Last updated 2026-07-09
TL;DR
Palm Beach County has two separate voucher agencies: the Housing Authority of the City of West Palm Beach (WHA) and the Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA). Both run Housing Choice Vouchers under HUD's Section 8 rules. Both waitlists are closed as of mid-2026. Payment standards, landlord steps, and portability all follow 24 CFR Part 982.
What is the Palm Beach Housing Authority and what does it actually do?
Palm Beach County has two public housing agencies, and voucher holders mix them up constantly. The Housing Authority of the City of West Palm Beach (WHA) covers the city of West Palm Beach. The Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA) is a different agency serving unincorporated county areas and several municipalities outside city limits. Same county, two separate waitlists, two sets of payment standards, two front offices. [1]
Both run the federal Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) under contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The federal rules are identical everywhere. To understand the broader housing choice voucher program, read the national rules once and they apply here too. What changes from agency to agency is the payment standard, the local waitlist calendar, and how each office handles paperwork.
WHA also runs public housing units, a Family Self-Sufficiency program, and a Homeownership Voucher option. PBCHA has similar programs plus properties in communities like Lake Worth Beach, Riviera Beach, and the suburbs.
One more warning. People searching for the "long beach housing authority" sometimes land on Florida pages by accident. Long Beach is in Los Angeles County, California. It has nothing to do with Palm Beach. Confirm you're calling the right agency before you spend an afternoon on hold.
Is the Palm Beach / West Palm Beach Section 8 waitlist open right now?
Both the WHA and PBCHA voucher waitlists are closed to new applicants as of mid-2026. That's the normal state for a high-demand Florida market. Neither agency has posted a firm reopening date, though WHA has historically opened its list for short windows (sometimes 24 to 72 hours) and takes applications by online lottery. [2]
When a Palm Beach waitlist opens, announcements show up on the agency's own website, HUD's PHA contact directory, and Florida Housing's state portal. Sign up for email or text alerts through the agency site. That's the single most reliable way to catch a window that might close before the weekend. No statewide Florida system notifies you across every local PHA at once.
For a wider view of which open section 8 waiting lists exist across the state right now, check the HUD PHA locator and Florida Housing's list tracker while you wait for Palm Beach to reopen.
A few things about how the list works once it opens. You apply once per household and draw a random lottery position, not a first-come spot. Preference points for homeless status, veterans, and current county residents move you up. Update your contact info with the agency at least every 12 months or they can drop your application without telling you. [3]
What are the current payment standards for Palm Beach County vouchers?
The payment standard is the most the housing authority will put toward your rent and utilities combined. Each agency sets it as a percentage of HUD's Fair Market Rent (FMR), usually 90% to 110% of FMR. WHA and PBCHA both update their standards at least once a year, normally after HUD publishes FMRs in October. [4]
For the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton HUD metro area, the FY2025 FMRs published by HUD were roughly:
| Unit Size | FY2025 FMR (West Palm Beach-Boca Raton MSA) |
|---|---|
| SRO (0-BR) | $1,208 |
| 1-Bedroom | $1,612 |
| 2-Bedroom | $2,009 |
| 3-Bedroom | $2,619 |
| 4-Bedroom | $3,023 |
The actual payment standard WHA or PBCHA sets can run higher or lower than these FMRs depending on local rents and any HUD waivers the agency requested. Exception payment standards above 110% of FMR need HUD sign-off, but HUD has granted them in high-cost Florida metros. Confirm the current number with the agency before you sign anything. [4]
The payment standard is not a rent cap. You can rent a unit priced above it and pay the gap yourself. Most agencies cap your share on the first lease at 40% of adjusted monthly income, under 24 CFR 982.508. [5]
How do you apply for a Section 8 voucher in Palm Beach County?
You apply directly to WHA or PBCHA, depending on where you want to live. Both run online portals when their lists are open. You don't apply through HUD, and there's no single statewide Florida application for the voucher program. [3]
To apply to WHA, go to wpbha.com and watch for waitlist announcements. Applications during an open window are electronic, and you get a confirmation number on the spot. Paper applications aren't accepted. PBCHA runs a similar online system at pbchousingauthority.org.
What you'll need on hand: full legal names and birth dates for everyone in the household, Social Security numbers, current and prior addresses going back three years, gross income for every adult, and proof of any preference you're claiming (veteran status, disability, and so on).
After you submit, settle in. Wait times in high-cost Florida counties have historically run two to seven years from application to voucher, and that number is soft because neither agency publishes real-time queue depth. HUD requires PHAs to post an estimated wait time under 24 CFR 982.202, but those estimates go stale fast. [5]
Want the full picture of how section 8 works before you apply? Reading it first means you gather the right documents from day one instead of scrambling later.
What income limits apply to vouchers in Palm Beach County?
