Public Housing

The Conventional Public Housing Program was established to provide safe and decent housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Nature of the Program: Public Housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single-family houses to family apartment communities to high-rise apartments for elderly families. HUD administers federal aid to local public housing agencies (PHA's) that manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford. Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. A PHA determines eligibility based on annual gross income, household size, disability and elderly status, if any, and U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. The PHA is responsible for the management and operation of its local public housing program.

The Cleveland Housing Authority currently owns and manages 420 public housing apartments spread over 14 different locations in the City of Cleveland, Tennessee and has a waiting list for each bedroom size ranging from Efficiency/Studio apartments to large 5-bedroom apartments.

PHA's use income limits developed by HUD to determine applicant eligibility. HUD sets the lower income limit at 80% of the median income for the local metropolitan area and very low-income limit at 50% of the median income. However, 75% of those admitted to public housing must have incomes less than 30% of the area median income.