Texas housing authorities: how Section 8 works across the state

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the Texas housing authority, and does one statewide agency exist?

No single "Texas Housing Authority" handles Section 8 across the state. What Texas has is a two-layer system. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) works at the state level, running some federal rental programs and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, but it does not operate the Housing Choice Voucher program for most Texans ^[1]. That job goes to more than 400 local PHAs spread across the state's 254 counties.

Each local PHA is its own government agency. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin, the Houston Housing Authority, the San Antonio Housing Authority, the Dallas Housing Authority, and several hundred smaller county and city agencies each run separate waitlists, set their own payment standards (inside HUD limits), and manage their own inspections. Move from Lubbock to Houston and you are dealing with two completely separate bureaucracies.

Start with HUD's official PHA locator at hud.gov, which points you to the agency covering your zip code ^[2]. TDHCA's site (tdhca.state.tx.us) is worth knowing for state-funded programs like HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), but that is a different pipeline from the federal voucher.

When someone says "Texas housing authority" in casual conversation, they almost always mean the local PHA in their city or county. That is the agency you apply to, get a voucher from, and report changes to.

Which Texas housing authorities are the biggest, and how many vouchers do they hold?

Texas has some of the largest PHAs in the country. The Houston Housing Authority administers roughly 18,000 to 20,000 Housing Choice Vouchers, which puts it among the ten largest voucher programs in the United States ^[3]. The Dallas Housing Authority and the San Antonio Housing Authority each run tens of thousands of combined public housing and voucher units.

Smaller cities run smaller programs. A rural county PHA might hold only 50 to 200 vouchers total. That changes your waitlist math. A small-city PHA sometimes moves faster because fewer people apply, but the rental market there often has fewer landlords willing to take a voucher.

Here is a rough size breakdown of major Texas PHAs, drawn from HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households data ^[3]:

PHA	Approx. HCV vouchers administered	Waitlist status (check current)
Houston Housing Authority	~18,000-20,000	Periodically open
Dallas Housing Authority	~17,000-19,000	Periodically open
San Antonio Housing Authority	~13,000-14,000	Periodically open
Austin Housing Authority	~6,000-7,000	Often closed
Fort Worth Housing Solutions	~5,000-6,000	Periodically open
El Paso Housing Authority	~4,000-5,000	Periodically open
Harris County (suburban)	~2,000-3,000	Periodically open

These counts come from HUD's public data and shift year to year with funding, so treat them as orientation, not exact totals. TDHCA also runs a smaller number of state HOME-funded vouchers through a separate pipeline ^[1].

For a wider look at the housing choice voucher program nationwide, it helps to see how local PHAs fit into the federal structure before you assume one agency covers a whole region.

How do you apply for Section 8 in Texas?

You apply to the specific PHA covering the city or county where you want to live, or where you already live. There is no master Texas application. Each PHA sets its own application window, often opening the waitlist for days or weeks, then closing it again for months or years ^[4].

The process at most Texas PHAs runs like this:

1. Check whether the waitlist is open. Most large Texas PHAs keep their lists closed the majority of the time. Openings get announced on the PHA's website, through local news, and sometimes through lottery-based online portals. 2. Submit a pre-application. This is usually a short form collecting household basics, income, and family size. It does not guarantee a spot. It puts you in the pool. 3. Wait. This is the hard part. Houston's waitlist, once you are on it, can take 5 to 10 years or more to reach the top. Smaller PHAs may move in 1 to 3 years. 4. Get contacted when your name comes up. The PHA asks for a full application, income verification, and background screening. 5. Receive your voucher if approved. You get a search period, typically 60 to 120 days, to find a unit.

You can sit on several PHA waitlists at once, and that is a real strategy. Being on five lists in different Texas cities is legal and common. The catch: you have to be willing to actually move to whatever city comes through first.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the open Section 8 waiting lists in your area, including how to check status and what paperwork to gather before you apply, that resource goes deeper on the mechanics.

HUD's rules at 24 CFR Part 982 govern the voucher program nationwide, and every Texas PHA has to follow them as the floor. Local rules can be stricter ^[5].

How long are Section 8 waitlists in Texas?

Waits in the big Texas cities are brutal, and there is no gentle way to say it. The Houston Housing Authority last opened its waitlist in 2021 and took in more than 100,000 applications for a limited number of spots ^[6]. The Dallas Housing Authority has posted similar numbers in past openings. Getting on the list is only step one. It can take years before your name comes up.

