Section 8 · Florida
Section 8 Housing in Florida
None of Florida’s 12 largest housing authorities had an open Section 8 voucher list on October 22, 2026. Tampa, Jacksonville, Broward, Hialeah, Orlando, Pinellas and St. Petersburg post closed; Miami-Dade, West Palm Beach, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale post no current status.
West Palm Beach’s Sabal Palm public housing list opens online October 26 to November 2, 2026.
By the VoucherMatch Editorial Team · Sources reviewed October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026 · Independent guide, not a housing agency
Is Section 8 open in Florida?
Not at the largest agencies on October 22, 2026. Florida has no statewide voucher agency: about 76 local housing authorities each run their own list. None of the 12 largest posted an open tenant-based voucher list.
| Agency | Vouchers | Posted status | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade Housing & Community Development | 21,718 | No current status; last opening 2024 | |
| Tampa Housing Authority | 11,814 | Closed “until further notice” | |
| Jacksonville Housing Authority | 8,501 | All lists closed since May 31, 2023 | 904-630-3810 |
| Broward County HA | 6,542 | Closed | 954-739-1114 |
| Hialeah HA | 5,890 | Closed; last opening 2017 | 305-888-9744 |
| Orlando HA | 4,820 | Closed (voucher, public housing, project-based) | 407-894-1500 |
| West Palm Beach HA | 4,061 | No voucher status posted | 561-655-8530 |
| Pinellas County HA | 3,970 | Closed | |
| St. Petersburg HA | 3,913 | Closed | 727-323-3171 |
| Miami Beach HA | 3,576 | No voucher status; all site lists closed | 305-532-6401 |
| Fort Lauderdale HA | 3,376 | No voucher status posted | 954-556-4100 |
| Palm Beach County HA | 3,130 | “Our waiting list is currently closed” (program not stated) | 561-684-2160 |
Voucher counts: HUD’s public housing agency dataset. Status: each agency’s own page, quoted. An aggregator listing a list as “open” is not a substitute for the agency’s own notice.
What is opening
West Palm Beach Housing Authority’s Sabal Palm public housing list (1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, 1860 N. Tamarind Ave.) takes online applications from Monday, October 26, 2026, 8 a.m., to Monday, November 2, 11:30 p.m., one per family (WPBHA notice). Follow other openings on our verified waiting-list page.
Why one opening is not enough
South Florida’s lists open rarely and fill by lottery. When Miami-Dade opened its voucher list in 2024 for the first time in several years, more than 130,000 households applied in two weeks for 5,000 lottery spots. Applying to every list you qualify for, including project-based and public housing lists, is the realistic strategy.
Applications received vs. applicants drawn in two South Florida openings
About 1 in 26 Miami-Dade applicants (2024) and 1 in 24 Hialeah applicants (2017) were drawn.
- Drawn by lottery
- Applications received
- Miami-Dade 2024: applications130,000
More than 130,000 in two weeks
- Miami-Dade 2024: drawn by lottery5,000
About 1 in 26 (3.8%)
- Hialeah 2017: pre-applications60,919
- Hialeah 2017: drawn2,500
About 1 in 24 (4.1%)
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Florida?
No state law stops it. Florida’s Fair Housing Act covers race, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status and religion, but not source of income (Fla. Stat. 760.23).
- Since July 1, 2023, Fla. Stat. 83.425 preempts local regulation of “residential tenancies, the landlord-tenant relationship, and all other matters covered under this part.” It does not mention source of income or the fair housing chapter, and we found no court ruling applying it to local voucher protections.
- Miami-Dade still lists source of income as a protected class with its Commission on Human Rights, 305-375-2784 (complaint page); Broward and Orange counties also still publish protections.
- Hillsborough County now says landlord-tenant matters are governed by statewide oversight and refers complaints to the state.
- A refusal tied to race, disability, family status or another protected trait is still illegal under federal and state fair housing law.
Local ordinance list: PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026), checked against each county’s current pages where available.
General information, not legal advice.
Section 8 income limits in Florida
| HUD area | 50%, 1 person | 50%, 4 people | 80%, 4 people | 2BR FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall (ZIP-level FMRs) | $47,700 | $68,100 | $109,000 | $2,564 |
| West Palm Beach-Boca Raton (ZIP-level FMRs) | $45,000 | $64,250 | $102,800 | $2,349 |
| Fort Lauderdale (ZIP-level FMRs) | $44,350 | $63,400 | $101,400 | $2,321 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota (ZIP-level FMRs) | $39,950 | $57,050 | $91,300 | $2,188 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (ZIP-level FMRs) | $40,250 | $57,450 | $91,900 | $1,959 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (ZIP-level FMRs) | $40,150 | $57,350 | $91,750 | $1,917 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $39,300 | $56,200 | $89,900 | $1,835 |
| Jacksonville (ZIP-level FMRs) | $38,050 | $54,350 | $86,950 | $1,694 |
| Pensacola | $32,650 | $46,600 | $74,600 | $1,548 |
| Tallahassee | $34,850 | $49,750 | $79,600 | $1,424 |
Sources: HUD FY2026 income limits and FY2027 Fair Market Rents (effective October 1, 2026), read through the HUD USER API on October 22, 2026. In Miami, HUD’s high-housing-cost adjustment puts the 80% limit above the area median.
