Section 8 North Carolina: Waitlists by City (2026)

For a single mother in North Carolina raising two kids on one paycheck, Section 8 North Carolina help does not come from one state office. Each city or county housing authority runs its own Housing Choice Voucher list, opens it for a few days or weeks, then shuts it again. On October 17, 2026, this guide read the waitlist pages of ten agencies that cover the state's largest cities and six rural counties.

The short version: Asheville's tenant-based voucher list is open online, Greensboro is taking project-based voucher applications, and the voucher lists in Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville and Wilmington are closed. Below is each agency's status in its own words, the income line for a mom with two children, and the help a single mother can lean on while her name sits on a list.

Before you apply anywhere

• Applying is free. Raleigh Housing Authority says it never asks for a credit card or payment to apply
• The NC Housing Finance Agency does not hand out vouchers, and it warns about a scam claiming it does
• File one application per household with each agency; Raleigh rejects duplicates
• Keep your email, phone and mailing address current, because agencies drop names they cannot reach

Section 8 North Carolina waitlists: status in 10 cities and counties

Each row comes from the agency's own website, read on October 17, 2026. Lists can open or close with little notice, so check the agency's page before you count on a row. "Not posted" means the site gives no current status for that list.

City or area	Agency	Section 8 voucher list	Other lists
Charlotte	INLIVIAN	Closed	Apartment communities keep their own lists; apply at each property whose list is open
Raleigh (Wake County)	Raleigh Housing Authority	Closed; RHA says all its lists shut on June 6, 2025, and puts the voucher wait at 4 to 7 years	Public housing lists closed at 1 p.m. on June 6, 2025, after a five-day online window
Durham	Durham Housing Authority	No opening posted	Project-based lists at two new communities ran September 21 to October 2, 2026
Greensboro	Greensboro Housing Authority	Closed	Open: project-based voucher list, online
High Point	High Point Housing Authority	Opens only by public notice; none posted	Public housing applications taken in person on Wednesdays
Winston-Salem	ASPIRE (formerly HAWS)	Closed; last opened April 2024	Public housing applications by community
Fayetteville	Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority	Closed	Public housing pre-applications by portal; status not posted
Wilmington	Wilmington Housing Authority	Closed; no reopening date	Public housing closed
Asheville (Buncombe County)	Housing Authority of the City of Asheville	Open, online only; no closing date posted	Open: affordable housing at HACA properties
Columbus, Granville, Halifax, Person, Sampson and Warren counties	NC Commission of Indian Affairs	"May be closed"; watch its page	Also runs vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities and for homelessness in more counties

What each Section 8 North Carolina agency tells applicants

Charlotte: INLIVIAN

INLIVIAN, the housing authority serving Charlotte, says on its how-to-apply page that its Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is currently closed (INLIVIAN, how to apply). Its apartment communities run site-based lists instead, so you file a separate application at each property and submit it in person or by mail (INLIVIAN FAQ).

When the voucher list does open, order matters. INLIVIAN's approved administrative plan, amended in 2025, pulls families displaced from INLIVIAN properties first, then families whose special-purpose voucher funding is ending, then everyone else by date and time of application (INLIVIAN amended administrative plan). Its 2026 draft keeps that order.

Charlotte also has a work rule. Since January 1, 2018, non-elderly, non-disabled voucher households have been expected to work 20 hours a week, and a family moving a voucher in from elsewhere must hold a Charlotte-area job or a written job offer (INLIVIAN, Housing Choice Voucher).

Raleigh and Wake County: Raleigh Housing Authority

RHA's waiting list page says all of its lists have been closed since 1 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2025, when a public housing pre-application window that opened June 2 ended. Those applications were online only, one per household, with no fee (RHA waiting lists). The agency's FAQ puts the Section 8 wait at four to seven years.

For public housing, RHA gives preference to people who live or work in Wake County, working families with 24 months of steady work at 35 hours a week or more, elderly applicants, and mobility-impaired applicants when an accessible unit is free (RHA FAQs). You can hold a spot on both lists, but if public housing comes first you must stay a year before switching to a voucher.

Wake County Housing Authority, based in Zebulon, is a separate agency with 585 vouchers and 343 public housing units across Raleigh, Cary, Apex and nine other Wake towns. Its website gives no list status on October 17, 2026, so call 919-269-6404 before you apply (Wake County Housing Authority).

Durham: Durham Housing Authority

DHA manages 3,078 vouchers and 1,201 public housing units, and its homepage says lists may close based on their size and length (Durham Housing Authority). No tenant-based voucher opening was posted on October 17, 2026.

The latest opening on DHA's news page covered project-based voucher units at Converge at Momentum and Sankofa Landing, from 8 a.m. on September 21 to 5 p.m. on October 2, 2026 (DHA, Converge at Momentum and Sankofa Landing lists). With project-based help, the subsidy stays with the apartment, not the family. DHA also opened senior project-based lists in May and June 2026, so the news page is worth checking monthly.

