Local housing guide
Find application information, check an existing case, or prepare to use your voucher.
Independent guidance by VoucherMatch
Sources checked
Property programs have their own lists. Check each program below.
Source checked · Official notice
The Waitlists page contains older “applications open” and “not yet processed” wording alongside the newer closure and notification update. Follow the 2026 notice and your own letter; the source conflict is queued for review.
What do you need to do?
Rent Assistance: (503) 802-8333Office hours and other contacts
Reviewed October 16, 2026: Home Forward serves Portland, Gresham and other Multnomah County communities. Its current waitlist update says the 2026 application cycle is closed and selection notices are being sent. Check your own notice and program rather than an older lottery headline.
Vouchers and property applications
Home Forward is the housing authority formerly called the Housing Authority of Portland. It serves Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County. Washington County, Clackamas County and Vancouver have different authorities; the Portland metro area extends beyond Home Forward’s regular service area.
Check the list for the program you want. Joining a waiting list does not mean a home or voucher is available now.
Home Forward (Housing Authority of Portland) HCV application route
The current Waitlists update says the 2026 application is closed and Home Forward is notifying HCV and property-based applicants. Older opening and processing text remains on the page. No new application window is confirmed.
Read the current Home Forward program notice →Named property or housing program; separate from tenant-based HCV
The 2026 cycle is marked closed. Selection notices refer to particular lists; they do not establish a new application opening or an available unit. Check your own RentCafe notification.
Check the exact property application →Read the dated notice for this agency and exact program. The current Waitlists update says the 2026 application is closed and Home Forward is notifying HCV and property-based applicants. Older opening and processing text remains on the page. No new application window is confirmed.
The 2026 cycle is marked closed. Selection notices refer to particular lists; they do not establish a new application opening or an available unit. Check your own RentCafe notification. The program and property determine eligibility and application steps. A portal account is not a voucher award.
These statuses reflect the dates checked above. Being able to create an account does not mean applications are open.
Help beyond the main voucher list
These programs have separate rules and contacts. They do not open the housing authority’s main voucher list.
Source checked
Home Forward’s new update says selection notices are being sent by email and regular mail, with copies available in RentCafe for online applicants. Check the program named in the letter. For application help, leave a message at (503) 415-8000 with the requested contact details.
Confirm the current rules: Older sections on the same page still say 2026 positions are not yet available. Use your actual notice and ask Home Forward if your account and letter disagree.
Home Forward is the housing authority formerly called the Housing Authority of Portland. It serves Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County. Washington County, Clackamas County and Vancouver have different authorities; the Portland metro area extends beyond Home Forward’s regular service area.
Guidance review date: . Waiting-list status has its own check date above.
Check your email, mail and RentCafe account for the selection notice. The new update says notices are being sent for HCV and property-based applicants. Keep contact details current whether selected or not. If you need help, the update provides a voicemail line at (503) 415-8000.
Use the participant forms portal or contact your Rent Assistance Services Coordinator. Home Forward has different forms for an income increase, an income decrease and a household change. Check the relevant reporting deadline; submitting a form does not itself change the rent amount you owe.
For an incoming transfer, your current agency starts the process; Home Forward then sends intake instructions and schedules orientation after review. For an outgoing move, ask your Home Forward coordinator for a transfer packet. Confirm approval, deadlines and rent overlap before committing to a move date.
Home Forward’s Landlord Handbook links its forms and housing-provider portal. The landlord team is reached through (503) 802-8333, option 5. Match the current payment-standard and utility documents to the unit, then confirm inspection and contract approval.
Use this explanation alongside the agency’s official schedules and your own case instructions.
portland; match the voucher administrator
How Much Section 8 Pays in Portland (2026)Compare the adopted agency documents separately from HUD benchmarks.
Use this to get ready, then follow the agency’s document requirements. Checkmarks stay on this page only and clear when you reload.
“I applied for [program or property] on [date]. My confirmation number is [number]. How do I check my application, update my contact details and find out if you need anything else?”
If you already have a voucher, give its expiration date and ask what you need to do before then. Send identity documents only through the agency’s official process.
Rent and utilities
The linked Home Forward payment-standard chart is established January 1, 2026 and has one All Multnomah County row. The two-bedroom standard is $1,922 for apartments and for houses/duplexes. Confirm the currently applicable schedule, utility allowance and household calculation with your coordinator.
| Unit type | Monthly standard | Schedule geography |
|---|---|---|
| 2-bedroom apartment | $1,922 | All Multnomah County |
| 2-bedroom house / duplex | $1,922 | All Multnomah County |
| Household payment | Ask the coordinator | Apply utilities and household-specific rules |
These are adopted schedule examples, not the tenant rent or subsidy. Other sizes remain in the official chart. Confirm the effective schedule for the tenancy and the utility allowance; the county HUD benchmark is separate.
