Low Income Apartments Phoenix: Public Housing, Section 8, Senior and Tax Credit Rentals, and How to Apply

Housing agencies in Phoenix and the Valley

Several public agencies run affordable housing in the Phoenix area, and each keeps its own lists. Applying to one does not put you on another.

City of Phoenix Housing Department

The City of Phoenix Housing Department is the public housing authority for the city. It says it provides homes to more than 35,000 Phoenix residents through its own communities, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and affordable buildings it helps finance with nonprofit and private partners. The administrative office is at 251 W. Washington St., 4th floor (602-262-6794, TTY 711). The Section 8 office is at 830 E. Jefferson St. (602-534-1974).

Housing Authority of Maricopa County

The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC) serves Maricopa County. It runs Housing Choice Vouchers and special programs such as Family Unification, HUD-VASH, Mainstream, and project-based vouchers. It also owns and manages hundreds of affordable units in communities across the West Valley, Central Valley, and East Valley. HAMC posts a boundary map on its site, because some cities have their own housing agencies. Its office is in Peoria (602-744-4500).

Other Valley housing agencies

Several nearby cities, such as Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Glendale, and Scottsdale, run their own housing programs and voucher lists. If you are willing to live anywhere in the Valley, check each one. HUD’s resource locator shows every housing agency near an address.

Arizona Department of Housing

The Arizona Department of Housing is the state agency that awards Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, which pay for most new affordable apartment buildings in the state. It does not rent apartments itself, but tax credit properties in Phoenix follow its income and rent rules.

Low income apartments Phoenix-wide, by type

The national rules behind each program are explained in our low income apartments guide. Here is how they apply in Phoenix.

City affordable rental communities

The city’s housing communities page lists 23 affordable rental communities, from apartments to single-family homes with one to five bedrooms. Professional management companies run them, and applications are taken at each individual site. The city says adult household members undergo criminal background checks, applicants need an acceptable rental history, and you cannot owe money to any U.S. housing program.

Public housing rules

For federally funded public housing, 24 CFR 960.201 limits admission to low-income families, up to about 80% of AMI, and 24 CFR 960.202 requires that at least 40% of new admissions each year be extremely low income.

Housing Choice Vouchers

A voucher lets you rent from a private landlord, and the housing agency pays the rest of the approved rent. Under 24 CFR 982.201, the general limit is 50% of AMI, and at least 75% of new vouchers each year go to extremely low-income families. The city was awarded 903 HUD-VASH vouchers for homeless veterans, who must be referred by the VA; veterans can call 1-877-424-3838. Our housing choice voucher program guide covers how vouchers work.

Tax credit apartments

Under 26 U.S.C. 42, tax credit properties must keep set shares of units for households at 50% or 60% of AMI, or average 60% across units that can serve up to 80%. Rent is a fixed amount tied to the area limit, not to your income. Many accept vouchers, so ask.

Senior and disability communities

The city owns and manages three senior communities: Fillmore Gardens, Maryvale Parkway Terrace, and Sunnyslope Manor. They are HUD-subsidized, so rent is based on household income. According to the city’s senior housing page:

• Applicants must be 62 or older, or have a disability, with no more than two people in the household.
• Priority goes to people 62 and older; next come applicants with a disability aged 50 to 61, then other applicants with a disability.
• One online pre-application covers the three city sites. It is not an application for Section 8.
• Criminal background checks and rental history checks apply.

The city also lists seven other affordable senior and disability communities, such as Aeroterra Senior Village and Sand Dollar 55+ Adult Living. You apply at each property. For more options, see low income senior housing.

Income limits and area median income

Every program uses area median income (AMI), set by HUD each year for the Phoenix metro area and adjusted for household size. The main income levels are:

We do not list Phoenix dollar figures here, because the official tables we found use different effective dates and program rules. The City of Phoenix links its current income limits from its housing pages, and HAMC posts a table of income limits effective May 1, 2026. HUD publishes the official figures for every area on HUD User. For scale, the 2026 HHS poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person, plus $5,680 for each added person.

Income counts gross income for everyone in the household, including wages, Social Security, SSI, child support, and unemployment. Report everything and let the agency do the math.

