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Boston Housing Authority
Official application routes, service-area details, contact information, and HUD-reported program data for this Boston housing agency.
Independent directory: CalculateBenefits is not BHA or HUD. Recorded source-check date for the agency-specific details below: 2026-11-02.
Is the Boston Section 8 waiting list open?
As of Nov. 2, 2026, BHA's website said the list was closed.
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Closed
What the agency's site said on Nov. 2, 2026. See the notice →
Public housing
Open — limited Some sites only
What the agency's site said on Nov. 2, 2026. See the notice →
Waiting lists open and close without much notice. Applying is free; only BHA can take an application or tell you your place on a list.
Start with the official agency
Visit the official BHA website →
Housing applications and waiting-list registration are free. A third party cannot guarantee approval or move you ahead on a waiting list.
What this agency serves
BHA is the largest housing provider in Boston. It offers public housing and Section 8 rental help for low-income families and individuals in the city.
- Public housing (federal, city, and state-funded)
- Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8, tenant-based)
- Project-Based Voucher Program
- Moderate Rehabilitation (Mod Rehab)
- City of Boston Voucher Program
Housing Choice Voucher application
BHA lists its tenant-based Section 8 program, Project-Based Vouchers, and Mod Rehab on this page. For project-based and Mod Rehab units you apply to specific communities and go on each one's list. Those applicants must have Priority One status.
What BHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check BHA's official site or call for the current status.
Public housing application
BHA uses two online portals. One is for federal and city-funded housing. The other, the state's portal, is for BHA state public housing. You pick the developments you want, and each one has its own list. Waits can be over ten years.
What BHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check BHA's official site or call for the current status.
Income limits for Boston (Suffolk County)
HUD fiscal year 2026 limits (pulled July 27, 2026) for Boston (Suffolk County), where BHA's main office is.
| Household | 30% (extremely low) | 50% (very low) | 80% (low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $36,000 | $60,000 | $96,000 |
| 2 people | $41,150 | $68,600 | $109,700 |
| 3 people | $46,300 | $77,150 | $123,400 |
| 4 people | $51,400 | $85,700 | $137,100 |
Section 8 vouchers generally use the 50% limit, and agencies must give most new vouchers to families at or below 30%; families up to 50% can still qualify. The 80% limit applies to public housing.
Source: HUD income limits. Check 5 to 8 people or another county →
Other help in Boston
Heat and utility bills
ABCD Fuel Assistance (HEAP) · 617.357.6012
Helps Boston renters and homeowners pay winter heating bills. Apply online, by phone, or in person by appointment at an ABCD intake site.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Food
The Greater Boston Food Bank · 617-598-5022
Enter your ZIP code in its partner locator to find food pantries and meal programs near you. It also helps with SNAP applications.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Facing eviction
Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) · 617-603-1700
Free civil legal help for low-income people in Greater Boston, including tenants facing eviction. Call or ask for help on its Get Help page.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Everything else
Call 2-1-1 or 877-211-6277 to find local help with food, housing, utility bills, child care, and more across Massachusetts.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
These are separate organizations, not BHA and not CalculateBenefits.
Contact BHA before you visit
General inquiries: (617) 988-4000
Central office: 52 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111
Housing Choice Voucher line: (617) 988-3400
Published hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM (Housing Service Center: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM)
BHA's Housing Service Center at 52 Chauncy Street has public hours Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The building is being renovated, so BHA asks people to send a customer service request online when they can. You can drop documents in the black box outside after hours. For a disability-related accommodation, call (617) 988-4377 (TTY 800-545-1833 ext. 420).
BHA says people who need translation help can call its Language Line at 617-988-4001.
From CalculateBenefits, not BHA
Waiting-list news by email
Get our free emails. If this agency's main Section 8 waiting list opens and we see it, we email the people who signed up here. Some lists close before we can send. To sign up, you take our free benefits check. You give your name and email and answer a few questions. A phone step is optional. Then you see offers from partners. Your information may be shared with or sold to marketing partners. They may also contact you (how we use it). Signing up does not apply for housing or put you on any waiting list.
Because you've turned on a privacy opt-out, we don't offer this sign-up here. Check the agency's own site for openings.
Before and after you apply
- Before you start, gather Social Security numbers, yearly income, and names and birth dates for everyone in your household.
- BHA mails you a letter when you reach the top of a list. If you do not answer BHA, you can be taken off the list.
- Tell BHA in writing about any change to your application or contact info. You can do this by logging into the web portal.
- You can add or remove developments any time before BHA calls you for your interview.
- Check your status by calling the Status Information Line at (617) 988-3400, Monday through Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Documents BHA asks applicants to have ready
- Email address, phone number, and mailing address with ZIP code
- Estimated yearly income for everyone in the household
- Social Security or USCIS Alien Registration number for each household member
- Dates of birth for everyone in the household
From BHA's published guidance. Ask the agency if you are missing something; do not wait to call.
HUD-reported assistance
These figures are HUD reporting-data snapshots, not a count of openings. Equal inventory and occupied counts do not prove that no future opening is possible. Waiting-list status comes from BHA, not this dataset.
HUD public housing designation: Standard Performer. Standard Performer means the agency met HUD's overall and individual-indicator minimums but did not qualify as a High Performer. It is an operating assessment, not a customer-review rating.
HUD directory dataset retrieved 2026-07-20; record last updated 2026-04-07. Read the data methods and limitations.
Agency and data sources
- BHA - Home
- BHA - Contact Us
- BHA - Apply for Housing
- BHA - Voucher Programs
- BHA - FAQ
- BHA Online Application Portal
- State public housing application (for BHA state housing)
- BHA - Reasonable Accommodation Requests
- ABCD - Fuel Assistance
- Greater Boston Food Bank - Need Food
- Volunteer Lawyers Project
- LSC - Our Grantees
- Mass211
Related: All Massachusetts housing agencies · Massachusetts income limits and Fair Market Rents · How Housing Choice Vouchers work · Section 8 waiting lists at large agencies.