Public Housing Authorities in Massachusetts

A Public Housing Authority (PHA) is the local agency that runs the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program and public housing in its jurisdiction. The 130 PHAS listed below serve Massachusetts — use the table to find each agency's city, the number of units it manages, whether it administers vouchers, and whether its waitlist is currently open. Select a PHA for full contact details.

PHA Name	City	Units	Vouchers	Waitlist
Boston Housing Authority	Boston	25,336	Yes	Closed
Exec. Office Housing & Livable Communities	Boston	22,600	Yes	Closed
Cambridge Housing Authority	Cambridge	7,649	Yes	Closed
Worcester Housing Authority	Worcester	6,168	Yes	Closed
Springfield Housing Authority	Springfield	5,180	Yes	Closed
Fall River Housing Authority	Fall River	4,500	Yes	Closed
New Bedford Housing Authority	New Bedford	3,676	Yes	Closed
Brockton Housing Authority	Brockton	3,568	Yes	Closed
Lowell Housing Authority	Lowell	3,006	Yes	Closed
Holyoke Housing Authority	Holyoke	2,618	Yes	Closed
Quincy Housing Authority	Quincy	2,396	Yes	Closed
Malden Housing Authority	Malden	2,168	Yes	Closed
Lawrence Housing Authority	Lawrence	2,081	Yes	Closed
Lynn Housing Authority	Lynn	2,021	Yes	Closed
Somerville Housing Authority	Somerville	1,917	Yes	Closed
Medford Housing Authority	Medford	1,691	Yes	Closed
Taunton Housing Authority	Taunton	1,672	Yes	Closed
Brookline Housing Authority	Brookline	1,509	Yes	Closed
Salem Housing Authority	Salem	1,422	Yes	Closed
Framingham Housing Authority	Framingham	1,232	Yes	Closed
Northampton Housing Authority	Northampton	971	Yes	Closed
Chelsea Housing Authority	Chelsea	961	Yes	Closed
Chicopee Housing Authority	Chicopee	957	Yes	Closed
Chelmsford Housing Authority	Chelmsford	891	Yes	Closed
Plymouth Housing Authority	Plymouth	752	Yes	Closed
Gloucester Housing Authority	Gloucester	749	Yes	Closed
Pittsfield Housing Authority	Pittsfield	748	Yes	Closed
Newton Housing Authority	Newton Highlands	744	Yes	Closed
Falmouth Housing Authority	Falmouth	723	Yes	Closed
Waltham Housing Authority	Waltham	720	Yes	Closed
North Adams Housing Authority	North Adams	693	Yes	Closed
Revere Housing Authority	Revere	674	Yes	Closed
Milford Housing Authority	Milford	626	Yes	Closed
Barnstable Housing Authority	Hyannis	617	Yes	Closed
Methuen Housing Authority	Methuen	611	Yes	Closed
Franklin County Regional Housing Authority	Turners Falls	597	Yes	Closed
Beverly Housing Authority	Beverly	593	Yes	Closed
Dedham Housing Authority	Dedham	579	Yes	Closed
Greenfield Housing Authority	Greenfield	530	Yes	Closed
Westfield Housing Authority	Westfield	517	Yes	Closed
Braintree Housing Authority	Braintree	504	Yes	Closed
Haverhill Housing Authority	Haverhill	467	Yes	Closed
Amherst Housing Authority	Amherst	459	Yes	Closed
Norwood Housing Authority	Norwood	441	Yes	Closed
Arlington Housing Authority	Arlington	427	Yes	Closed
Wakefield Housing Authority	Wakefield	418	Yes	Closed
Leominster Housing Authority	Leominster	404	Yes	Closed
Woburn Housing Authority	Woburn	392	Yes	Closed
Everett Housing Authority	Everett	370	Yes	Closed
Peabody Housing Authority	Peabody	341	Yes	Closed
Yarmouth Housing Authority	South Yarmouth	332	Yes	Closed
Melrose Housing Authority	Melrose	301	Yes	Closed
Weymouth Housing Authority	Weymouth	299	Yes	Closed
Fitchburg Housing Authority	Fitchburg	276	Yes	Closed
Shrewsbury Housing Authority	Shrewsbury	276	Yes	Closed
Needham Housing Authority	Needham	259	Yes	Closed
West Springfield Housing Authority	West Springfield	255	Yes	Closed
Saugus Housing Authority	Saugus	254	Yes	Closed
North Andover Housing Authority	North Andover	242	Yes	Closed
Danvers Housing Authority	Danvers	225	Yes	Closed
Watertown Housing Authority	Watertown	220	Yes	Closed
Milton Housing Authority	Milton	218	Yes	Closed
Wayland Housing Authority	Wayland	217	Yes	Closed
Dartmouth Housing Authority	Dartmouth	201	Yes	Closed
Attleboro Housing Authority	Attleboro	200	Yes	Closed
Rockland Housing Authority	Rockland	197	Yes	Closed
Bridgewell	Peabody	187	Yes	Closed
Sandwich Housing Authority	Sandwich	186	Yes	Closed
Winchendon Housing Authority	Winchendon	175	Yes	Closed
HUDson Housing Authority	Hudson	164	Yes	Closed