Next steps by city
- Section 8 in Miami and the Miami-Dade County guide
- Broward County · Tampa · Orlando · Jacksonville
- Every agency’s contacts: the Florida housing authority directory
Section 8 in Florida: common questions
Is the Section 8 waiting list open in Florida?
Not at the largest agencies. As of October 22, 2026, none of Florida’s 12 largest housing authorities posted an open tenant-based voucher list. Tampa, Jacksonville, Broward County, Hialeah, Orlando, Pinellas County and St. Petersburg say closed; Miami-Dade, West Palm Beach, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale post no current status.
When does the Miami-Dade Section 8 waiting list open?
Miami-Dade has not posted a new date. Its last voucher opening, in 2024, was the first in several years: it drew more than 130,000 applications in two weeks, and 5,000 applicants were chosen by lottery. Openings are announced on the county’s housing page.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Florida?
There is no state law against it. Florida’s Fair Housing Act does not cover source of income, and a 2023 law moved landlord-tenant regulation to the state. Some counties still publish local protections, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange, but how they interact with the 2023 law has not been settled in court.
Who runs Section 8 in Florida?
There is no statewide voucher agency. About 76 local housing authorities run vouchers, each for its own city or county, such as Miami-Dade’s Housing and Community Development department, the Tampa Housing Authority and the Jacksonville Housing Authority. Apply to the agency for the area where you want to live.
What are the Section 8 income limits in Florida?
Vouchers generally go to households at or below 50% of area median income. For a family of four that is $68,100 in the Miami area, $63,400 in Fort Lauderdale, $57,450 in Orlando, $57,350 in Tampa and $54,350 in Jacksonville (HUD FY2026).
Applying for housing in Flagler County?
Flagler County agency and application guidance separates voucher applications, public housing and emergency help, with questions to ask before applying or moving.
Moving or applying in Pinellas County?
Use the Pinellas agency and ZIP guide to distinguish local voucher lists, check Clearwater service exclusions and request the right rent schedule.
Pasco: a voucher or a property application?
The Pasco County housing application guide compares separate program paths, explains the currently linked property packets and helps you ask for the right ZIP-based rent schedule.
Sarasota: the application and the apartment are separate
The Sarasota County voucher and rent guide explains SHA’s applicant portal, property-managed lists and how tenant-paid utilities affect a rental’s gross rent.
Orange County: vouchers and Winter Park property lists
The Orange County, Florida housing application guide separates county and Orlando vouchers from Winter Park public housing, with dated notices and the right agency contacts.
Brevard: choose the agency before the application
The Brevard County voucher guide explains HABC, Cocoa and Titusville contacts, Cocoa’s targeted referral route and ZIP differences in HABC’s rental guidelines.
Seminole: protect an application and confirm the right agency
The Seminole County housing guide explains SCHA’s status lookup and written reviews, Sanford’s OHA route, ZIP rent figures and separate county financial help.
Hernando: vouchers, NSP rentals and a move checklist
The Hernando County housing guide distinguishes the closed HCV list from the separate NSP packet and explains the inspection, utility and lease details needed for a new-unit contract.
Osceola: compare the lease rent and tenant-paid utilities
The Osceola County voucher guide pairs published ZIP payment standards with the county’s utility schedules, explains the applicant-status portal and separates deposit help from HCV applications.
Lake County: match the voucher, unit and physical ZIP
The Lake County, Florida voucher guide explains the adopted bedroom-size rule and ZIP standards, Eustis’s separate programs and expired SHIP application windows.
Walton: protect your application and confirm your voucher deadline
The Walton County housing guide separates the HCV application, contact-update and tenant routes, distinguishes DeFuniak Springs public housing and gives questions to resolve conflicting search-term guidance.
Marion: application updates, participant forms and rental leads
The Marion County housing guide separates Ocala’s status and update routes from annual reviews, HFA property applications and voucher rental-search leads.
Manatee: find your agency and the right voucher office
The Manatee County housing guide distinguishes Manatee County Housing Authority from Bradenton Housing Authority, their application routes and the dates on posted rent and utility schedules.
Alachua: separate the two agencies and their rent figures
The Alachua County housing guide distinguishes Gainesville and ACHA application routes, explains ACHA’s published rent columns and compares the county’s bill-payment and move-in assistance.
Clay: match the program and the packet
For a Clay address, the Clay County Section 8 guide separates the Flagler/Clay voucher agency from Clay SHIP, Bunnell public housing and the two portability packets.
Hillsborough: choose Tampa or Plant City before applying
The Hillsborough County housing guide distinguishes the two voucher agencies, explains Plant City’s rent-schedule columns and separates Tampa’s city-limited move-in program from county resources.
Putnam: check the right list before applying
The Putnam County housing guide separates Palatka’s three listed programs from county SHIP aid and the local Housing Network, with contact steps and HUD income and rent tables.