How your rent is figured

With a voucher, the city says you pay at least 30% of your monthly income and the program pays the landlord the rest of the approved rent. In public housing and HUD-subsidized buildings, 24 CFR 5.628 sets your share at the highest of 30% of adjusted monthly income, 10% of gross monthly income, or a minimum rent of up to $50. Agencies must waive the minimum rent for real hardship.

Voucher holders can choose a unit that costs more than the payment standard and pay the difference, but at first lease-up your share cannot be more than 40% of adjusted monthly income. In Phoenix summers, ask how cooling costs are handled: whether electricity is included and whether you get a utility allowance makes a big difference to what you actually pay.

Where to search for openings

1. City communities. Use the city’s list of 23 affordable rental communities and call each site about vacancies and lists.
2. HAMC properties. HAMC lists its properties by region on its services page, with links to each property’s portal.
3. HUD’s resource locator for HUD-subsidized buildings and nearby housing agencies.
4. HUD’s LIHTC database to find tax credit properties by city or ZIP code.
5. USDA rentals. For small towns outside the metro area, try the USDA rental search.
6. 211 Arizona. Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211arizona.org for housing lists and nonprofit help.

When you call, ask whether there is a vacancy or short list, the income limit for your household size, whether vouchers are accepted, and what fees apply. Keep notes with dates and names.

Is the Phoenix Section 8 waiting list open?

Not as of October 29, 2026. The city’s Section 8 page says its waiting list is closed and that the city will announce when it reopens. HAMC lists wait list openings on a posted schedule. In a notice dated October 7, 2026, it said it will close all open property wait lists at 8:00 a.m. on December 1, 2026; check its site for any update before you count on applying.

While voucher lists are closed, keep moving on other options:

• Apply at several city communities and tax credit properties.
• If you are 62 or older or have a disability, submit the city’s senior pre-application.
• Check other Valley housing agencies for open lists.
• Keep your address and phone current. HAMC says you can be removed if you do not answer notices or if mail comes back.

For places that may move faster, see low income housing with no waiting list.

Rent help and eviction support

If you are behind on rent now, the City of Phoenix Human Services Department offers crisis assistance for rent and utilities when funding allows; call 602-534-2433. The city also runs an eviction legal services program. Maricopa County has funded an eviction prevention pilot that pays up to $3,200 through participating landlords. Our Arizona eviction assistance guide explains the court steps and where to find free legal help, including AZLawHelp.org.

Screening and your rights

Income is only the first test. Phoenix and HAMC properties check criminal background, rental history, and any money owed to a housing program. Private and tax credit properties may also check credit. HUD programs require citizenship or eligible immigration status, and mixed-status families may get prorated help.

If a housing agency denies you, it must tell you why in writing and explain how to ask for a review. If you have a disability, you can ask for a reasonable accommodation at any step. If an old eviction is the problem, see low income housing with an eviction. Real waiting lists never charge to sign up; the FTC warns about rental listing scams.

What documents do I need to apply?

Expect to show photo ID, Social Security numbers for the people applying, proof of income for the last 30 days, and proof of where you live, plus any paper that shows the emergency itself. Our document checklist explains what counts for each item and what to do if something is missing. If you don't have everything yet, apply anyway and ask the office how long you have to bring the rest.

Applying step by step

1. Decide which programs fit: family communities, senior housing, vouchers, or tax credit units.
2. Check income limits on the city or HAMC tables for your household size.
3. Apply at several city communities and, if eligible, submit the senior pre-application.
4. Check HAMC’s schedule and portals, and apply to any open list before closing dates.
5. Apply directly to tax credit properties found through HUD’s LIHTC database.
6. Watch for Section 8 reopenings on the city’s page.
7. Keep a log of every list and update your contact details whenever they change.

Related guides

• Arizona rent relief program
• Pima County rental assistance
• Fastest way to get Section 8
• Low income housing for single mothers

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Income limits, waiting lists, and program rules are set by HUD, the City of Phoenix, HAMC, and each property, and they change. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the City of Phoenix, the Housing Authority of Maricopa County, the Arizona Department of Housing, HUD, or any government agency.