Smaller Texas PHAs are a different world. A county housing authority in West Texas or the Panhandle may have a waitlist measured in months, simply because fewer people apply. The tradeoff is a thinner rental market with fewer participating landlords.

Some PHAs use a lottery instead of first-come, first-served. When Houston opens its list, it usually picks applicants by random draw from everyone who applied during the open window. A preference system then sorts who moves up: most Texas PHAs give preferences to veterans, homeless households, survivors of domestic violence, and current residents of the jurisdiction.

Neither HUD nor TDHCA runs a single real-time waitlist tracker for all Texas PHAs. HUD's affordable housing pages link out to individual PHA websites ^[2], and those sites are the authoritative source for current wait estimates. Nobody has clean centralized data on average Texas wait times across all 400-plus PHAs. The closest systematic look is HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households survey ^[3], which puts average time-to-voucher nationally around 2 to 3 years, though it swings hard by locality.

What are the income limits for Section 8 in Texas?

Income limits are set by HUD for each metro area or county, based on Area Median Income (AMI). The general voucher threshold is 50 percent of AMI. By law, PHAs have to issue at least 75 percent of new vouchers to households at or below 30 percent of AMI, the "extremely low income" line ^[5].

Texas is big and economically split, so AMI varies a lot. The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro has a higher AMI than the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area in the Rio Grande Valley. The dollar figure that qualifies you in McAllen is lower than the one in Houston.

Here is a sample of 2024 HUD income limits for a 4-person household in selected Texas metros ^[7]:

Metro area	50% AMI (4-person household)	30% AMI (4-person household)
Austin-Round Rock	~$51,750	~$31,050
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington	~$51,400	~$30,850
Houston-The Woodlands	~$49,200	~$29,500
San Antonio-New Braunfels	~$43,900	~$26,350
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission	~$32,700	~$19,600
El Paso	~$38,700	~$23,200

These figures come from HUD's published FY2024 income limits tables ^[7] and are approximate. Use HUD's income limits lookup at huduser.gov for the exact current figure for your county. Limits reset every year.

Family size matters too. A single person qualifies at a lower dollar amount than a four-person household. HUD publishes limits for household sizes 1 through 8.

How do Texas Section 8 payment standards work?

A payment standard is the most a PHA will subsidize each month for a given bedroom size in its jurisdiction. It is not a rent cap. A tenant can rent above the payment standard, but they pay the gap out of pocket on top of their 30 percent income share.

HUD sets Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for each metro area every year, and PHAs must set their payment standards between 90 and 110 percent of FMR, or get HUD approval to go higher ^[5]. In tight markets like Austin, some PHAs have pushed to 120 percent of FMR under HUD's Small Area FMR exception rules.

For 2024, HUD's FMRs for a 2-bedroom in selected Texas markets ran roughly ^[8]:

Metro area	2-BR Fair Market Rent (2024)
Austin-Round Rock	~$1,823
Dallas-Fort Worth	~$1,548
Houston	~$1,436
San Antonio	~$1,262
El Paso	~$985
McAllen	~$875

Those FMRs are the baseline. An Austin PHA might set its payment standard at 110 percent of FMR, so it would subsidize up to about $2,005 for a 2-bedroom. A tenant whose income-based share is $400 a month needs a landlord willing to rent at $2,005 or less, or has to cover anything above that themselves.

Payment standards for the rental assistance program in your city live in each PHA's administrative plan, a public document you can get on request or find on the PHA's website.

How does TDHCA differ from local Texas housing authorities?

TDHCA, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, is the state-level agency. It does not run the federal Housing Choice Voucher program for individual households. That is local PHA territory. Here is what TDHCA actually does:

• Allocates Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to developers building affordable apartments statewide ^[1]
• Runs the HOME Investment Partnerships program, which can fund Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) at the local level
• Oversees Multifamily Finance programs that pay for affordable housing construction
• Managed the Texas Rent Relief program during declared disaster periods (that program wound down after the COVID-era funding ran out)
• Regulates manufactured housing communities

TDHCA's TBRA program is worth knowing about because it works like a voucher but runs on state and federal HOME funds instead of the Section 8 budget. Availability is limited, and it comes through local subrecipients, not a direct TDHCA application window ^[1].

If the broader affordable housing pipeline interests you, TDHCA's low income housing tax credit program shapes what affordable rental inventory even exists in Texas cities. Without LIHTC properties, the pool of units open to voucher holders would be much thinner.

