Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Louisiana
Louisiana has 153 housing authorities managing a combined 602 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 167 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 28%. This data was last verified on Jul 16, 2026.
Louisiana's affordable housing assistance landscape is managed by 153 housing authorities overseeing a total of 481 waiting lists statewide. Currently, 132 of these lists are open, representing a 27% open rate, while 238 lists are closed. The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) is the state's housing agency. Due to the dynamic nature of waitlists, continuous monitoring of available programs is advisable for applicants.
Various housing assistance programs are available across Louisiana. Public Housing offers the most open opportunities, with 89 lists currently open out of 152. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program has 24 open lists out of 153, and Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) have 8 open lists from 46. Other programs include Mainstream with 2 open lists from 31, Permanent Supportive Housing with 2 open lists from 3, and FUP with 2 open lists from 2. Cities like Lake Providence show 6 open lists from its 3 housing authorities, Saint Martinville has 3 open lists from 4 housing authorities, and Ville Platte offers 2 open lists from its 3 housing authorities. Ruston, with 5 housing authorities, has 1 open list, and New Iberia, with 3 housing authorities, also has 1 open list.
Applicants should be aware that waiting list statuses can change frequently, as exemplified by recent activity: the Housing Authority of the City of Natchitoches changed its HCV list from closed to open, and the Housing Authority of the City of Leesville changed its Public Housing list from closed to open. Conversely, the Housing Authority of the Town of Berwick changed its Public Housing list from open to closed. Major cities have specific considerations: New Orleans' Housing Authority (HANO) underwent significant changes after Hurricane Katrina, and both Baton Rouge and Shreveport housing authorities operate independently. There may still be disaster recovery vouchers available for those impacted by past events.
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The affordable housing programs tracked in Louisiana include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (38 open), Public Housing (83 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (6 open), Mainstream (2 open), RAD (1 open), VASH. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application process, and wait times. In most cases, applicants can apply to multiple program types at the same housing authority, and there is no limit to the number of housing authorities you can apply to statewide.
The cities with the most open waitlists in Louisiana right now are Baton Rouge (16), Ruston (9), Jonesboro (6), Lake Providence (5), and Donaldsonville (5) . Applicants who are flexible about location will generally receive assistance sooner than those who apply to a single waitlist in a high-demand area.
Latest opening: City of Donaldsonville — Public Housing
Eligibility Requirements for Louisiana
To qualify for assistance in Louisiana, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).
- Income: Below HUD local limits
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or eligible legal status
- Background: Criminal background check required
- Residency: Preferences often given to locals
Real-Time Data Verification
Section 8 Waitlist aggregates data from official Louisiana legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.