Top 10 Largest Public Housing Authorities in the USA: (2024)

There are somewhere around 3300 public housing authorities in the United States but the majority of them are extremely small with unit counts in the neighborhood of 50-1000. Today I wanted to highlight some of the larger public housing authorities and provide back links if you want to find out more about applying for their programs. A quick warning, this is only for hard units. I am not factoring in housing choice vouchers.

  1. New York City Housing Authority — 180,263 units-If you are interested in applying for housing programs, applying to work here or doing business click here- The New York Housing Authority is like no other PHA in the USA. It is huuuuuge! The housing authority is actually home to 1 out of every 14 New York City residents. The NYCHA was created in 1934 and saw a huge boom in construction under the eyes of famous city planner Robert Moses.
  2. Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration — 55,840 units- The administration was created in the 1970’s and replaced earlier housing administration programs. Although this is listed under one entity, you can find dozens of municipalities on HUD’s website that actually administer programs. Click here to find more info.
  3. Chicago Housing Authority — 26,333 units-Chicago and Cuyahoga County Housing Authorities are actually the reason I got into public/social housing. Chicago because of the book, “There are no children here“. Although I linked to the book on Amazon, I do not recieve or want any commissions or kickbacks. CHA has torn down a lot of old dangerous public housing and farms the management of these units out to four (4) different management groups. As far as I know, application/admissions still runs through the actual PHA. Click here for more info
  4. Philadelphia Housing Authority — 16,813 units- The city of brotherly love ranks up there pretty high. I just visited Philadelphia for the first time last year and fell in love. Ok, this is not about my travels. The PHA was established in 1937 and serves over 80,000 people. They are doing some great redevelopment work. The RAD plan alone is worth looking at. Click here for more
  5. Housing Authority of Baltimore City — 12,591 units- For some odd reason I decided to do a small blog just about the Baltimore Housing Authority last week. Click here for a link that gives more detail and further links to the Baltimore Housing Authority’s website.
  6. Boston Housing Authority — 11,844 units- Our friends at the Boston Housing Authority serve around 58,000 people within the city. Like other cities on the east coast, the cost of living is crazy so their affordable housing is extremely important. Created in 1938 federally and as a state entity in 1948, the Boston Housing Authority is considered a leader throughout the USA. Click here to go directly to Boston’s website.
  7. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority — 11,258 units-I must admit I have a soft spot for this authority. I went to grad school in Cleveland and Scott Pollock who was a wizard who once worked for CMHA spoke to my grad school class. It was after listening to him that I decided to work in public housing. Great people over in Cleveland both at the authority and in the city. Visit the website here-
  8. Miami-Dade Housing Authority: — 9,503 units- The Miami-Dade Housing Authority is quite complex and operates many programs outside of PH and HCV. You can find out more here. I cannot speak for the public housing program but I believe Nan-McKay might be operating parts of if not all of the HCV program.
  9. D.C. Housing Authority — 8,949 units- The DC Housing Authority is one of the largest landlords in the city and houses somewhere around 1/10 of the total population in DC. Click here for more info on DC Housing
  10. Newark Housing Authority — 8,875 units- I was a little surprised that big cities like Dallas or L.A. did not top the chart but the further west you go the heavier oriented PHAs are to vouchers. Once in troubled state, this PHA climbed back to being a high performer. It is worth going to the website to learn more about this transformation.Click here to go directly to Newark Housing Authority website.

Conclusion: Did I miss something or get any of these out of order? I know some PHAs are going through RAD which affects the size of portfolios. I will try to do the same for HCV at another date.

Top 10 Largest Public Housing Authorities in the USA: (2024)

FAQs

What is the largest public housing authority in the United States? ›

With more than 180,000 public housing units, the New York City Housing Authority is by far the nation's largest public housing authority (PHA).

How many public housing authorities are there in the US? ›

While the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversees the public housing program, it is administered locally by about 2,830 public housing agencies.

