Applying to the Centralized Waiting List

There are over 100 housing authorities that participate in the Centralized Waiting List. You can apply either by filling out a paper application and mailing it to one of the participating housing authorities, or through a website; the latter is recommended. We will be going through each of these, step by step. Because the application for the Centralized Waiting List (both on paper and on line) has strict copyright limitations, we will not be able to show images of the process or share a completed sample application. Instead, we will be looking at the questions in turn and discussing how to answer them. For the purposes of this exercise, we will assume that Jane Smith is helping her son Roger, who has a disability, apply. Jane is Roger’s legal guardian. Roger attends a special needs residential school, and lives in a group home owned by the school. (Please note that nothing on this website is intended as legal advice, there is no guarantee the information provided is accurate, and using the information provided does not guarantee one will receive a housing voucher. For a complete legal disclaimer, please click here.)

• Paper application
• Online application

Paper application

• Print out a copy of the application. Copies of the application in Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese are coming soon at http://section8listmass.org/How_to_Apply.php . In the meantime, contact your local housing authority for assistance.
• The first section of the application is called “Head of Household”.
  • Because Roger is the person who will use the voucher, Jane uses Roger’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number to fill out the application.
  • Because she is Roger’s guardian and will be the one communicating with housing authorities, she uses her own phone number and email address.
• The second section of the application is called “Current Living Situation”.
  • Because Roger cannot stay in his group home after the age of 22, Jane checks off “Living in a temporary residence” under “Current Living Situation”.
• The third and fourth sections of the application are called “Current address” and “Mailing Address”.
  • Roger currently lives in a group home, but, because he is a student and only lives there temporarily, Jane uses her home address, which is Roger’s legal address. (If Roger were over 22 and living in a group home, she would use the address of Roger’s group home as his address, and put her own address under “mailing address”.)
• The fifth section of the application is called “Housing Costs”.
  • Roger’s housing costs are being paid by his school district, so Jane lists his rent and utilities as $0 each.
  • Because Roger cannot stay in his group home after the age of 22, Jane checks “yes” to “Is your household at risk of losing your current residence?”
• The next section of the application is called “Emergency Contact”.
  • Jane lists herself as the emergency contact. (Note that the online version of the application allows listing more than one emergency contact. This is an advantage of the online application, as it helps to have additional phone numbers and emails that a housing authority can use to contact someone.)
• The next section is called “Household”.
  • Roger is considered to be a household of one, so Jane answers “1” to “How many people live in your household?”.
  • Jane knows that Roger will need to have someone live with him, so she answers “2” to “How many bedrooms does the household require?.
• The next section is “Head of Household”. It comprises basic questions: date of birth, gender, citizenship, Social Security (or Alien ID) number, and presence of a disability.
  • Jane checks “yes” for “Disabled”.
• The next section is “Head of Household – Employment & Other Income”.
  • Roger has a part time job, so she lists his employer’s name and address, and his approximate monthly income.
  • He is paid by check, so she answers “No” to “Pay Cash”.
  • Roger also receives SSI and the Mass. SSI Supplement. Jane adds his monthly payments for each of these together. She puts the total down as the answer to “Other total monthly income (including SSI, SSDI, alimony, child support, pensions, etc.)
• The next section is “Head of Household – School”.
  • Jane enters the name and address of Roger’s school.
  • Although they do not use grade levels at his school, she checks off “High (9-12)” to the question “School Type”.
• The next section is “Head of Household – Veteran Status”.
  • Roger is not a veteran and has never been married to a veteran, so he answers “No” to both questions.
• The next sections are “Head of Household – Race” and “Head of Household – Ethnicity”.
• The next sections ask about additional household members.
  • As Roger is a household of one, Jane writes “N.A.” in the margin next to each of them.
• The next section is “Applicant Household Conditions”.
  • This section is looking for any evidence that the applicant can be considered homeless, and thus receive a voucher faster.
  • Because Roger resides at a group home connected to his special needs school, which he must leave at the age of 22, Jane checks “Yes” to “Are you or any household member living in an institution that provides a temporary residence, including congregate shelters and transitional housing, intended for individuals with disabilities?”
• The next section requires certification that the information given above is correct; certification that the applicant has reached the age of 18; and a signature and date.
  • Jane handwrites “guardian of” above the words “head of household” in the signature line, signs her own name, and writes (“guardian”) in parentheses after her signature. Jane should attach a copy of her guardianship letter to the application when she mails it. Alternatively, she can have Roger sign the application himself.
• Make sure you have answered all questions marked with an asterisk.
• The next step is mailing the application.
  • It is a good idea to make a photocopy of your application for your files. However, make sure you mail the original, not the photocopy. Incomplete, photocopied, e-mailed, or faxed applications are not accepted.
  • Pick one housing authority off the list of participating housing authorities that appears at http://www.section8listmass.org/List_of_Participating_Agencies.php, and address the envelope to that housing authority. If you live in a community served by one of the participating authorities, it makes sense to choose that one. Make a note of what housing authority you chose, in case you need to contact it later. Do not mail the application to multiple housing authorities; once you have applied to one, you are on the waiting list for all of the housing authorities that participate in the Centralized Waiting List.
  • If you signed as your family member’s guardian, make sure to include a copy of the letter from the court appointing you as guardian.
  • It is a good idea to physically go to the post office and mail the application “certified mail, return receipt requested”. That way, you will be able to track it and ensure it was received. Another option is to hand carry the application to the housing authority.
• Once you have received acknowledgment in the mail that your application was received, go to https://www.affordablehousing.com to register for the Centralized Waiting List website. (Instructions for registration appear under Online application.) Once you have registered, you can click on “Find application”. This will allow you to make changes to your application as needed. Make sure you save your log in and password, as you will need to log in to your application every few months to keep it active.
• Take steps to make sure you don’t get removed from the waiting list. Many applicants are purged from the list without realizing it, and have to apply all over again, sometimes wasting years of waiting time.
  • It is a good idea to keep track of your application (and all housing applications) using the spreadsheet in the Document Library.