Charlotte: protect your PGHA record and find the right help
The Charlotte County housing guide separates applicant changes, tenant-client changes and workforce rental interest, and explains the county’s bill-help portal hours and PGHA’s rent inputs.
Glades: separate vouchers, SHIP and disaster help
The Glades County housing guide explains how to confirm voucher coverage for an address, distinguish routine SHIP from conditional disaster help and read the county’s own HUD rent figures.
Suwannee: vouchers, Live Oak and Branford use separate lists
Use the Suwannee County housing guide to find the voucher contact, distinguish the two public-housing routes and check local help with energy bills.
For Franklin County housing help, check the separate NWFRHA voucher, Carrabelle public-housing and Apalachicola application routes. The guide also explains past-due power-bill aid and expired SHIP intake dates.
Detailed Florida county guides
- Broward County Section 8 guide: six agencies, their 2026 ZIP payment standards side by side, and the waiting-list status each one posts.
- Miami-Dade County Section 8 guide: six agencies, the 2026 ZIP payment standards of HCD, Hialeah and Homestead side by side, and the list status each posts.
Voucher-friendly listings in Florida
3 listings
Landlord and investor tools for Florida
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Florida ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in FloridaExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in FloridaMarket rent versus HUD fair market rent by city and bedroom count.
- How Section 8 rent is calculatedFair market rent, payment standards and rent reasonableness, step by step.
- Section 8 landlord math for 2026What the payment standard changes mean for cash flow this year.
Florida metro guides
In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.
Miami, FL
pop. 6,183,1996 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open
Miami-Dade Housing and Community Development runs the metro's largest Section 8 program, with daily HCV operations handled by the Miami-Dade Quadel team, and as of October 18, 2026 its waiting list is closed with no next
See Miami waitlists →
Tampa, FL
pop. 3,342,9634 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open
Start with the agency and program named on your paperwork. At the October 15, 2026 review, the tenant-based HCV lists checked at Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Clearwater housing authorities were closed. Prop
See Tampa waitlists →
Orlando, FL
pop. 2,817,9335 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open
Identify the housing authority that administers your voucher before comparing rents or applying. The agency information below was reviewed on October 20, 2026; separate programs and property lists may have different appl
See Orlando waitlists →
All Section 8 markets in Florida
Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.
Miami, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 33100
56,030 vouchersTampa, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 45300
23,782 vouchersJacksonville, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 27260
8,718 vouchersOrlando, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 36740
7,544 vouchersDeltona, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 19660
4,337 vouchersNorth Port, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 35840
3,754 vouchersGainesville, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 23540
3,465 vouchersCape Coral, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 15980
3,368 vouchersPalm Bay, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 37340
3,157 vouchersPensacola, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 37860
2,852 vouchersTallahassee, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 45220
2,797 vouchersLakeland, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 29460
2,551 vouchersCrestview, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 18880
1,475 vouchersOcala, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 36100
1,470 vouchersPanama City, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 37460
1,175 vouchersPort St. Lucie, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 38940
975 vouchersNaples, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 34940
522 vouchersSebastian, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 42680
410 vouchersPunta Gorda, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 39460
363 vouchersHomosassa Springs, FL
Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 26140
333 vouchers
Section 8 by county in Florida
County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.
- Miami-Dade County33,651 vouchers
- Broward County13,150 vouchers
- Hillsborough County12,001 vouchers
- Pinellas County9,529 vouchers
- Palm Beach County9,229 vouchers
- Duval County8,501 vouchers
- Orange County6,178 vouchers
- Volusia County3,938 vouchers
- Lee County3,368 vouchers
- Brevard County3,157 vouchers
- Alachua County3,073 vouchers
- Leon County2,797 vouchers
- Polk County2,551 vouchers
- Escambia County2,504 vouchers
- Sarasota County2,265 vouchers
- Pasco County1,817 vouchers
- Manatee County1,489 vouchers
- Marion County1,470 vouchers
- Jackson County1,363 vouchers
- Bay County1,175 vouchers
- Okaloosa County1,071 vouchers
- Saint Lucie County856 vouchers
- Lake County537 vouchers
- Seminole County526 vouchers
- Collier County522 vouchers
- Monroe County463 vouchers
- Hernando County435 vouchers
- Indian River County410 vouchers
- Putnam County407 vouchers
- Walton County404 vouchers
- Flagler County399 vouchers
- Levy County392 vouchers
- Charlotte County363 vouchers
- Santa Rosa County348 vouchers
- Citrus County333 vouchers
- Osceola County303 vouchers
- Holmes County194 vouchers
- Baker County150 vouchers
- Martin County119 vouchers
- Nassau County67 vouchers
- Hendry County47 vouchers
- Bradford County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Columbia County
- De Soto County
- Dixie County
- Franklin County
- Gadsden County
- Gilchrist County
- Glades County
- Gulf County
- Hamilton County
- Hardee County
- Highlands County
- Jefferson County
- Lafayette County
- Liberty County
- Madison County
- Okeechobee County
- Saint Johns County
- Sumter County
- Suwannee County
- Taylor County
- Union County
- Wakulla County
- Washington County
Find Section 8 apartments in Florida
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.