Tewksbury Housing Authority	Tewksbury	163	Yes	Closed
Acton Housing Authority	Acton	159	Yes	Closed
Rockport Housing Authority	Rockport	157	Yes	Closed
Middleborough Housing Authority	Middleborough	157	Yes	Closed
Newburyport Housing Authority	Newburyport	156	Yes	Closed
Oxford Housing Authority	Oxford	153	Yes	Closed
Lexington Housing Authority	Lexington	148	Yes	Closed
Winchester Housing Authority	Winchester	147	Yes	Closed
Marlborough C.D.A. - Housing Division	Marlborough	138	Yes	Closed
Pembroke Housing Authority	Pembroke	135	Yes	Closed
Bourne Housing Authority	Pocasset	135	Yes	Closed
The Bridge of Central Massachusetts	Worcester	133	Yes	Closed
Andover Housing Authority	Andover	131	Yes	Closed
Reading Housing Authority	Reading	128	Yes	Closed
Mansfield Housing Authority	Mansfield	128	Yes	Closed
Southbridge Housing Authority	Southbridge	128	Yes	Closed
Dracut Housing Authority	Dracut	115	Yes	Closed
Amesbury Housing Authority	Amesbury	111	Yes	Closed
Gardner Housing Authority	Gardner	108	Yes	Closed
North Attleborough Housing Authority	North Attleboro	108	Yes	Closed
Webster Housing Authority	Webster	108	Yes	Closed
Concord Housing Authority	Concord	107	Yes	Closed
Natick Housing Authority	Natick	105	Yes	Closed
Easton Housing Authority	North Easton	104	Yes	Closed
Hanssen	Ware	103	Yes	Closed
Auburn Housing Authority	Auburn	103	No	Closed
Dennis Housing Authority	South Dennis	101	Yes	Closed
Medway Housing Authority	Medway	100	No	Closed
Williamstown Housing Authority	Williamstown	100	Yes	Closed
Clinton Housing Authority	Clinton	100	No	Closed
Adams Housing Authority	Adams	98	Yes	Closed
Walpole Housing Authority	Walpole	98	Yes	Closed
Burlington Housing Authority	Burlington	96	Yes	Closed
Stoughton Housing Authority	Stoughton	91	Yes	Closed
Abington Housing Authority	Abington	89	Yes	Closed
Middlesex North Resources Center, Inc.	Peabody	85	Yes	Closed
Holbrook Housing Authority	Holbrook	85	Yes	Closed
Community Teamwork, Inc.	Lowell	82	Yes	Closed
Warren Housing Authority	Warren	69	Yes	Closed
Billerica Housing Authority	Billerica	68	Yes	Closed
Holden Housing Authority	Holden	62	Yes	Closed
Salisbury Housing Authority	Salisbury	61	Yes	Closed
Athol Housing Authority	Athol	61	Yes	Closed
Ipswich Housing Authority	Ipswich	58	Yes	Closed
Groveland Housing Authority	Groveland	58	No	Closed
Holliston Housing Authority	Holliston	52	Yes	Closed
Scituate Housing Authority	Scituate	51	No	Closed
American Training By Chelmsford Housing	Chelmsford	50	Yes	Closed
Belmont Housing Authority	Belmont	50	Yes	Closed
Stockbridge Housing Authority	Stockbridge	44	Yes	Closed
Hanson Housing Authority	Hanson	34	Yes	Closed
Maynard Housing Authority	Maynard	32	No	Closed
Hingham Housing Authority	Hingham	28	Yes	Closed
North Reading Housing Authority	North Reading	25	Yes	Closed
Millis Housing Authority	Millis	24	Yes	Closed
Halifax Housing Authority	Halifax	17	Yes	Closed
Wellesley Housing Authority	Wellesley	14	Yes	Closed
Wilmington Housing Authority	Wilmington	11	Yes	Closed
Swansea Housing Authority	Swansea	6	No	Closed
Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority	Pittsfield	—	Yes	Closed

Section 8 in Massachusetts

Each PHA in Massachusetts operates independently and sets its own payment standards, preferences, and waitlist policies within HUD guidelines. Payment standards — the maximum rent subsidy amount — are typically set between 90% and 110% of the local Fair Market Rent. PHAs in high-cost areas may apply to HUD for exception payment standards above 110% FMR.

How to apply for a voucher in Massachusetts

Applications are submitted to an individual PHA, not to the state or to HUD directly. Because demand far exceeds the number of available vouchers, most Massachusetts PHAs maintain a waitlist and only accept new applications during open enrollment periods. The "Waitlist" column above shows which agencies are currently accepting applications. To improve your odds, you can apply to more than one PHA whose jurisdiction you live in or are willing to move to. Eligibility depends mainly on household income relative to the area's income limits — generally at or below 50% of Area Median Income.