The Public Housing Program: Government-Owned Affordable Homes
Updated · Reviewed against current HUD program rules
Public housing is the oldest federal affordable-housing program still operating: nearly 880,000 apartments owned by local housing authorities, from scattered-site duplexes to large senior towers. Unlike vouchers or PBS8, the government is your landlord — and rents adjust directly with your income.
How rent is calculated
Most tenants pay the Total Tenant Payment: the highest of 30% of adjusted monthly income, 10% of gross income, or the welfare rent — with minimum rents around $25–$75. Utilities may be included or billed separately under a PHA-published allowance schedule. If your income falls, report it; your rent adjusts downward.
Eligibility
Income limits are set by HUD for each metro area: generally at or below 80% of Area Median Income, with most admissions well below 50%. Citizenship/eligible-status rules and background screening apply. Elderly (62+) and disabled families often have dedicated buildings or preferences.
Applying through your housing authority
Applications go to the PHA that owns the developments — one application typically covers both public housing and, in many agencies, voucher programs. Waitlists again vary from months to years. Our PHA and city pages surface the public-housing inventory in your area with unit counts and reported wait times from HUD data.
Tenant rights and obligations
Public housing residents sign a lease, can be evicted for serious violations, and owe community-service or self-sufficiency hours unless exempt. Annual re-examinations recalculate rent. HUD's Resident Rights & Responsibilities brochure is the authoritative summary.