by offense. Each agency's admissions policy spells out its own rules.

Can a Phoenix landlord evict a Section 8 tenant?

Yes. Section 8 tenants face the same eviction exposure as any tenant under Arizona law (A.R.S. Title 33). The authority doesn't shield tenants from eviction for nonpayment of their share, lease violations, or criminal activity. The landlord follows Arizona's eviction procedure, gives the required notice, and files with the Justice Court if the tenant won't leave. The authority gets notified but doesn't step into landlord-tenant disputes.

What is the HUD Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom in Phoenix in 2025?

HUD's FY2025 Fair Market Rent for a three-bedroom unit in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale HUD metro area is $2,311 a month. That's the benchmark authorities use to set payment standards, which land between 90% and 110% of FMR. The actual payment standard at CPHD or HAMC may differ, so check with each agency for its current approved figure.

Sources

1. Housing Authority of Maricopa County, official page: HAMC administers Section 8 HCV and public housing for unincorporated Maricopa County and participating municipalities.
2. HUD.gov, FY2024 Income Limits for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ HUD Metro FMR Area: HUD 2024 income limits for the Phoenix metro: 4-person household very low (50% AMI) is $44,100; extremely low (30% AMI) is $26,450.
3. HUD, 24 CFR Part 982 – Section 8 Tenant-Based Assistance: Housing Choice Voucher Program: 24 CFR 982 governs HCV program rules including income targeting (75% at 30% AMI), tenant payment cap at 40% of income at initial lease-up (982.508), portability (982.353), and HQS (982.401).
4. HUD.gov, FY2025 Fair Market Rents for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ: FY2025 FMRs for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale: efficiency $1,128; 1BR $1,349; 2BR $1,650; 3BR $2,311; 4BR $2,721.
5. HUD Resource Locator, HUD.gov: HUD's Resource Locator allows searches for HUD-assisted multifamily properties, public housing, and service locations by address or zip code.
6. Arizona Revised Statutes 33-1317, Landlord Tenant Act preemption: A.R.S. 33-1317 prohibits Arizona cities and counties from enacting local ordinances requiring private landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers.
7. HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO): The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. Chapter 45) prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status; complaints filed with HUD FHEO.
8. HUD.gov, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program: Section 202 provides capital advances to nonprofit developers to build housing for households where head or spouse is 62+, with rents set at 30% of adjusted income.
9. HUD.gov, Section 811 Project Rental Assistance: Section 811 funds housing for non-elderly persons with disabilities; Arizona participates in the state Medicaid partnership model.
10. Arizona Department of Housing, official programs page: ADOH administers state-level affordable housing programs including LIHTC, HOME, and partnerships with HUD-funded programs.
11. Arizona Revised Statutes 33-1321, Security deposits: A.R.S. 33-1321 caps residential security deposits in Arizona at one and a half months' rent.