What city has the most government housing? ›

New York City Housing Authority — 180,263 units- If you are interested in applying for housing programs, applying to work here or doing business click here- The New York Housing Authority is like no other PHA in the USA.

Which US government agency handles most of the federal housing programs? ›

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is the Federal agency responsible for national policy and programs that address America's housing needs, that improve and develop the Nation's communities, and enforce fair housing laws.

Who has the largest Section 8 housing in the US? ›

New York Housing Authority: 90,000 Vouchers: NYCHA administers the largest Section 8 program in the country. Approximately 90,000 Section 8 vouchers and over 29,000 owners currently participate in the program.

Who owns the most housing in the US? ›

Leading apartment owners in the U.S. 2022, by units owned

Starwood Capital Group, which was the largest owner in 2022 with 115,000 units, is a private investment firm headquartered in Miami, Florida.

What is the largest public housing projects in USA? ›

Owned by the New York City Housing Authority, the development contains 29 buildings and 3,142 units accommodating approximately 7,000 people in two separate complexes (North and South). The complex opened in 1939 and is the largest housing project in North America.

Which states have the most public housing? ›

Mississippi has the largest HUD households with an average 2.4 residents per housing unit. New Hampshire has the smallest households with an average 1.7 residents. Utah has the smallest number of HUD residents per capita at 1.12%. The District of Columbia has the highest number of HUD residents per capita at 7.76%.

Who funds public housing in the US? ›

Public housing is exclusively funded by Congressional appropriations. Because Congress has not adequately funded public housing for decades, public housing units nationwide need a combined $45 billion (and rising) in repairs.

Where is the best housing in America? ›

Green Bay, Wisconsin. Among northern U.S. metro areas that offer a low cost of living, Green Bay might be the best option for you, as it's the No. 1 Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024. Green Bay residents spend just 19.92% of the area's median household income on housing costs.

What is the largest low income housing government program in the United States? ›

Tenant-based rental assistance programs. Federal tenant-based rental assistance is provided primarily through HUD's Housing Choice Voucher. It is the largest and most sought after housing program in America.

Which federal agency is responsible for enforcing US fair housing laws? ›

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity administers and enforces federal laws and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice.

Who was the first president to start federal housing programs? ›

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) turns 80 years old in July. This federal agency, which currently resides within the Department of Housing and Urban Development, was founded in 1934 as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal to combat the Great Depression.

Who is the leader of the Federal Housing Finance Agency? ›

Setting the Record Straight on Mortgage Pricing: A Statement from FHFA Director Sandra L. Thompson. ​​Recently, there has been increased focus on changes made by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to the pricing framework of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises).

What state has the best Section 8 program? ›

The Top Ten Best States for Low-Income Housing in 2017:
  • Nebraska.
  • North Dakota. ...
  • Vermont. ...
  • Iowa. ...
  • New Hampshire. Affordable housing complexes per capita: 2. ...
  • Missouri. Affordable housing complexes per capita: 3. ...
  • Minnesota. Affordable housing complexes per capita: 2. ...
  • Kansas. Affordable housing complexes per capita: 6. ...

What state has the longest Section 8 waiting list? ›

The longest wait times among these large agencies are more than seven years in San Diego County, California, where there were 56,737 families on the waitlist at the end of 2020, and eight years in Miami-Dade, Florida, where the housing agency is processing applications it received during its most recent open enrollment ...

Which state has the best low income housing? ›

These Are the 10 Best States for Housing Affordability:
  • Mississippi.
  • West Virginia.
  • Arkansas.
  • Alabama.
  • Kentucky.
  • Oklahoma.
  • South Dakota.
  • Iowa.
May 2, 2023

Who owns the richest house in America? ›

In 2019, hedge fund owner Ken Griffin logged the highest amount paid for a residence on record in the US, when he bought a penthouse for $238 million in the lauded limestone tower.

