VoucherMatch

Section 8 Housing in Ohio

94,500 active Housing Choice Vouchers across 12 markets. Rent limits, housing authorities, waitlist status, and voucher rights for every metro in Ohio.

Markets covered
12
Active vouchers
94,500
290,963 occupied
Housing authorities
75
statewide
Voucher protection
Not protected
No statewide source-of-income law (Ohio Civil Rights Act, R.C. 4112.02(H), does not cover vouchers)

Voucher-friendly listings in Ohio

1 listing

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Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Ohio?

In most of the state, yes. Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Ohio can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.

No statewide source-of-income law (Ohio Civil Rights Act, R.C. 4112.02(H), does not cover vouchers)

Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection, so outside the cities with their own ordinance a landlord can decline a voucher applicant. Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, South Euclid, Toledo and University Heights have local ordinances. Ohio HB 430 (2022) bars local rent control; it does not mention source-of-income ordinances, and Dayton adopted its ordinance in 2023, after HB 430. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Ohio Advisory Committee (2024) documented widespread source-of-income discrimination in the state. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Local voucher discrimination laws in Ohio

Ohio has no statewide law, so protection depends on where the apartment is. These are the local ordinances on file.

Source: PRRAC, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026), plus the ordinances linked above. Informational only, not legal advice.

Landlord and investor tools for Ohio

RentalCalcs

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

Ohio metro guides

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

Cincinnati, OH

pop. 2,271,479

1 of 6 PHAs accepting applicants

Cincinnati CMHA’s voucher calculation combines the applicable ZIP and bedroom standard, utilities and household contribution. Use the Cincinnati agency’s documents and tenancy process; another Ohio CMHA or a Northern Ken

See Cincinnati waitlists →

Columbus, OH

pop. 2,180,271

1 of 3 PHAs accepting applicants

Use Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority’s RentCafe route for a voucher application and its current documents for an active search. New moves need special attention to the August 1, 2026 payment-standard revision. App

See Columbus waitlists →

Cleveland, OH

pop. 2,158,932

1 of 4 PHAs accepting applicants

Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority accepts year-round preliminary HCV applications, then selects applicants through lotteries as funding allows. Keep the application active and separate that process from an issued v

See Cleveland waitlists →

All Section 8 markets in Ohio

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 Ohio

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

Section 8 in Ohio: common questions

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Ohio?
In most of the state, yes. Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Ohio can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Which Ohio cities and counties have their own voucher discrimination law?
Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, South Euclid, Toledo and University Heights have a local source-of-income ordinance on file. The ordinance and its citation are listed on this page.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Ohio?
HUD data shows about 94,500 Housing Choice Vouchers across the 12 Ohio markets we track, administered by 75 housing authorities statewide.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Ohio?
You apply to a local housing authority, not to the state or to HUD. Each of Ohio's housing authorities runs its own waitlist and opens it on its own schedule, and applying is always free. Pick your metro or county on this page to see the housing authorities that serve it and their current waitlist status.

Find Section 8 apartments in Ohio

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.

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Other states

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