For most households that need rental assistance now, TDHCA is not the first call. The local PHA is.

Can Texas landlords refuse Section 8 vouchers?

Yes, in most of Texas. The state has no source-of-income protection law, so private landlords in most Texas cities can legally decline to rent to voucher holders ^[9]. That is a big gap compared with states like California, New York, or Illinois, where turning down a voucher holder counts as illegal housing discrimination.

Austin passed a source-of-income ordinance in 2014 that banned voucher discrimination. The Texas Legislature preempted it in 2015 with Senate Bill 267, which bars cities from requiring landlords to accept Section 8 ^[9]. The preemption held up in court. As things stand, no Texas city can enforce a local source-of-income protection ordinance.

That makes the Texas rental hunt harder for voucher holders than in most large northern or western states. In practice:

• Landlords can screen out voucher holders, and in hot markets they often do
• Voucher holders have to search harder and may burn more of their search period
• Some Texas PHAs offer landlord incentives (signing bonuses, vacancy payments, damage mitigation funds) to pull in participation

A landlord with an already HUD-regulated unit (one financed with LIHTC or a HUD-insured mortgage) may face different rules. And federal fair housing law still applies. A landlord cannot use voucher rejection as cover for race or familial status discrimination.

For landlords who do take vouchers, the process is straightforward. HUD's rules at 24 CFR 982.305 govern how a PHA approves a unit, sets contract rent, and handles the HAP contract ^[5].

What do Texas landlords need to do to accept a Section 8 tenant?

If you own a rental in Texas and want to take a voucher holder, the process is manageable. Here is what it actually takes:

1. Pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. The PHA sends an inspector to confirm the unit meets basic HUD standards: working heat, safe electrical, no visible lead hazards, functioning plumbing. This is a habitability check, not a full code inspection ^[10]. 2. Agree on a rent the PHA will approve. The rent has to be reasonable next to comparable unassisted units in the neighborhood, and it cannot top the PHA's payment standard unless the tenant agrees to cover the difference. 3. Sign a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract with the PHA. This is the agreement that sends you the subsidy portion of the rent directly. 4. Sign a separate lease with the tenant. The lease must carry HUD's required addendum language ^[5].

After that, the PHA pays its share (the HAP payment) straight to your bank account, usually on the first of the month. The tenant pays their share separately. Units get re-inspected every year.

Texas landlords usually find the inspection the sticking point. Small things, a broken window latch or a missing outlet cover, will fail the unit and stall the process. Experienced landlords do a pre-inspection walkthrough against the HQS checklist before the official one.

Want a full checklist and a templated landlord packet? VoucherReady's landlord kit covers the HQS standards, HAP contract basics, and what to expect at each payment milestone.

For a closer look at what participating involves, see our overview of the section 8 program from the landlord side.

How do you find open Section 8 waitlists in Texas right now?

This is genuinely hard, because there is no single Texas waitlist dashboard. The workable approach is layered.

Start with HUD's official PHA contact list ^[2] to pull the website and phone number for every PHA in the counties you could realistically move to. Then check each one on its own. PHAs announce openings all over the place: some post prominently on their site, some send email newsletters, some post in local Facebook community groups, and some only tell local housing nonprofits.

Next, remember that Texas PHAs often open waitlists for specific populations even when the general list is closed. Many keep separate lists for:

• Elderly and disabled households (sometimes called "special needs" waitlists)
• Veterans through HUD-VASH (run with the VA)
• Homeless households referred through Continuum of Care programs

Then look past the biggest cities. If you would consider Waco, Amarillo, Laredo, Odessa, or smaller metros, you may catch a waitlist that opens more often and moves faster.

You can track which programs across the country are accepting applications at open Section 8 waiting lists, which pulls together PHA announcements close to real time.

HUD rules require each PHA to publish its admissions and occupancy policies, including how it opens and closes waiting lists, in a public document called the Administrative Plan ^[5]. Request it from any PHA. It spells out exactly how their lottery or waitlist works.

Can you port a Section 8 voucher to or from Texas?

Yes. Portability is a federal right under 24 CFR 982.353. If you already hold a voucher from a PHA in another state or another Texas city, you can use it in a different Texas city once you have been on the original PHA's program for at least 12 months. You can move sooner if the move puts you closer to family or a job ^[5].

Porting inside Texas, say from San Antonio to Austin, happens all the time. The receiving PHA can either absorb the voucher (take it into its own program) or bill the issuing PHA (leave the voucher on the original PHA's books). As a tenant, the thing to remember is that the receiving PHA's payment standard now applies, not the original PHA's.

