Public Housing Authorities in California

96 Public Housing Authorities operate in California, managing approximately 393,019 subsidized units between public housing developments and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.

Total PHAs

96

Subsidized units

~393,019

Cities served

87

All PHAs in California

About Affordable Housing in California

Like every U.S. state, California participates in the federal Public Housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs through a network of locally administered Public Housing Authorities. Each authority sets its own waiting list policies within HUD’s broader rules: some keep their lists permanently open, others open only for a brief window every year or two, and a handful share regional waiting lists with neighboring authorities to make the application process easier for residents.

Eligibility for both programs is income-based. Applicants generally must earn less than 50% of the area median income (AMI) for the city or county where the authority operates — and at least 75% of new admissions must come from households earning under 30% of AMI, the “extremely low-income” tier. Local preferences may also apply: many authorities give priority to current residents of their service area, working families, veterans, the elderly, or applicants displaced by domestic violence or natural disaster. The detail page for each authority explains what programs are administered and points you to the right phone number to ask about local preferences.

If your nearest authority’s waiting list is closed, don’t give up. Most renters in California are within commuting distance of two or three different PHAs, and applying to multiple lists at once is allowed and encouraged. Use our open waiting lists tracker to find authorities that are currently accepting new applications.