Eligibility runs off Area Median Income (AMI) limits HUD sets each year for the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton metro. The usual cutoff is at or below 50% of AMI. Federal law also requires PHAs to give at least 75% of new vouchers to households at or below 30% of AMI, the extremely low income tier. [5]
For FY2025, HUD published these income limits for the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach area:
| Household Size | 30% AMI (Extremely Low) | 50% AMI (Very Low) | 80% AMI (Low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,750 | $34,600 | $55,350 |
| 2 persons | $23,700 | $39,550 | $63,250 |
| 3 persons | $26,650 | $44,500 | $71,150 |
| 4 persons | $31,200 | $49,400 | $79,050 |
| 5 persons | $37,400 | $53,350 | $85,400 |
These figures reset every year. The definitive current numbers live in HUD's income limits data system. [6] If your income sits close to a threshold, check again in the spring, which is when HUD usually releases updates.
You also need citizenship or eligible immigration status. At least one household member must be a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status. A mixed-status household can still get a voucher, but the subsidy is prorated based on how many members are eligible. [5]
What happens at a HUD inspection for a Palm Beach rental?
Before a landlord sees a single housing assistance payment, the unit has to pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection run by the housing authority or a HUD-approved inspector. No exceptions. The inspection covers 13 performance areas including heating, plumbing, electrical, structural safety, and lead-based paint checks for units built before 1978. [7]
Here's what fails Palm Beach rentals on the first try. Missing window screens (a Florida issue because of pests). Water heater pressure relief valves without a downward-pointing discharge pipe. Dead GFCI outlets in kitchens and bathrooms. Peeling paint in pre-1978 units. Missing or dead smoke detectors in sleeping areas and on every floor.
Fail the inspection and the landlord gets a written deficiency list plus about 30 days to fix it. Then a re-inspection gets scheduled. A unit that fails twice can force the tenant to go find a different place before the voucher expires.
Landlords, get the unit ready before the first appointment and you'll save weeks. Test every outlet and GFCI. Confirm smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work. Make sure every window opens and locks. Replace broken screens. Kill any peeling paint inside or out.
The full HQS rules sit in 24 CFR 982.401. The inspection costs the tenant and landlord nothing. [7]
How does porting a voucher to or from Palm Beach County work?
Already have a voucher from another housing authority and want to move here? You can port it into Palm Beach County after living in your issuing PHA's area for at least 12 months. If you lived in Palm Beach County when you first applied, you can port right away. This is portability under 24 CFR 982.353. [5]
The steps: tell your current housing authority you want to port to Palm Beach County, they mail a packet to WHA or PBCHA (based on where you'll live), and the receiving agency takes over. That agency can absorb your voucher into its own program or administer it for your home agency. Either way, you find a unit that passes inspection and fits the receiving agency's payment standard, not your original agency's.
Porting out of Palm Beach works the same. Notify WHA or PBCHA in writing, request portability, and your packet goes to the destination PHA. If that PHA is short on funding it can refuse to absorb your voucher, which leaves your home agency (WHA or PBCHA) on the hook for the subsidy.
Here's what trips people up. Porting doesn't erase your lease. If you're mid-lease, you can't port until it ends or the landlord agrees to let you out. Time your move around the lease anniversary.
Thinking about a bigger move? The rental assistance picture shifts a lot by destination metro, so compare payment standards before you commit to a port.
What do landlords need to know about accepting vouchers in Palm Beach County?
Florida has no statewide source-of-income anti-discrimination law as of mid-2026, so Palm Beach County landlords can legally turn down voucher holders. But there's real money in saying yes: guaranteed monthly direct deposits from the housing authority, a tenant pool already screened for income eligibility, and a formal Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract that spells out exactly what the agency pays. [8]
The sequence to participate: find a prospective tenant with a valid voucher, agree on a proposed rent (which has to be reasonable next to unassisted units nearby, per HUD's rent reasonableness rule), submit a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA), pass the HQS inspection, sign the HAP contract, and start getting paid.
WHA and PBCHA deposit their share straight into your bank account, usually around the first of the month. The tenant pays their portion to you directly. If the tenant stops paying their share, you have the same eviction rights you'd have with any tenant, but you can't cancel just the HAP portion on its own.
For a full walkthrough of the paperwork and what a HAP contract locks you into, the VoucherReady landlord kit puts the RFTA, a HAP contract template, and an inspection checklist in one place. The agency will also walk you through everything for free if you call their landlord services line.
Rent reasonableness gets checked at initial lease-up and at every renewal. Try to raise rent hard at renewal and the housing authority can refuse the increase if it beats what comparable unassisted units rent for. [9]
Does Palm Beach County have any housing programs beyond Section 8?
Yes, and they matter most when the voucher list is closed.
