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Section 8 · Georgia

Section 8 Housing in Georgia

Georgia’s statewide Section 8 list is closed. The Department of Community Affairs, which runs vouchers in 149 of 159 counties, last took applications October 17 to 20, 2023. DeKalb, Columbus, Savannah, Marietta and Fulton County post their voucher lists as closed too (checked October 22, 2026).

Some building-specific lists are open, including two in Augusta through January 31, 2027.

By the VoucherMatch Editorial Team · Sources reviewed October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026 · Independent guide, not a housing agency

Two restored Victorian houses with towers and wraparound porches behind an iron fence in Inman Park, Atlanta
The Glenn House and the King House in Inman Park, Atlanta. Atlanta Housing serves the city; the state agency DCA serves 149 of Georgia’s 159 counties. Photo: w_lemay, source, CC0 1.0.
Markets covered
8
Active vouchers
72,353
56,776 occupied
Housing authorities
178
statewide
Voucher protection
Not protected

Is Section 8 open in Georgia?

No, not for tenant-based vouchers on October 22, 2026. In most of Georgia the voucher agency is the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA), which says: “DCA’s Tenant Based Voucher Program wait lists are currently closed” (DCA waiting list; Georgia.gov). It last opened online from October 17 to 20, 2023, and drew 5,000 applicants by lottery.

Georgia voucher agencies and their posted status (checked October 22, 2026)
AgencyAreaVouchersPosted status
Georgia DCA (state)149 of 159 counties18,263Closed; last opened Oct. 17–20, 2023
Atlanta HousingCity of Atlanta22,186No status posted; openings announced on its site and in the AJC legal notices
Housing Authority of DeKalb CountyDeKalb (outside Atlanta, Decatur, Lithonia)4,722Closed since its December 2018 opening
Augusta Housing AuthorityAugusta-Richmond4,465Voucher list not among its open lists
Housing Authority of ColumbusColumbus-Muscogee4,132Voucher list closed; “All other wait lists are open”
Macon Housing AuthorityBibb County3,697No status posted
Housing Authority of SavannahSavannah3,438All public housing and voucher lists closed
Marietta Housing AuthorityMarietta2,820Closed
Housing Authority of Fulton CountyUnincorporated Fulton960Closed

Voucher counts: HUD’s public housing agency dataset. HUD records DCA’s statewide vouchers at its DeKalb County office, so DeKalb and Atlanta-metro totals on this page include vouchers used across the state. Status: each agency’s own page. DCA voucher helpline: (470) 802-4707; DCA charges no application fee.

Lists open or opening now

  • Augusta: The Villages at Meadowbrook (project-based) and the elderly two-bedroom public housing list are open from October 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027, through the Augusta applicant portal.
  • DeKalb County: the Edmund Doraville Senior project-based list (55+) opens November 20, 2026, online only (HADC notice).
  • Columbus: the housing authority says all its lists other than the voucher list are open.
  • DCA project-based properties: DCA lists eight properties as open, including buildings in Dalton, Decatur, Norcross, Villa Rica, Gainesville and Albany, but that page was last updated December 4, 2025. Call the property before applying (DCA project-based program).

Follow openings on our verified waiting-list page, and use the Georgia housing authority directory to find the agency for your county.

How Georgia’s statewide program works

  1. DCA runs vouchers in 149 counties through two regional offices; the other 10 counties have their own housing authority (DCA voucher program).
  2. When the list opens, preliminary applications are taken online only, through the DCA Applicant Portal, for a short window.
  3. After it closes, a lottery picks applicants for the waiting lists, with preference for people who live in the county they apply for.
  4. Keep your contact details current in the portal: selected applicants are contacted for eligibility screening.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Georgia?

Yes, almost everywhere. Georgia’s Fair Housing Act (O.C.G.A. § 8-3-202) protects race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin only. Since 1990, O.C.G.A. § 8-3-220 has limited cities and counties to adopting those state protections, not adding new ones.

  • Atlanta adopted a source-of-income ordinance (20-O-1155) in February 2020, but PRRAC reports it “has not yet been enforced due to concerns about state law preemption.”
  • Since November 2022, Atlanta requires residential properties that receive city funding or incentives to accept Housing Choice Vouchers.
  • Refusals based on a protected trait remain illegal; complaints go to the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity or HUD within one year.