In the large metros, portability can hit friction. Receiving PHAs in tight markets sometimes drag their feet on absorbing incoming vouchers. HUD rules say a receiving PHA must process a porting family promptly, but "promptly" has some give in real life.

Moving to Texas from another state? Bring your voucher paperwork, your most recent HQS inspection if you have it, and start the porting request with your issuing PHA before you move. Do not end your current lease until the receiving Texas PHA confirms the voucher is in its system.

The housing authority article covers portability in more detail, including the absorb-versus-bill distinction and what to do when a receiving PHA is slow.

What other affordable housing programs exist in Texas besides Section 8?

Vouchers get most of the attention, but Texas has several other affordable housing paths that people miss.

Public housing: Plenty of Texas PHAs still run traditional public housing developments alongside their voucher programs. These are PHA-owned units rented straight to income-qualified households. The waitlists are separate from the voucher list. Quality varies by development, but rent usually runs 30 percent of adjusted income.

LIHTC properties: TDHCA hands Low Income Housing Tax Credits to private developers who build apartments with income-restricted rents. You do not need a voucher. You apply directly. Rents on the restricted units sit at 50 or 60 percent of AMI. Hundreds of LIHTC properties operate across Texas ^[1].

Section 811 and Section 202: HUD funds these for people with disabilities (811) and elderly households (202). Texas has a number of them, and they use separate application processes through the property manager rather than a PHA ^[11].

HUD-VASH: Veterans with vouchers get extra support here. The VA refers veterans experiencing homelessness to PHAs, which issue a HUD-VASH voucher paired with VA case management.

Texas Rent Relief: This was a large COVID-era emergency program. Those funds are gone as of 2023 and the program is closed. Watch tdhca.state.tx.us for any future emergency rental assistance.

For a side-by-side of subsidized housing types, the hud housing article breaks down project-based versus voucher-based versus public housing in plain terms.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a phone number for the Texas housing authority I can call to apply for Section 8?

There is no single statewide Texas housing authority phone number. You call the local PHA for your city or county. Use HUD's PHA locator at hud.gov to find contact information for the agency serving your zip code. TDHCA (512-475-3800) handles state housing programs but not federal Section 8 voucher applications.

How long does the Section 8 waitlist take in Houston, Texas?

The Houston Housing Authority's waitlist has historically taken 5 to 10 or more years from placement to voucher issuance, based on past opening data. When HHA opened in 2021, it received more than 100,000 applications. Your wait depends on lottery placement, preferences (veteran, homeless, disabled), and annual funding. Check hhauthority.com directly for the current estimate.

Can a Texas landlord legally refuse a Section 8 voucher?

Yes, in most of Texas. There is no statewide source-of-income protection law, and the Texas Legislature in 2015 preempted local ordinances (like Austin's) that tried to require landlord participation. Private landlords can decline voucher holders. Federal fair housing rules still apply, so rejection cannot be used as cover for racial or familial status discrimination.

What is the income limit for Section 8 in Texas?

Income limits vary by metro area and household size. The cutoff is generally 50 percent of Area Median Income, but 75 percent of new vouchers must go to households at or below 30 percent AMI. For a 4-person family in Houston, 50% AMI is roughly $49,200. In Austin it is about $51,750. Use HUD's income limits tool at huduser.gov for your exact county.

What does TDHCA do and how is it different from a local housing authority?

TDHCA (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs) is the state-level agency. It runs the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, HOME-funded rental assistance, and affordable housing finance. It does not run the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. That job belongs to 400-plus independent local PHAs. TDHCA is the right contact for LIHTC properties and some state-funded rental aid.

How do I find out if a Section 8 waitlist in Texas is open right now?

Check the website of the specific PHA for your target city. HUD's PHA locator at hud.gov gives contact info for every Texas PHA. Large PHAs like Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio open waitlists sporadically, often by lottery, and close them fast. Smaller county PHAs sometimes move faster. Signing up for PHA email newsletters is the most reliable early warning.

Can I use my Section 8 voucher in a different Texas city than where I got it?

Yes, through portability under 24 CFR 982.353. After 12 months on the program (or sooner if moving for family or employment), you can port to another Texas city or another state. The receiving PHA's payment standard will apply to your voucher. Start the request with your current PHA before you move, and do not break your lease until the receiving PHA confirms receipt.

