Cambridge Housing Authority Section 8 List Open (Oct. 2026)
Quick answerThe Cambridge Housing Authority waiting list for Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) was taking applications on October 8, 2026. The authority's applicant page in Cambridge, Massachusetts read "Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV/Section 8) (waitlist is open)", and its portal listed "Tenant-Based Voucher" among the open lists. Applying is free and online at cha.myhousing.com. An application is a place on a list, not a voucher.
Last checked: October 8, 2026, against Cambridge Housing Authority's applicant page, online pre-application, payment standards page and Administrative Plan for Federal Housing Choice Voucher Programs, Part 1 (board approved April 9, 2025, effective July 1, 2025); HUD's FY 2026 Section 8 income limits; and 24 CFR 982.353.
- Openstatus on the authority's own page, October 8, 2026
- $0cost to apply
- cha.myhousing.comthe only place to apply online
- 617-499-7041Waiting List Information Line
- $60,000FY 2026 income limit for one person (50% of area median)
- 120 dayssearch time on a voucher once issued
What Cambridge Housing Authority's page says
Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA, HUD code MA003) listed its voucher waitlist as open on October 8, 2026. Under "Status of Waitlists", its applicant page shows four lines, each ending "(waitlist is open)": family housing, elderly and disabled housing, Single Room Occupancy, and "Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV/Section 8)".
- Slower answersa notice says that from March 11, 2026 CHA is doing maintenance on its waitlist software, and to "allow us an additional 10-15 working days" for questions about your position.
- No closing date or wait timenone is published on the applicant page or the portal. The plan lets the board close a list "for an undisclosed period of time" once it holds enough applicants (section 3.3.2).
- Directories can disagreeat least one national listing site showed Cambridge's voucher list as closed on October 8, 2026, while CHA's own page and portal said open. The national picture is in Is Section 8 Open Right Now?
How to apply
Apply through CHA's online pre-application at cha.myhousing.com, which takes applications "anytime during the wait list period" and charges nothing.
- 1Open the portalgo to cha.myhousing.com and choose English, Español, Kreyòl or Portuguese.
- 2Start the pre-applicationenter the head of household's Social Security number, every member's name and date of birth, and every member's income.
- 3Pick your listsselect "Tenant-Based Voucher" for a Section 8 voucher. The same form offers CHA's housing developments, project-based sites and "SRO".
- 4Write down the confirmation numberCHA says to have "paper and pen ready" in case you cannot print it.
- 5Set up the Applicant Portalcreate an account at cha.myhousing.com/Account/Login to check your status later.
What it means: one form covers many CHA lists, so tick every list you would accept, not only the voucher.
Source: CHA online pre-application and applicant page, read October 8, 2026.
Key pointThe portal says to "Submit only ONE application" because "Duplicate forms will not be accepted." You may later ask to join more lists, with "a new date and time of application" for each. A confirmation "does not guarantee your placement on a waitlist or subsidy."
- Social Security number for the head of household (CHA says to contact it for an alternate ID number if there is none)
- Names and dates of birth of all family members
- Income of all family members
- A mailing address where letters will reach you for years
- An email address, which CHA "may also" use (plan section 3.3.6)
Watch outApplying is free. Anyone who charges a fee to apply, to hold a place in line or to promise a voucher is not the housing authority. The Federal Trade Commission's Section 8 alert says "there is no fee to register for a Section 8 waiting list." For help with the form, CHA gives 617-864-3020.
Who can apply
A household can apply if its income is at or below 50% of the area median, and it does not need to live in Cambridge.
| Household size | 50% of median (the limit CHA states for vouchers) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $60,000 |
| 2 people | $68,600 |
| 3 people | $77,150 |
| 4 people | $85,700 |
| 5 people | $92,600 |
| 6 people | $99,450 |
| 7 people | $106,300 |
| 8 people | $113,150 |
What it means: income is tested at admission, when your name is reached, not on the day you apply.