The Palm Beach County Community Services Department runs its own rental assistance program using HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money. These aren't Section 8 vouchers and the eligibility rules differ, but they offer short-term or emergency rent help to households in crisis. [10]
Florida Housing Finance Corporation runs the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) and low income housing tax credit (LIHTC) programs that fund affordable apartment buildings across Palm Beach County. These properties rent to income-eligible tenants at below-market rents with no voucher required. HUD keeps a searchable LIHTC database you can filter by county. [11]
WHA's Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program deserves attention if you already hold a voucher. As your earned income rises, the agency banks a matching amount in an escrow account instead of just raising your rent share. Finish the program (usually five years) and you collect the escrow. Plenty of households put it toward a down payment or clearing debt.
For seniors, both agencies keep elderly-preference units in their public housing stock. Palm Beach County's low income senior housing options also include HUD Section 202 projects, which sit outside the voucher program and run their own waiting lists.
The state's SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) program, run through Palm Beach County, offers down payment and rehab help. All of these are separate applications with no link to the voucher waitlist. [10]
How does the Palm Beach Housing Authority compare to nearby Florida agencies?
Context helps. Palm Beach County sits between Broward (Fort Lauderdale) and Martin counties, and all three run independent PHAs with their own payment standards and waitlist calendars.
The Broward County Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of Fort Lauderdale cover a metro with rents and waits about as high as Palm Beach. The Miami-Dade housing authority to the south runs one of Florida's largest voucher programs, with over 12,000 active vouchers, more than four times the size of WHA.
Palm Beach County FMRs sit well above state averages, which tracks with the county's housing costs. HUD's FY2025 FMR for a two-bedroom in the West Palm Beach metro ($2,009) beats roughly $1,784 in Jacksonville and $1,696 in Tampa-St. Petersburg. [4] That gap matters for porting. A voucher from a cheaper Florida metro can cover less here if the receiving agency's payment standard hasn't caught up to current rents.
If you're researching other housing authority offices around the state, each runs on its own calendar and budget. What's true in Palm Beach won't hold in Sarasota or Orlando.
One pattern shows up across South Florida PHAs: inspection backlogs. Heavy construction and high unit turnover push scheduling to four to six weeks from request to appointment during busy stretches. Build that into your lease-start planning.
What should you do right now if the Palm Beach waitlist is closed?
Waiting for one housing authority to open its list is the mistake almost everyone makes. Here's what actually helps.
Apply to every nearby PHA whose list is open. The Broward County Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale, and the Florida City or Homestead area PHAs sometimes have open lists when Palm Beach is closed. Because the voucher ports after 12 months, you can eventually use one in Palm Beach County even if another agency issued it. [5]
Apply for LIHTC affordable housing directly. The HUD hud housing property search and the Florida Housing apartment search both find income-restricted units that need no voucher at all. Waits for these can beat the Section 8 list.
Look at emergency rental assistance if you're housed but at risk of eviction. Palm Beach County's Community Action Program and its Housing Stability division have run ERAP funds and may have successor programs. Call the county's Community Services Department at (561) 355-4700 for current availability.
Sign up for waitlist alerts. VoucherReady's free tool tracks openings across Florida PHAs and emails you when a new list opens, Palm Beach included. No payment, no detailed account required.
Keep your paperwork current. When a list opens, having income documents, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and ID ready lets you finish the application inside a narrow window instead of scrambling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the phone number and address for the West Palm Beach Housing Authority?
The Housing Authority of the City of West Palm Beach (WHA) sits at 2303 North Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407. Main phone is (561) 655-8530. Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA) is at 3432 West 45th Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33407, phone (561) 684-2455. Confirm hours at the agency's official website before you drive over, since office hours have shifted since the pandemic.
How long is the wait for a Section 8 voucher in Palm Beach County?
Nobody publishes precise current data, but historical patterns for WHA and PBCHA point to two to seven years from application to voucher for most household types. Preferences for veterans, homeless households, and current residents can shorten that a lot. HUD requires PHAs to post an estimated wait time under 24 CFR 982.202, but those estimates go stale. Check with the agency for the most recent figure.
Can a landlord in Palm Beach County refuse to accept Section 8 vouchers?
Yes. Florida has no statewide source-of-income protection law as of mid-2026, so private landlords in Palm Beach County can legally decline voucher holders. Some cities may have local ordinances with broader protections, so check your city's fair housing code. The Fair Housing Act still bars refusing a tenant based on race, national origin, disability, or other protected classes, voucher policy aside.
What is the difference between the West Palm Beach Housing Authority and the Palm Beach County Housing Authority?
They're separate agencies. The West Palm Beach Housing Authority (WHA) serves the City of West Palm Beach. The Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA) covers unincorporated Palm Beach County and several municipalities outside city limits. Each has its own waitlist, payment standards, and staff. A tenant or landlord in Boca Raton, for example, works with PBCHA, not WHA, even though both sit in Palm Beach County.