DHA's public housing page, which carries no date, says public housing is accepting applications at the community you choose, with families placed by date, time and bedroom size (DHA, public housing). Call 919-683-1551 to confirm before you go.

Greensboro: Greensboro Housing Authority

GHA's programs page lists the project-based voucher list as open and every other list as closed, including tenant-based vouchers and public housing. Applications go through its Rent Cafe portal, and staff book help appointments at 336-271-3368 on weekdays (GHA, housing programs).

GHA serves the Greensboro area only. Its FAQ says applicants with disabilities get the same priority as working families and full-time students, and that the agency does not give out list numbers (GHA FAQs).

High Point: High Point Housing Authority

HPHA runs 1,872 tenant-based vouchers, and the vouchers can also go toward buying a home (HPHA, Housing Choice Voucher Program). It takes voucher applications only after a public notice announces an opening, and no notice was on its site on October 17, 2026. During an opening, it accepts applications on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and any weekday for elderly or disabled applicants (HPHA, how to apply for HCV).

Public housing works differently. HPHA accepts applications at 500 E. Russell Ave. on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Bring birth certificates and Social Security cards for everyone, photo ID for adults and proof of income (HPHA, how to apply for public housing).

Winston-Salem: ASPIRE

The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem now goes by ASPIRE. Its applicants page says it is not taking voucher applications, opens the list for several days about every three years, and last did so in April 2024 (ASPIRE, applicants). If that rhythm holds, the next window falls around 2027, though ASPIRE has not set a date. Public housing applications run through each community.

Fayetteville: Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority

FMHA's voucher page says plainly that its Section 8 waiting list is currently closed (FMHA, HCV/Section 8). Its public housing page explains how to file a pre-application through the online applicant portal and offers computer access at 229 Lincoln Drive. It does not say whether that list is open, so ask before you file; the page lists 910-699-8134 for help with computer or Wi-Fi access (FMHA, public housing).

Wilmington: Wilmington Housing Authority

WHA says its voucher list is closed and that, with so many people already waiting, it cannot name a reopening date (WHA, Housing Choice Voucher Program). Its public housing list is closed too. When a list reopens, WHA announces it on its website and in local media, and takes applications online or by mail to 1524 South 16th Street (WHA communities).

Asheville: Housing Authority of the City of Asheville

HACA is the open door on this list. Its admissions page, last updated September 3, 2026, says the tenant-based voucher waitlist has reopened and gives no closing date, and the affordable housing list for HACA properties, now including Maple Crest Apartments, is open as well. Both take applications online only, processed in order of receipt (HACA, admissions).

Without internet access, or with a disability, you can get help from HACA's admissions team; walk-ins are welcome Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 165 South French Broad Ave. HACA vouchers cover Buncombe County, and 75% go to families at or below 30% of area median income (HACA, Housing Choice Voucher Program).

Six rural counties: NC Commission of Indian Affairs

No statewide office runs vouchers for rural areas. The nearest thing is the NC Commission of Indian Affairs, which HUD named a housing agency in 1976. It runs vouchers in Columbus, Granville, Halifax, Person, Sampson and Warren counties, open to eligible families regardless of race, and says its list may be closed; the program line is (984) 236-0160 (NC Department of Administration, Section 8 program).

Everywhere else, find your agency on HUD's contact list or call 800-955-2232 (HUD, North Carolina). The same HUD page notes that tax credit properties financed through the state housing agency accept voucher tenants, which helps once a voucher is in hand. For lists opening in other states, the national housing assistance guide tracks openings month by month.

How much a single mom of two can earn and still qualify

Most Section 8 North Carolina voucher programs cap income at 50% of the area median, which HUD calls very low income. HUD's fiscal 2026 limits took effect May 1, 2026. For a household of three, such as a mother and two children, that line runs from $36,900 in the Fayetteville metro to $59,550 in Raleigh-Cary (HUD User, income limits).

The darker bar matters as much. Federal rules require that at least 75% of families an agency admits to vouchers in a year be extremely low income (24 CFR 982.201). For three people that line is $27,320 in Fayetteville, Greensboro-High Point and Winston-Salem, and $35,750 in Raleigh-Cary. Agencies can skip past higher-income families to meet that share, and INLIVIAN's plan says it may.

So a single mom earning near the 50% line can be eligible on paper and still wait longer than a family with lower pay. Count every dollar coming into the home. High Point's voucher checklist asks for proof of income for all household members, naming wages, child support and Social Security, and agencies verify it when your name reaches the top.

What rent looks like once a voucher comes through

A Section 8 North Carolina voucher does not cover all of the rent. The agency sets a payment standard between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent and pays the gap between that standard and 30% of your adjusted monthly income. RHA says families typically pay 30% to 40%, and since January 1, 2025 it has used Small Area Fair Market Rents, which vary by ZIP code (RHA, Housing Choice Voucher).

