FAQ

How many Public Housing waiting lists were open in Alabama in the last few years?

During the last three years, there were 145 Public Housing waiting lists open for at least a day in Alabama.

How long do households spend on a Public Housing waiting list in Alabama before being offered a unit?

Households spend an average of 13 months on a waiting list before a unit becomes available for them in Alabama.

To what extent do housing authorities in Alabama increase access with online applications?

Online applications make it easier for low-income renters to apply for open waiting lists, especially when applying to different communities or when waiting lists are only kept open a short time.

Online applications were used for 24.1% of waiting list applications in in Alabama over the last three years.

How fair is waiting list placement in Alabama?

Random lotteries were used by 2.1% of housing authorities in Alabama to place applicants on their waiting lists over the last three years.

Applicants placed at the bottom of a waiting list may wait up to two or three years before being offered a voucher. Placing applicants on a waiting list using a random lottery gives everyone a fair chance to be near the top of the list.

Many housing authorities place applicants according to the date and time of their submission. Applicants who apply later will have a long wait for assistance, which is especially unfair in cases where waiting lists are kept open just few days or less.

How long were Public Housing waiting lists kept open in Alabama in the last few years?

Public Housing waiting lists in Alabama were kept open an average of 821 days over the last three years.

Many waiting lists were kept open only a short time. In the last three years, 10.3% were open seven days or less and 0.7% were open for only one day (or a few hours) . This means that it is important for low-income renters to apply right away when they find an open waiting list.