Low Income & Subsidized Housing in Des Moines, IA
There are 144 subsidized and income-restricted properties in Des Moines with roughly 7,312 assisted units — including 73 project-based Section 8 buildings, 3 public housing developments, and 126 LIHTC tax-credit communities, according to HUD administrative data. Reported tenant-paid rents across these buildings range from about $254 to $721 per month. Median reported wait: about 11 months.
144
assisted properties
7,312
subsidized units
$488
typical rent
11 mo
median wait
Map of subsidized housing in Des Moines
Complete directory of subsidized housing in Des Moines
| Property | Units | Avg rent | Reported wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakview Terrace Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 233 | — | — |
| Royal View Manor Public Housing | 200 | $293 | 11 mo |
| Eastview Manor Public Housing | 190 | $382 | 11 mo |
| Des Moines Area Council Church PB Section 8 | 150 | $370 | — |
| Elsie Mason Manor LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | $365 | — |
| Homes of Oakridge PB Section 8 | 150 | $318 | — |
| Homes of Oakridge I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | — | — |
| Homes of Oakridge Ii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | — | — |
| Southridge Senior Residences LIHTCPB Section 8 | 141 | $381 | — |
| Ymca Supportive Housing LIHTCPB Section 8 | 140 | — | — |
| Ligutti Tower LIHTCPB Section 8 | 139 | $383 | — |
| Plymouth Place LIHTCPB Section 8 | 131 | — | — |
| Crosswinds LIHTCPB Section 8 | 120 | — | — |
| East Village Square Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 115 | — | — |
| Metro Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 111 | — | — |
| Wakonda Manor PB Section 8 | 110 | $361 | — |
| Vine Street Lofts LIHTC | 109 | — | — |
| Stone Crest Apt PB Section 8 | 108 | $386 | — |
| River Hills 2 PB Section 8 | 102 | $356 | — |
| Parkwinds LIHTCPB Section 8 | 96 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts I LIHTC | 92 | — | — |
| Riverpoint Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 91 | — | — |
| Ahepa 192-iv Apartments §202 Senior | 90 | $402 | — |
| Melbourne Apts Phase I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 84 | — | — |
| Jacob's Place Apartments PB Section 8 | 82 | $398 | — |
| Logan Park Apartments PB Section 8 | 80 | $343 | — |
| Elmcrest Apts LIHTC | 78 | — | — |
| Legacy Park LIHTCPB Section 8 | 76 | — | — |
| Corinthian Gardens Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 75 | $365 | — |
| Hubbell Tower Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 73 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts V LIHTCPB Section 8 | 72 | — | — |
| Hilltop Ii LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Melbourne Apartments Iii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 72 | — | — |
| Melbourne Iv 2018 LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Prairie Winds LIHTCPB Section 8 | 72 | — | — |
| Southern Knolls Apts LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Pioneer Woods LIHTCPB Section 8 | 67 | — | — |
| Rumely Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 66 | — | — |
| Broadway Heights Apartments I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 65 | — | — |
| The Rose of East Des Moines LIHTCPB Section 8 | 64 | — | — |
| Hilltop Senior LIHTCPB Section 8 | 62 | — | — |
| Melbourne Apts Phase Ii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 62 | — | — |
| Park Winds PB Section 8 | 62 | $254 | — |
| Legacy Park LIHTCPB Section 8 | 61 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts Iv LIHTCPB Section 8 | 60 | — | — |
| East Des Moines Rehab LIHTCPB Section 8 | 60 | — | — |
| Fort Des Moines Senior Housing LIHTCPB Section 8 | 60 | — | — |
| Kenwood Apts LIHTC | 60 | — | — |
| The Crest at Baker Creek LIHTCPB Section 8 | 60 | — | — |
| Walden Point LIHTCPB Section 8 | 60 | — | — |
| Willow Bend Apts I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 59 | — | — |
| Douglas Woods Apts LIHTC | 56 | — | — |
| Mlk Crossing Senior Apartments LIHTCPB Section 8 | 56 | — | — |
| Woodland Ave Brickstone Apts LIHTC | 56 | — | — |
| National Biscuit Co Flats LIHTC | 54 | — | — |
| Parkside East Apts Iii LIHTC | 54 | — | — |
| Marketplace Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 52 | — | — |
| Southridge Senior Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 52 | — | — |
| The Rose of Des Moines LIHTC | 52 | — | — |
| Court Ave Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 51 | — | — |
| Rosewood Apts LIHTC | 48 | — | — |
| The Meadows LIHTC | 48 | — | — |
| 6th & Hickman Apts LIHTC | 47 | — | — |
| Lyn Crossing Apts LIHTC | 45 | — | — |
| Southwinds Apartments LIHTCPB Section 8 | 45 | $379 | — |
| Frank Smith Center PB Section 8 | 44 | $406 | — |
| Hawthorn Hill LIHTCPB Section 8 | 43 | — | — |
| Parkside East Apts I LIHTC | 43 | — | — |
| Des Moines Street Village LIHTC | 42 | — | — |
| Sixth Avenue Flats LIHTC | 42 | — | — |
| Stockbridge Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 42 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts Vi LIHTCPB Section 8 | 40 | — | — |
| Libertad Des Moines LIHTC | 40 | — | — |
| South View Senior Apts Ii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 40 | — | — |
| Southview Senior Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 40 | — | — |
| Silver Oaks LIHTC | 39 | — | — |
