Call your local Housing Authority or the Housing Authority at which you would like to place your name on the waiting list.
A Section 8 Waiting List is a list of people who have made a preliminary application to be placed on such list from a public housing authority. Each PHA maintains its own waiting list and periodically peruses that list every year or two, to see if the applicants on such list are still interested.
This probably happened because the Housing Authority could not get in touch with you when it sent a form to fill out to ensure you are still interested in the program. When a family gets on a waiting list for the Housing Authority's Voucher Program or Public Housing (these are separate waiting lists), it sends a form periodically for you to fill out and return, indicating that you are still interested in the program mentioned.
Check with your local housing authority there. They usually will have a list of properties available for rent from landlord to take section 8 vouchers. If you're looking for public housing, still you need to check with the local housing authority.
I posted this question so that it would have an answer to the questions most people ask on this forum. There is no way of knowing what Housing Authority has a waiting list open or when they will open. This is because the housing authorities are required to publish an article in the newspaper of their area to allow the public to know that the waiting list is open. And public housing authorities do not give notices too far in advance that a waiting list will open. In addition to the answer provided above, the location of the country must be considered, also.
Public Housing
Yes, a felon can have their name on a Section 8 housing lease, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements. However, the specific policies regarding felonies can vary by state and public housing authority. It's best to consult with the housing authority for more information.
Check with your local housing authority. They normally have a listing of all properties available from landlords willing to accept housing choice vouchers. If you are looking for public housing units, the housing authority should have a list of those too.
Each Housing Authority has its own rules by which someone applies for a section 8 voucher, now known as a housing choice voucher, or public housing. Most qualifications are the same for every jurisdiction, since the section 8 housing program is a federal program.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in Springfield, Illinois, is administered by the Springfield Housing Authority. You can contact them directly to inquire about availability and eligibility. Public housing in Sangamon County is also managed by the Springfield Housing Authority, and you can reach out to them for more information on open units.
While each Housing Authority has its own rules by which someone must apply for a housing choice voucher or public housing, the section 8 program is a federal program: so the rules are basically the same everywhere.
Applying for Section 8 Housing AssistanceYou should first go to your county's housing authority agency to find out about how you and your family may qualify for the Section 8 Program regulated under the federal government's HUD organization. There you can also find out where your local HA agency is located. So, to find out all the information you need about Section 8, go to http://www.hud.gov/faqs/faqrenting.cfm.To apply for public housing or Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers, you will need to visit your local public housing authority.The housing authority may have long waiting lists, so you may want to apply at more than one public housing authority.NOTE: There is no cost to apply for Section 8 and you should not provide your debit card or any other information to an online resource.[This is from HUD's page of Renting Information]You apply for section 8 at the housing authority in the county of which you want to live. There is generally always a waiting list and it is important to always keep your address current on the application. Housing Authority addresses and phone numbers should be listed in your telephone book under county government. For example Jackson County Housing Authority. You may try going the the complex you want to live and they will submit the section 8 papers for you.Contact your local HUD office (Housing & Urban Development) directly. It would be listed in the federal government pages typically of your local phone book.Try locating your nearest Housing Authority they should be able to help you get an application or even tell you if the list is even open.