Ask the issuing agency to confirm portability eligibility and send Home Forward the required packet. For an outgoing move, start with your Rent Assistance Services Coordinator. Confirm the receiving-agency appointment, voucher expiration and any rent overlap before committing to a move date.
Provide the full address, unit and voucher sizes, asking rent and tenant-paid utilities. Ask for the adopted schedule and household calculation that apply.
Home Forward’s Landlord Handbook links its forms and housing-provider portal. The landlord team is reached through (503) 802-8333, option 5. Match the current payment-standard and utility documents to the unit, then confirm inspection and contract approval.
Start with your program name and the notice or confirmation you received. Keep a copy of any request and the agency’s response.
Check your email, mail and RentCafe account for the selection notice. The new update says notices are being sent for HCV and property-based applicants. Keep contact details current whether selected or not. If you need help, the update provides a voicemail line at (503) 415-8000.
Ask the issuing agency to confirm portability eligibility and send Home Forward the required packet. For an outgoing move, start with your Rent Assistance Services Coordinator. Confirm the receiving-agency appointment, voucher expiration and any rent overlap before committing to a move date.
Read the agency notice promptly and keep the envelope or delivery date. Ask the named department which review or hearing process applies and when the request is due. Save proof of your response; do not assume that a general portal message meets the notice’s requirements.
Use Rent Assistance at (503) 802-8333 for voucher questions or Property Management at (503) 280-3750 for a Home Forward-managed property. Ask for translated forms or another accessible way to complete the task. The waitlist update has separate applicant voicemail support.
New Market West has lobby-window hours Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Other visits may require an appointment; Fridays are closed to the public without one. Home Forward-managed property matters may go to Property Management at Hollywood East instead.
To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, a household's gross annual income generally has to be at or below the very low income limit for its size. In Multnomah County that is $64,150 a year for a family of four, about $5,340 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $128,300.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $26,950 | $44,950 | $71,900 |
| 2 people | $30,800 | $51,350 | $82,150 |
| 3 people | $34,650 | $57,750 | $92,400 |
| 4 people | $38,500 | $64,150 | $102,650 |
| 5 people | $41,600 | $69,300 | $110,900 |
| 6 people | $44,700 | $74,450 | $119,100 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $79,550 | $127,300 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $84,700 | $135,500 |
Which column applies to you. The middle column is the eligibility line for most applicants (24 CFR 982.201). The low income column only applies in special cases, such as families already receiving federal housing assistance. Federal rules generally require at least 75% of admissions from the waiting list each year to be extremely low income families. This does not predict selection or waiting time. For a family of four here, that threshold is $38,500 or less.
Income is counted before taxes and covers the whole household. The housing authority verifies it when your name is reached on the waiting list, so what counts is your income at that point. Being under the income limit is only one part of eligibility and does not guarantee admission.
Compare your household income with Section 8 limits and see how monthly income becomes an annual estimate.
Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA, huduser.gov.
HUD rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,527 | $1,374 to $1,680 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,633 | $1,470 to $1,796 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,878 | $1,690 to $2,066 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,550 | $2,295 to $2,805 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,069 | $2,762 to $3,376 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Multnomah County is $1,878. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,690 to $2,066, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.
Yes. Home Forward is the agency formerly known by that name, serving Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County. Neighboring counties and Vancouver use other authorities.
The latest update says notices are being sent and online applicants can view their letter in RentCafe. A missing notice alone does not establish selection or rejection. Ask Home Forward if the account and letter differ.
No. Read the exact program in the selection notice. A property-based list concerns that housing route; tenant-based HCV assistance is a separate program and still requires eligibility review.
Prepared by the VoucherMatch editorial team. Source review date: . Each waiting list has its own check date.
This guide draws on agency notices, contact pages and rent schedules, with AI assistance to extract and compare information. Unconfirmed openings, amounts and source limitations are identified in the relevant sections. About VoucherMatch.
What changed: Added scoped program notices, application recovery, local access instructions and rent-document comparisons. Related pages use the same dated agency evidence; unresolved source issues remain visible.
Follow the agency’s instructions and the deadlines on your own notice. Report a correction if a link or agency detail has changed.
All housing authorities in Oregon →
Program counts come from HUD’s directory; contact details use the dated agency sources above. HUD agency code OR002. Call ahead before you visit: offices move and hours change.