| Virginia Park §811 | 39 | $325 | — |
| Hickory Grove Apts LIHTC | 38 | — | — |
| Southern Meadows Homes LIHTCPB Section 8 | 38 | — | — |
| Arlington Heights Apts LIHTC | 36 | — | — |
| Crane Artists Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 36 | — | — |
| Harrington Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 36 | — | — |
| Hilltop I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 36 | — | — |
| Southbrook Green Ii LIHTC | 36 | — | — |
| Southbrook Green Iii LIHTC | 36 | — | — |
| The Apartments of River Trace §202 Senior | 36 | $355 | — |
| Baker Creek Senior Living I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 33 | — | — |
| Bloomsbury Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 30 | — | — |
| Bloomsbury Village LIHTCPB Section 8 | 30 | — | — |
| Martin Luther King Brickstone Ii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 30 | — | — |
| Parkside East Apts Iv LIHTC | 30 | — | — |
| Pleasantview Townhomes LIHTC | 30 | — | — |
| The Brickstones at Riverbend LIHTCPB Section 8 | 30 | — | — |
| Christ the King Senior Housing LIHTCPB Section 8 | 28 | — | — |
| Forest & Fields LIHTCPB Section 8 | 28 | — | — |
| Des Moines Greystone Homes Lp LIHTCPB Section 8 | 26 | — | — |
| Southbrook Green I LIHTC | 26 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Ii Apts LIHTC | 25 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts Iii LIHTC | 24 | — | — |
| South Glen Apts LIHTC | 24 | — | — |
Section 8 apartments in Des Moines (project-based)
These buildings carry HUD Section 8 contracts attached to the units — apply at each management office rather than through the voucher waitlist. How project-based Section 8 works →
| Property | Units | Avg rent | Reported wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakview Terrace Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 233 | — | — |
| Des Moines Area Council Church PB Section 8 | 150 | $370 | — |
| Elsie Mason Manor LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | $365 | — |
| Homes of Oakridge PB Section 8 | 150 | $318 | — |
| Homes of Oakridge I LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | — | — |
| Homes of Oakridge Ii LIHTCPB Section 8 | 150 | — | — |
| Southridge Senior Residences LIHTCPB Section 8 | 141 | $381 | — |
| Ymca Supportive Housing LIHTCPB Section 8 | 140 | — | — |
| Ligutti Tower LIHTCPB Section 8 | 139 | $383 | — |
| Plymouth Place LIHTCPB Section 8 | 131 | — | — |
| Crosswinds LIHTCPB Section 8 | 120 | — | — |
| East Village Square Apts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 115 | — | — |
| Metro Lofts LIHTCPB Section 8 | 111 | — | — |
| Wakonda Manor PB Section 8 | 110 | $361 | — |
| Stone Crest Apt PB Section 8 | 108 | $386 | — |
Public housing developments in Des Moines
Rents here are set at about 30% of household income and managed by the local housing authority. About the public housing program →
| Property | Units | Avg rent | Reported wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal View Manor Public Housing | 200 | $293 | 11 mo |
| Eastview Manor Public Housing | 190 | $382 | 11 mo |
| 5h Public Housing | 20 | $721 | — |
LIHTC & affordable tax-credit apartments in Des Moines
Tax-credit units rent below market rate for households within income bands (often 30–60% of Area Median Income). Understanding LIHTC →
| Property | Units | Avg rent | Reported wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vine Street Lofts LIHTC | 109 | — | — |
| Deer Ridge Apts I LIHTC | 92 | — | — |
| Elmcrest Apts LIHTC | 78 | — | — |
| Hilltop Ii LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Melbourne Iv 2018 LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Southern Knolls Apts LIHTC | 72 | — | — |
| Kenwood Apts LIHTC | 60 | — | — |
| Douglas Woods Apts LIHTC | 56 | — | — |
| Woodland Ave Brickstone Apts LIHTC | 56 | — | — |
| National Biscuit Co Flats LIHTC | 54 | — | — |
| Parkside East Apts Iii LIHTC | 54 | — | — |
| The Rose of Des Moines LIHTC | 52 | — | — |
| Rosewood Apts LIHTC | 48 | — | — |
| The Meadows LIHTC | 48 | — | — |
| 6th & Hickman Apts LIHTC | 47 | — | — |
Voucher rent limits: Polk County Fair Market Rents
Housing Choice Voucher payment standards in this area derive from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for Polk County: studio $1,063, 1-BR $1,109, 2-BR $1,318, 3-BR $1,794, 4-BR $1,841.
Full FMR table for Polk County →
How to apply for subsidized housing in Des Moines
- Apply to buildings directly. Project-based Section 8, public housing, §202/§811 and LIHTC properties run their own waitlists — contact each office using the details on its page.
- Join voucher waitlists. Your regional housing authority administers Housing Choice Vouchers; ask about current openings and preferences. Step-by-step application guide →
- Document everything. ID, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and income proof speed up both paths.
- Stay reachable. Update your address everywhere — missed mail is the top reason applicants lose spots.
Nearby cities with low income housing
- Altoona, IA
- Ankeny, IA
- Grimes, IA
- Johnston, IA
- Pleasant Hill, IA
- West Des Moines, IA
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Davenport, IA
- Sioux City, IA
- Council Bluffs, IA
- Waterloo, IA
- Dubuque, IA
Data: HUD Picture of Subsidized Households & LIHTC database (2024 vintage). Figures are administrative averages — confirm current availability with each property.