Source: HUD, FY 2026 Section 8 income limits, row "Cambridge city", read October 8, 2026; CHA's applicant page states "Your Household Income must not exceed 50% of Area Median Income."
- Single peoplethe plan's definition of family includes "any other single person" (section 4.2.1). More in Can a Single Person Get Section 8?
- Citizenshipat least one family member must be a U.S. citizen, national or noncitizen with eligible immigration status (section 4.5); see What Disqualifies You From Section 8?
- Debtsa family may not owe money to CHA or another housing authority unless current on a repayment agreement (section 4.1).
- Backgroundthe portal says all adult members "must pass a criminal background check."
- Living outside Cambridgeallowed, with a trade-off. A family with no legal residence in CHA's area when it applied cannot move the voucher elsewhere for 12 months after admission, except for moves tied to the Violence Against Women Act or a reasonable accommodation (section 16.2.3; 24 CFR 982.353). See How Section 8 Portability Works.
How Cambridge orders the list: preferences, then date and time
CHA orders its voucher list by preference tier first and by date and time of application inside each tier, with no lottery in the plan's ordering rule.
| Rank | Group | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency status | Applicants with a local preference and an approved emergency, and households with a certified VAWA claim |
| 2 to 4 | Current CHA participants | Approved reasonable accommodations, over-housed or accessibility transfers, and project-based tenants opting for a tenant-based voucher |
| 5 | Preference applicants | Waiting list applicants with a local preference |
| 6 | Non-preference applicants | Everyone else on the list |
What it means: a new applicant from the public lands in rank 5 or 6, and "within each individual preference category, households will be ordered by date and time of application."
Source: CHA Administrative Plan, Part 1, sections 3.6.1 and 3.7, effective July 1, 2025.
| Preference | Who qualifies | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge resident | Permanently living in Cambridge on the application date or at final screening; no minimum length of residence | 3.7.1 |
| Working in Cambridge | The applicant or a listed family member employed in Cambridge, or about to be at final screening | 3.7.1 |
| Residency transitional household | Living in a Cambridge shelter or transitional facility, or relocated from one by the state or a provider | 3.7.2 |
| Veteran | Honorably discharged wartime service under M.G.L. c. 121B, section 1, and certain family members | 3.7.3 |
What it means: "Each local preference carries equal weight and shall not be ranked or combined", so holding two preferences does not move you further up than holding one.
Source: same plan, section 3.7.
Emergency status (section 3.8) can move a preference holder to the top. The plan names four: domestic violence, natural disaster, a notice to vacate from the City of Cambridge, and no-fault eviction.
Key pointIf you gain a preference after applying, for example by taking a job in Cambridge, tell CHA. Section 3.3.4 gives you a new sequence date, the date you obtained the preference, inside the preference tier.
No lottery appears in this ordering. For agencies that draw names at random, see How Section 8 Lotteries Work.
What happens after you apply
After applying you wait, keep your details current, and answer every CHA letter by its deadline.
- At submissiona confirmation number. CHA does no screening at this stage (plan section 3.2.2).
- After 30 dayschanges can be made in the Applicant Portal or with the Household Information Change Form.
- While waitingCHA updates its lists "periodically and/or as needed" by mail (3.3.5). A returned letter removes you from all CHA lists; no reply to voucher outreach removes you from all voucher lists (3.3.7).
- When selectedwritten notice, then eligibility screening (3.10) and a final eligibility decision (4.15).
- Briefingrequired before any voucher is issued. Missing it without 48 hours' notice means removal (6.2.1).
- Voucher issued120 days to find a unit; CHA may add up to 60 (6.3.1, 6.3.2).
What it means: the mailing address on file decides whether you stay on the list.
Source: CHA Administrative Plan, sections cited, and CHA's applicant page, read October 8, 2026.
