Subsidized housing is a broad term. It covers several programs with different rules, different funding sources, and different ways to apply. This guide explains the main types in plain language and shows how to read the program flags in this directory.
What subsidized housing means
Subsidized housing is housing that receives some form of public support to keep it affordable for lower-income households. Some programs lower the rent a tenant pays. Others give a building a tax benefit or a direct subsidy in exchange for renting to households below certain income levels. A single building can use more than one program at once.
Tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
A Housing Choice Voucher, often called Section 8, is tied to the tenant rather than the building. A local public housing agency issues the voucher to a household, which then finds a unit where the landlord agrees to participate. The tenant generally pays a share of income toward rent, and the agency pays the rest up to a limit. Because the voucher travels with the household, the unit may not show up as subsidized in building-level data. Eligibility, waiting lists, and payment standards are set locally by the agency.
Project-based Section 8
With project-based Section 8, the rental assistance is attached to a specific building. The property holds a contract with HUD or an administering agency to rent units to eligible households at affordable rents. A household applies directly to the property. If you move out, the assistance stays with the unit, which is the key difference from a tenant-based voucher.
Public housing
Public housing is owned and operated by local public housing agencies. Rents are based on income, and units are assigned through the agency waiting list. Public housing developments are generally owned by the government agency rather than a private landlord.
LIHTC (tax-credit housing)
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, or LIHTC, is the largest source of newly built affordable rental housing in the country. Developers receive federal tax credits in exchange for keeping a share of units affordable to households below set income levels for a set number of years. Rents are capped, but a LIHTC unit is not the same as a voucher. You apply with the property, and the building is privately owned and managed.
Section 202 and Section 811
Section 202 supports housing for older adults, and Section 811 supports housing for people with disabilities. These programs often work alongside project-based rental assistance. Many Section 202 and 811 communities have income limits and may have age or disability requirements set by the program.
How income limits and AMI work
Most programs use area median income, or AMI, to set eligibility. AMI is calculated for a metropolitan area or county, adjusted for household size, and published each year. A unit might serve households at, for example, 30, 50, or 60 percent of AMI. The exact limits change by location and year, and a household that qualifies in one county may not qualify in the next. Income limits are not the same as rent, and eligibility is always decided by the agency or property that administers the program.
Reading the subsidy flags in this directory
Our complex profiles carry flags such as project-based Section 8, public housing, LIHTC, Section 202, and Section 811. These flags come from public datasets and indicate which programs are reported at that property. Start from the state and city pages to find properties in your area, then check the flags to see which programs may apply. A flag is a starting point for your research, not a guarantee that a unit is available and not an eligibility decision.
Eligibility is set by agencies
Every program has its own rules, and those rules are administered by HUD, public housing agencies, and property owners. We document what public data reports, but we do not decide who qualifies and we do not accept applications. Confirm current requirements, waitlist status, and rents with the property or the housing agency before you act. To explore listings, visit our state directory.
Sources
Program details summarized here reflect public HUD guidance. See HUD rental assistance, the Picture of Subsidized Households, and the HUD LIHTC database. HUD has not reviewed or endorsed this site.