What are the Section 8 payment standards in Texas cities?

Payment standards are set by each local PHA between 90 and 110 percent of HUD's Fair Market Rents. For 2024, HUD's FMR for a 2-bedroom was roughly $1,823 in Austin, $1,548 in Dallas-Fort Worth, $1,436 in Houston, and $1,262 in San Antonio. The PHA's actual payment standard may differ. Check the PHA's published schedule or administrative plan for the exact figure.

How does a Texas landlord get paid by Section 8?

After signing the HAP contract with the PHA, landlords get the subsidy portion of the rent (the Housing Assistance Payment) directly from the PHA, usually on the first business day of the month by direct deposit or check. The tenant pays their income-based share separately. Payments continue as long as the tenant stays eligible and the unit passes its annual HQS inspection.

What happens if my Texas Section 8 landlord fails the HQS inspection?

The PHA gives the landlord a notice listing the failed items and a deadline to fix them, usually 24 hours for life-threatening issues and 30 days for others. HAP payments can be suspended if repairs are not made. Tenants stay in the unit during this period. If the landlord fails to fix the issue, the tenant may be able to move with their voucher to a new unit.

Are there Section 8 apartments specifically for seniors in Texas?

Yes. Texas has HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly properties, income-restricted apartments built for households 62 and older. These are separate from the voucher program, and you apply directly to the property. Some local PHAs also give waitlist preference to elderly households. Search HUD's Multifamily Housing property database for Section 202 properties near you.

Does Texas have emergency rental assistance if I don't have a voucher?

Texas ran a large COVID-era Texas Rent Relief program through TDHCA, but those funds were spent by 2023 and the program is closed. Some cities and counties run their own emergency rental assistance through Community Action Agencies or local nonprofits. Contact your local 211 helpline (dial 2-1-1) for current emergency resources in your Texas county.

What preferences do Texas PHAs give on their Section 8 waitlists?

Preferences vary by PHA but commonly include households currently living or working in the PHA's jurisdiction, veterans and active military, survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, and households displaced by a natural disaster. Preferences move you up the list but do not guarantee immediate assistance. Each PHA's administrative plan lists its specific preferences.

Can I apply to multiple Texas housing authority waitlists at the same time?

Yes. Nothing stops you from sitting on multiple PHA waitlists at once. Applying to several Texas PHAs, especially a mix of large cities and smaller county agencies, is a legitimate way to improve your odds. Keep track of each PHA's contact information and update your address with all of them if you move, since they contact you when your name comes up.

Sources

1. Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) - Programs Overview: TDHCA administers the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HOME-funded Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, and multifamily finance programs; it does not administer federal Section 8 HCV for individual households.
2. HUD.gov - Public Housing Agency Contact Information: HUD maintains the official contact directory for all Public Housing Authorities by state and zip code.
3. HUD - Picture of Subsidized Households: HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households dataset shows voucher counts by PHA; Houston Housing Authority administers approximately 18,000-20,000 HCVs.
4. HUD - Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8): PHAs open waitlists for limited periods and may close them when demand exceeds supply; there is no national master application.
5. Code of Federal Regulations - 24 CFR Part 982 (Housing Choice Voucher Program): 24 CFR Part 982 governs all aspects of the Housing Choice Voucher program including payment standards (90-110% FMR), HAP contracts, HQS inspections, portability, and the 75% extremely-low-income targeting requirement.
6. HUD User - FY2024 Income Limits: HUD publishes annual income limits by metro area and household size; 50% AMI for a 4-person household in Austin is approximately $51,750 and in McAllen approximately $32,700 for FY2024.
7. HUD User - FY2024 Fair Market Rents: HUD's FY2024 Fair Market Rents for a 2-bedroom unit: Austin ~$1,823, Dallas-Fort Worth ~$1,548, Houston ~$1,436, San Antonio ~$1,262, El Paso ~$985, McAllen ~$875.
8. Texas Legislature - Senate Bill 267 (84th Legislature, 2015): SB 267 (2015) prohibits Texas political subdivisions from enacting or enforcing ordinances requiring landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers, preempting Austin's 2014 source-of-income ordinance.
9. HUD - Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8): Units must pass a Housing Quality Standards inspection covering basic habitability items such as heat, electrical safety, plumbing, and lead hazards before the PHA will approve them.
10. HUD - Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly: Section 202 provides capital and rental assistance for income-restricted housing specifically for households age 62 and older, administered separately from the HCV program.