Source for Atlanta: PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026). PRRAC lists no other Georgia locality with a voucher ordinance.

General information, not legal advice.

Section 8 income limits in Georgia

HUD FY2026 income limits and FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent, Georgia areas
HUD area50%, 1 person50%, 4 people80%, 4 people2BR FMR
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell (ZIP-level FMRs)$41,250$58,900$94,250$1,762
Savannah$37,600$53,650$85,850$1,679
Augusta-Richmond County (ZIP-level FMRs)$31,650$45,200$72,300$1,329
Macon-Bibb County$26,950$38,500$61,600$1,309
Athens-Clarke County$35,050$50,050$80,100$1,285
Columbus$29,600$42,350$67,750$1,212
Valdosta$28,950$41,300$66,100$1,179
Albany$26,950$38,500$61,600$1,103

Sources: HUD FY2026 income limits and FY2027 Fair Market Rents (effective October 1, 2026), read through the HUD USER API on October 22, 2026. Vouchers generally go to households at or below 50% of median; most new admissions are at or below 30%.

HUD FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent by Georgia area

The Atlanta area’s two-bedroom benchmark, $1,762, is $659 above Albany’s. In Atlanta and Augusta the benchmark is set by ZIP code.

  • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell$1,762
  • Savannah$1,679
  • Augusta-Richmond County$1,329
  • Macon-Bibb County$1,309
  • Athens-Clarke County$1,285
  • Columbus$1,212
  • Valdosta$1,179
  • Albany$1,103
Source: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Agencies set their own payment standards from these benchmarks.

Next steps

Section 8 in Georgia: common questions

Is Section 8 open in Georgia?

Not for the statewide list. As of October 22, 2026, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs says its tenant-based voucher waiting lists are closed; they last opened October 17 to 20, 2023, when 5,000 applicants were drawn by lottery. DeKalb County, Columbus, Savannah, Marietta and Fulton County also post their voucher lists as closed.

Who runs Section 8 in Georgia?

In 149 of Georgia’s 159 counties, the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) is the voucher agency, and you apply to the state, not a local housing authority. Local housing authorities serve the remaining 10 counties, and cities such as Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah run their own voucher lists.

How do I apply for Section 8 with Georgia DCA?

Watch DCA’s waiting-list page. When it opens, preliminary applications are taken online only through the DCA Applicant Portal for a few days, and applicants are then chosen by lottery, with preference for people who live in the county they apply for. DCA does not charge an application fee. Its voucher helpline is (470) 802-4707.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Georgia?

Yes, almost everywhere. Georgia’s fair housing law does not protect voucher holders, and a 1990 state law bars cities and counties from adding protected classes. Atlanta passed a source-of-income ordinance in 2020, but it has not been enforced because of that preemption; since 2022 Atlanta requires properties that receive city funding to accept vouchers.

What are the Section 8 income limits in Georgia?

Vouchers generally go to households at or below 50% of area median income. For a family of four that is $58,900 in the Atlanta area, $53,650 in Savannah, $45,200 in Augusta and $38,500 in Macon (HUD FY2026).

Detailed Georgia county guides

  • Cherokee County Section 8 guide: vouchers from Georgia DCA (not Canton Housing Authority), both lists closed, 2026 ZIP standards and income limits by household size.
  • DeKalb County Section 8 guide: HADC’s 2026 payment standards for every ZIP, Decatur Housing’s figures, and which lists are open, including the November 20 senior list.

Voucher-friendly listings in Georgia

2 listings

Browse these listings →

Compare HUD rent benchmarks across Georgia

Use the county tables to compare areas, then ask the administering housing authority for its adopted payment standard, utility allowance and household calculation.

Landlord and investor tools for Georgia

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

Georgia metro guides

In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.

Atlanta, GA

pop. 6,307,261

5 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Five separate agencies administer Housing Choice Vouchers in the Atlanta metro, and as of October 18, 2026 none of them has an open tenant-based waiting list: Atlanta Housing's list has been closed since March 27, 2017.

See Atlanta waitlists →

All Section 8 markets in Georgia

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.

Section 8 by county in Georgia

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

Find Section 8 apartments in Georgia

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.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in GeorgiaList your unit free

Other states

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