Back to top

Online application

In the summer of 2019, the Section 8 Centralized Waiting List application moved to a new website, www.gosection8.com. (The website has since been renamed www.affordablehousing.com, but www.gosection8.com will forward to the new URL.) Everyone currently on the waiting list needs to register at the new site to claim and update their application, or they may be removed from the list.

In this section, we will only provide directions on how to register for the new website. This is because the application for the Centralized Waiting List (both on paper and online) has strict copyright limitations. As a result, we are not able to show images of the process or to share a completed sample application. The questions asked in the online application are identical to those asked in the paper application. Once you have registered for the site, please go to Paper Application for directions on how to complete the actual application.

• Begin by going to https://www.affordablehousing.com.
• On the top right, click the button labeled “Sign up”.
• Click “Renter”
• Enter your family member’s first and last name.
• If your family member does not reliably respond to emails or phone calls, enter your own email address and phone.
• Click “Sign up”.
• Go to https://www.affordablehousing.com/masscwl.
• Click “Apply Now” button on the left. (If you have previously applied via either the old website or a paper application, click on “Update Application” button instead.)
• The website will send you an email. Please open your email and look for an email from “AffordableHousing.com”. You may need to check your junk or spam folder.
• Click the link in the email to confirm your account.
• Return to https://www.affordablehousing.com/masscwl and click on the “Apply Now” (or “Update Application”) button again.
• Enter the email address you used to sign up and create a password. Make sure you write both down.
• Click “Save”.
• At this point, you may need to confirm your email address again. Once you have done so, return to https://www.affordablehousing.com/masscwl and click on the “Apply Now” (or “Update Application”) button again.
• You will now be asked for your family member’s social security number.
  • If you have confirmed your account, but the site is not asking you for a social security number, you may need to sign out and sign back in.
  • If your family member has previously applied and you receive a message saying the social security number is associated with someone else, it is possible you did not use the same email address as was used on the initial application. Try again with another email you might have used. If that fails, call (866) 466-7328. Someone will walk you through finding your application. Once you login with the information they have on file, you can correct the information. If for some reason your family member has actually been dropped from the waiting list, you will need to contact your local housing authority.
  • If your family member has previously applied and you receive a message saying no application found, it is possible someone at a housing authority entered your family member’s social security number incorrectly. If that fails, call (866) 466-7328. Someone will walk you through finding your application. Once you login with the information they have on file, you can correct the information. If for some reason your family member has actually been dropped from the waiting list, you will need to contact your local housing authority.
• Once the application appears, please go to Paper Application for directions on how to complete the actual application
• Once the application is completed and e-signed, you will be given the opportunity to print the application. Be aware the print version will probably appear to have randomly assigned your family member to a housing authority far from where they live. This is purely a computer glitch. If you log out and login, and attempt to print again, it may well list a different housing authority. Just remember that you are on the list for all participating housing authorities.
• When you are signed in the dashboard at https://www.affordablehousing.com/masscwl will give you a date 3 months out when you need to login and update the application.
  • Please make sure you login near the date, even if you don’t need to make any changes. This will keep your application active.
  • Login at https://www.affordablehousing.com, click on the blue “Options” button, click “Update Application”, make any necessary changes, click “Agree”, click “Sign”, click “Submit”. Make a note of the new date you need to login.
• Once you have completed the application, take steps to make sure you don’t get removed from the waiting list. Many applicants are purged from the list without realizing it, and have to apply all over again, sometimes wasting years of waiting time.
  • It is a good idea to keep track of your application (and all housing applications) using the spreadsheet in the Document Library.

Back to top

(Please note that nothing on this website is intended as legal advice, there is no guarantee the information provided is accurate, and using the information provided does not guarantee one will receive a housing voucher. For a complete legal disclaimer, please click here.)