Who is the largest rental landlord in the US? ›

Blackstone now owns and manages over 300,000 units of rental housing in the U.S., making it the largest landlord in the U.S. In 2021, Blackstone bought 5,600 housing units in San Diego County where rents had been affordable to lower income tenants.

Who owns most rental properties in the US? ›

Of the approximately 50 million rental housing units in the United States, around 41% of the rental units are owned by mom and pop landlords, also known as individual investor landlords. That means approximately 20.5 million units are overseen by mom and pop landlords.

Who is the largest owner of apartments in the US? ›

Starwood Capital Group claimed the top spot on the 2022 NMHC Top 50 owners list, after gaining more than 25,000 units last year. MAA, the Memphis-based REIT, came in No. 2 for the first time since 2017, followed by Morgan Properties, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

What is the oldest housing projects in America? ›

The Public Works Administration (PWA), created under the New Deal to address the country's housing and infrastructure needs, constructed Techwood Homes in Atlanta, GA, in 1935 as the first federal public housing project.

Why did public housing fail in the US? ›

Inadequate funding, poor maintenance, and media sensationalization helped create a narrative of substandard slum living, and the system set up to help so many hardly stood a chance. Here is how the public housing system was doomed to failure.

What state has the worst housing shortage? ›

Story at a glance

California currently has the largest deficit of homes at 980,000.

Where is the cheapest housing in the United States? ›

1. West Virginia. With a Zillow Home Value Index of $146,578, West Virginia is the most affordable state to buy a house in the US. Despite its low home prices, the state boasts natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities, making it an attractive option for homebuyers on a budget.

Which state do people rent most? ›

California had the most renting households with 5.73 million, or 13.6 percent of the nation's 42 million rental homes. Tenants in California make up 44 percent of households in the state, the third-largest share of renters behind. D.C., at 58 percent, and New York at 45 percent.

What percent of U.S. housing is public housing? ›

Today, public housing—1.1 million apartments that house about 2.1 million low-income people—constitutes less than 1 percent of the nation's housing stock. Local housing agencies are required to house the most vulnerable people in their public housing.

How much does the US government spend on public housing? ›

From 1977 to 2020, in 2020 inflation-adjusted dollars, state and local government spending on housing and community development programs increased from $14 billion to $59 billion, an increase of 309 percent.

What are the disadvantages of public housing? ›

So read this article to know the disadvantages of public housing before renting a home in this program.
  • Disadvantages of Public Housing. Some of the main disadvantages of public housing are as follows:
  • Social isolation. ...
  • Risk Factor. ...
  • Misuse. ...
  • Safety Measures. ...
  • Maintenance issue. ...
  • Deprivation of areas. ...
  • More houses.
Apr 28, 2021

What is the oldest public housing in the world? ›

The Fuggerei is the world's oldest public housing complex still in use. It is a walled enclave within the city of Augsburg, Bavaria.

Where is the hottest housing market in the world? ›

Back in 2020, Hong Kong was crowned the “world's most expensive real-estate market” by CBRE Global Living, calculating the average property prices to be in the range of $1.25 million.

Where is the most affordable housing in the world? ›

Here are the five most affordable cities in the world, according to the study:
  • Pittsburgh, USA.
  • Oklahoma City, USA.
  • Rochester, USA.
  • Edmonton, Canada.
  • St Louis, USA.
Apr 25, 2022

What is the largest federal affordable housing program? ›

Tenant-based rental assistance programs. Federal tenant-based rental assistance is provided primarily through HUD's Housing Choice Voucher. It is the largest and most sought after housing program in America.

What was the name of the largest housing project in American history? ›

Queensbridge Housing- New York Housing Authority- Located in Long Island City, Queens, is now North America's largest housing project with 3,142 apartments, following the demolition of several larger Chicago housing projects, including the Cabrini–Green Homes and the Robert Taylor Homes (whose 4,321 three, four and ...

Who is the head of housing in the United States? ›

Fudge is the 18th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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