What utilities are included in the Palm Beach County voucher payment standard?
The payment standard covers rent plus a utility allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Each PHA sets its utility allowance schedule by unit size and utility type (electric, gas, water). If a unit's rent falls below the payment standard, the difference can cover utilities. The housing authority posts its current utility allowance schedule on its website. Ask specifically for the schedule that matches your unit type and fuel source.
Can I use my Palm Beach voucher to rent a single-family home or townhouse?
Yes. The Housing Choice Voucher program works for almost any housing type: apartments, single-family homes, townhouses, condos, and manufactured homes on a permanent foundation. The unit has to pass HQS inspection, the rent has to be reasonable next to unassisted comparables, and the landlord has to agree to participate. No rule limits vouchers to apartment complexes.
Does Palm Beach County have any emergency rental assistance programs separate from Section 8?
Yes. Palm Beach County Community Services runs rental assistance using HOME, CDBG, and state SHIP funds. These programs usually cover short-term arrears or help households facing imminent eviction, not long-term subsidies. Eligibility, funding, and application windows change often. Call the Palm Beach County Community Services Department at (561) 355-4700 or visit pbcgov.org/communityservices for current program status.
How do I find section 8 houses for rent in Palm Beach County that accept vouchers?
Start with the housing authority's own landlord list, which WHA and PBCHA both keep. Listing sites like Affordable Housing Online and HUD's resource locator also carry Palm Beach properties. The VoucherReady section 8 houses for rent search lets you filter by county and voucher type. Calling local property management companies and asking about voucher acceptance is often faster than waiting for online listings to refresh.
What happens if my Palm Beach voucher expires before I find a unit?
Initial vouchers come with a search period, typically 60 days, but PHAs can grant extensions under 24 CFR 982.303. WHA and PBCHA have both extended them in tight markets. If you're struggling to find a unit, contact your caseworker before the voucher expires and request an extension in writing. Document your search (dates, addresses, landlord names), because that record supports the request. Letting the voucher expire without asking can send you back to the bottom of the waitlist.
How does the Family Self-Sufficiency program at WHA work?
WHA's Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program lets current voucher holders set income goals with a case coordinator. As your earned income rises and your rent share goes up, the extra amount lands in an escrow account instead of leaving the program. After five years of hitting milestones, you collect the escrow, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars in a high-rent market like Palm Beach. Enrollment is voluntary and doesn't affect your voucher eligibility.
Is there a Palm Beach County voucher specifically for veterans or people with disabilities?
HUD funds two special-purpose voucher types Palm Beach area agencies may run: HUD-VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) for veterans experiencing homelessness, administered with the VA, and Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities. Availability depends on annual HUD funding. Call WHA or PBCHA to ask whether they currently have HUD-VASH or Mainstream openings, since these are sometimes available even when the standard waitlist is closed.
Can I transfer my Palm Beach voucher to another state?
Yes. After 12 months in your current assisted unit you can port to any PHA in any state with available funding. The process matches interstate portability under 24 CFR 982.353: notify your current PHA in writing, they mail a portability packet to the destination PHA, and that agency administers your subsidy. The destination PHA's payment standards and utility allowances apply once you move. High-cost states like California and New York sometimes have receiving PHAs closed to port-ins, so confirm before you start.
Sources
- HUD PHA Contact Information - Florida: WHA and PBCHA are listed as separate PHA entities serving Palm Beach County under HUD's PHA directory
- HUD - How Do I Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher: Applications go directly to local PHAs; HUD does not accept applications directly for the HCV program
- HUD FY2025 Fair Market Rents - West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL MSA: FY2025 FMRs for the West Palm Beach metro: SRO $1,208; 1BR $1,612; 2BR $2,009; 3BR $2,619; 4BR $3,023
- 24 CFR Part 982 - Housing Choice Voucher Program: Governs HCV eligibility at 50% AMI, 75% extremely low income requirement, portability rules under 982.353, initial rent burden limit at 982.508, and PHA wait time posting requirement at 982.202
- HUD Income Limits Data System FY2025: FY2025 income limits for West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach area: 30% AMI 1-person $20,750; 50% AMI 4-person $49,400
- 24 CFR 982.401 - Housing Quality Standards: HQS inspection covers 13 performance requirement areas; inspection is required before initial housing assistance payments begin
- HUD - Landlord Participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program: HAP contract terms, direct deposit payments, and rent reasonableness requirements for landlords
- HUD Notice PIH 2015-03 - Rent Reasonableness: Rent reasonableness determinations are required at initial lease-up and at each lease renewal under the HCV program
- Palm Beach County Community Services Department: Palm Beach County administers HOME, CDBG, and SHIP rental assistance programs separate from the federal Section 8 HCV program
- HUD LIHTC Database: HUD maintains a searchable database of Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties by county, including Palm Beach County