Apartments that accept Section 8
Two different things get called "apartments that accept Section 8", and they need completely different searches. Project-based apartments have the subsidy attached to the unit — HUD publishes those, and you can look them up right now. Voucher-friendly apartments are ordinary private rentals whose landlord agrees to take your voucher — no official national list of those exists anywhere.
Why no list of voucher-friendly landlords exists
A landlord's willingness to take a voucher is a decision they make about one applicant on one day. It is not registered with HUD, not licensed, and not tracked by anyone nationally. Any site claiming to list "all landlords that accept Section 8" is publishing guesses, stale scrapes, or lead-generation bait.
We do not publish one either. What we publish is what HUD publishes, plus an honest method for the other search.
Which one applies to you?
| Project-based (HUD-assisted) | Housing Choice Voucher | |
|---|---|---|
| The subsidy is attached to | The apartment. It stays with the building. | You. It moves when you move. |
| You apply to | The property, directly. | A housing authority, then you find a landlord. |
| Do you need a voucher first? | No. | Yes — that is the whole first step. |
| Can you look them up? | Yes. HUD publishes them, and we list them by city. | No national list exists. You search rentals and ask. |
| If you move | The subsidy stays behind. | You can usually take it with you, even across state lines. |
Path 1 — HUD-assisted apartments you can look up today
HUD's records list 23,547 assisted properties holding 1,461,866 subsidized apartments. You apply at the property itself, and you do not need a voucher in hand. Each one keeps its own waiting list, separate from the housing authority's — which is why applying to several is normal.
- Chicago, IL
- Los Angeles, CA
- Brooklyn, NY
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Bronx, NY
- Baltimore, MD
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- San Francisco, CA
- Columbus, OH
Browse every state or find properties near you.
One caution: a unit appearing in HUD's records does not mean it is vacant. HUD publishes no vacancy data, so call before you travel.
Path 2 — finding a private landlord who takes your voucher
This is the search people find hardest, because there is no list to read. There is a method, though, and it works:
- Ask your housing authority for its landlord list. Many keep an informal list of owners who have rented to voucher holders before. It is not published nationally, but it exists locally — ask specifically.
- Search ordinary rental listings, then ask. Most voucher-friendly units are just normal rentals. Call and ask plainly: "I have a Housing Choice Voucher — do you accept it?" Asking early saves everyone time.
- Check whether refusing a voucher is legal where you live. A growing number of states, counties, and cities ban "source of income" discrimination, which makes turning you away for having a voucher illegal. Your housing authority or a housing counselor can tell you whether your area has such a law — this varies by locality and changes often, so verify locally rather than trusting a national list.
- Lead with what a landlord cares about. The housing authority's portion arrives on time, every month, directly. Say that. Bring references and your voucher paperwork to the first showing.
- Look at smaller owners. Individual owners of one or two units are often more flexible than large management companies with blanket policies.
- Ask about the inspection up front. The unit must pass a HUD housing quality inspection before you move in. Landlords who have done it before are not worried by it; landlords who have not often are, and explaining it early prevents a late no.
Words that mean something different than they look
- "Section 8 accepted" on a listing site usually means the landlord has taken vouchers before. It is not a guarantee and it is not verified by anyone.
- "Income restricted" or "affordable housing" often means LIHTC — a tax-credit property that caps rent by income. Worth applying to, but it is not Section 8 and does not require a voucher.
- "Public housing" is a third, separate program, run by the same housing authority with its own waiting list.
- "Project-based voucher" is a voucher tied to a specific unit. If you move out, it stays.
If you do not have a voucher yet
Path 2 is not available to you until you do — a landlord cannot accept a voucher you do not hold. Start with how to apply for Section 8, and apply to HUD-assisted properties (Path 1) in the meantime, since those do not require one.
Two things nobody should be charging you for
Applying for Section 8 is free. A list of "landlords who accept Section 8" is not a product anyone can legitimately sell you, because the underlying data does not exist. If a site asks for payment for either, close it.
Sources
- HUD — Housing Choice Voucher Program
- HUD Open Data — Multifamily Properties (Assisted) , the source of the property listings on this site
- 24 CFR Part 982 — unit selection, inspections, and portability
Last reviewed August 1, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us — corrections come before everything else.