TipThe portal asks for changes of address, phone, income or family size "within 10 business days", in writing. If CHA removed you for not responding, it "will reopen the application if contacted within six months of the removal" (section 3.3.8). Check status in the portal or at 617-499-7041.
What a Cambridge voucher pays
CHA sets a maximum, called the payment standard, by ZIP code inside Cambridge, effective January 1, 2026.
| ZIP code | Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02138 | $3,560 | $3,739 | $4,442 | $5,325 | $5,881 |
| 02139 | $3,371 | $3,539 | $4,211 | $5,094 | $5,608 |
| 02140 | $3,077 | $3,539 | $3,833 | $4,625 | $5,100 |
| 02141 | $3,203 | $3,360 | $3,990 | $4,788 | $5,282 |
| 02142 | $3,486 | $3,749 | $4,452 | $5,387 | $5,933 |
What it means: the figure is a ceiling for rent plus tenant-paid utilities, and the household still pays its own share.
Source: CHA, Payment Standard & Utility Deductions, read October 8, 2026.
CHA is a Moving to Work agency, so some rules differ from the standard program. The plan sets the family's payment at the highest of 30% of monthly adjusted income, 10% of monthly gross income, or a minimum rent of $50 for Moving to Work households (sections 9.2 and 9.3). Outside Cambridge, CHA uses the Boston Housing Authority's chart, covered in BHA Payment Standards 2026.
Other waiting lists in the Boston, MA area
VoucherMatch tracks 4 Housing Choice Voucher waiting lists in the Boston, MA area. When checked in September 2026: 2 open, 2 closed. Also taking applications: Massachusetts Section 8 Centralized Waiting List (Mass.AffordableHousing.com). Every list tracked there, with phone numbers and status, is on the Boston, MA Section 8 page.
Cambridge is not on the centralized list's participating page. The Massachusetts Section 8 Centralized Waiting List takes a separate, free application.
If the list closes before you apply
A list that is open today can close next week, and three things still work if this one has.
- Check the trackersee which Section 8 waiting lists are open now. VoucherMatch rechecks every list it tracks and dates each entry.
- Get an alertsign up for the waiting list alert on the Boston, MA page, and VoucherMatch will email you when a list in the area opens.
- Apply elsewhere toobeing on several lists improves your odds, and no rule found in CHA's plan limits how many lists you join.
Already have a voucher?
Then you do not need a waiting list. Search apartments from landlords who accept vouchers on VoucherMatch.
Questions people ask about the Cambridge Housing Authority waiting list
Is the Cambridge Housing Authority waitlist open?
Yes, as of October 8, 2026. CHA's applicant page listed the voucher, family, elderly and disabled, and SRO waitlists each as "(waitlist is open)".
When does the Section 8 waiting list open in 2026?
In Cambridge it was already open on October 8, 2026, with no closing date posted. If it closes, the plan promises at least 10 business days' public notice before a reopening (section 3.3.1).
Are there any Section 8 lists open near me?
Around Boston, VoucherMatch tracked two open voucher lists in September 2026: Cambridge and the Massachusetts centralized list. The Boston, MA page dates each entry.
Is there a HUD waiting list that is open?
No. Each housing authority keeps its own list; HUD's line, (800) 955-2232, helps find the local agency.
How long is the Cambridge Housing Authority waiting list?
No wait time is published on CHA's applicant page or portal. Its FAQ says only that lists are "ordered by date and time as well as by eligible 'preference.'"
Next step: gather the checklist items, submit the pre-application, and save the confirmation number where you will find it in two years.
Sources for this article (7)
- applicant page (cambridge-housing.org)
- cha.myhousing.com (cha.myhousing.com)
- Section 8 alert (consumer.ftc.gov)
- FY 2026 Section 8 income limits (huduser.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.353 (ecfr.gov)
- CHA Administrative Plan, Part 1 (cambridge-housing.org)
- Payment Standard & Utility Deductions (cambridge-housing.org)
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