If you’re on the waiting list for a Housing Choice Voucher, the Houston Housing Authority (HHA) says you must re-register in a new system by 5pm on June 2, 2025. Those who do not re-register by the deadline will be removed from the waitlist.
There are two waiting lists. The first is for housing choice vouchers. To join the other waitlist – for project-based housing vouchers – the deadline is 5pm on May 16, 2025 at 5pm.
“My biggest concern is that elderly, disabled and technologically limited families may not be able to re-register,” Lone Star Legal Aid attorney Kim Brown says.
According to this Houston Public Media article, HHA says there will be opportunities to re-register if applicants fail to meet the deadline. However, “HHA has not clarified what contingencies will be in place for folks who fail to register timely, Brown notes.
What is a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)?
This voucher used to be called the “Section 8” voucher.
Some of our attorneys refer to the HCV as a “walking around voucher.” That’s because you can walk around and find an apartment. Unlike the project-based vouchers described below, the HCV program works with landlords all over the city. Before an apartment can be listed as a voucher apartment, it must be inspected and approved by the local Public Housing Authority (PHA). In Houston, the local PHA is the Houston Housing Authority (HHA). If the Housing Authority finds the apartment decent, safe, and sanitary, they will allow landlords to collect vouchers as partial payment for the rent.
If you have a Housing Choice Voucher, you can apply to individual landlords who are accepting this type of voucher. The program is good for tenants because they know they’re renting a decent apartment that’s been inspected by HHA. Many landlords do not accept the voucher. Therefore, tenants report difficulty finding a place to live when they have a voucher.
Re-register to Keep Your Spot on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Waitlist
To keep your spot on the Housing Choice Voucher waitlist, do one of the following:
What is a Project-Based Voucher (PBV)?
HHA can use some of its Tenant-Based Voucher funding to fund project based units.With a Project-Based Voucher, your rental assistance is tied to a specific complex. If you sign up for the Project-Based voucher waitlist, you will be contacted when your name comes to the top of the list. When your turn comes, you’ll be assigned to a specific apartment in a specific complex. HHA has an agreement with the apartment owner to pay rental assistance based on your income. If you have a PBV for one year, you can request a HCV (described above) when one becomes available. It is important to remember that if you move away from a PBV unit, you do not have a right to continued rental assistance unless you have been awarded a housing choice voucher.
Register for a spot on the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Waitlist
To apply for a spot on the Project-Based Voucher waitlist, do one of the following:
Additional Resources
Learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher program at Texas Law Help.
Here is a story about the legal protections our attorneys can help secure when you are renting with a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV): Understanding Section 8 Housing Vouchers.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org