Your share is figured on adjusted income, not gross pay. Federal rules subtract a set amount for each dependent child, plus reasonable child care costs that let you work or go to school (24 CFR 5.611). Keep daycare receipts, because they can lower the rent a working single mom pays.

When you first lease a unit that rents above the payment standard, your share cannot top 40% of adjusted monthly income (24 CFR 982.508). ASPIRE says its voucher families pay about 40%. RHA does not help with security deposits, so save for one, and the first lease runs twelve months (RHA, HCV eligibility and applications).

Finding a willing landlord takes the longest for many Section 8 North Carolina families. NCHousingSearch.org lists rentals statewide, from market-rate to income-restricted units, with a free help line at 1-877-428-8844 on weekdays (NCHousingSearch.org).

Five mistakes that cost moms their spot

Each of these mistakes comes straight from the agencies' own rules, and each can cost a single mom her place on a Section 8 North Carolina list.

1. Moving the voucher too soon. If neither you nor a spouse lived in an agency's area when you applied, federal rules let it keep you there for the first 12 months, with no right to move the voucher (24 CFR 982.353). Apply where you plan to raise your kids. The hold does not apply when you or a child is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and the move is needed for safety.
2. Losing touch. If you move in with relatives or change phones, tell every agency. RHA removes names it cannot reach. INLIVIAN drops applicants who do not answer a selection notice or whose letter comes back undeliverable.
3. Applying twice. RHA rejects every application when one household files more than one.
4. Paying a stranger. The state housing finance agency warns of a scam telling people to apply for Section 8 through it; it does not distribute vouchers at all (NCHFA, find rent assistance). No real list charges a fee.
5. Porting into Charlotte without work. A mother moving to Charlotte to be near family still needs a local job or a job offer letter before INLIVIAN accepts a transferred voucher.

Help you can use while your name is on a list

RHA and GHA both say they run no emergency housing or emergency subsidy. Short-term housing assistance for single mothers in North Carolina comes from other places, and a single mom on any Section 8 North Carolina list can use these while waiting:

• NC 211. Call 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162 for free, confidential referrals to shelters, rent and utility programs near you (NC 211).
• Crisis Assistance Ministry, Charlotte. Short-term emergency rent and utility help for income-qualified Mecklenburg County residents (Crisis Assistance Ministry, get help).
• Crisis Intervention Program. Your county DSS takes applications from July 1 to June 30, or until money runs out, for a heating or cooling crisis. Income runs to 150% of poverty, and resources must be $3,000 or less, or $4,500 with a member 60 or older or disabled (NCDHHS, Crisis Intervention Program).
• LIEAP heating help. A one-time payment to your heating vendor at up to 130% of poverty. Households with a person 60 or older, or a disabled person receiving services through the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, apply December 1 to 31; everyone else applies January 1 to March 31 (NCDHHS, LIEAP).
• Leaving an abusive partner. HUD's North Carolina page lists 911 for danger and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. INLIVIAN's plan says a victim may carry poor credit or a damaged-apartment record, and it gives her 10 business days after a denial to claim VAWA protection.
• Homeless coordinated entry. The Balance of State Continuum of Care runs coordinated entry through regional committees, using a shared Homeless Assessment and Referral Tool (NC Coalition to End Homelessness, coordinated entry). 211 can point you to your region's entry point.

For cash and deposit help beyond these, the emergency assistance guide for single mothers lists national options. Summer power bills are covered in the LIHEAP cooling assistance guide.

Food benefits free up rent money too. A family of three can get up to $808 a month in SNAP from October 1, 2026, and the North Carolina grants guide for single mothers covers cash help, child care and Medicaid. The WIC guide explains formula and food for children under 5.

Buying a home instead of waiting to rent

For some mothers with steady income, buying can beat a multi-year wait for a voucher. The NC Home Advantage Mortgage offers down payment help of up to 3% of the loan amount, and first-time buyers and veterans can take $15,000 through the NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment. Repayment applies only if you sell, refinance or transfer the home before year 15 (NCHFA, NC Home Advantage Mortgage).

Buyers below 80% of county median income may get up to 25% of the price, capped at $50,000, through the Community Partners Loan Pool (NCHFA, home buyers). Ask your housing authority as well: High Point lets vouchers go toward homeownership.

Frequently asked questions

Is any Section 8 waiting list open in North Carolina right now?

Yes, at least one Section 8 North Carolina list is open. On October 17, 2026, Asheville's housing authority was taking tenant-based voucher applications online, and Greensboro's was taking project-based voucher applications. Smaller agencies open lists on their own schedules, so call 211 or check HUD's contact list for the authority that serves your county before assuming every list is shut.

Can a single mom apply to more than one housing authority?

Yes. Each authority keeps its own list, and nothing stops you from joining several, as long as you file only one application per household with each. Apply where you would actually live, though: if you did not live in an agency's area when you applied, it can hold you there for 12 months before the voucher can move.

Do single mothers get priority on these waiting lists?

Not for being single mothers. Preferences vary by agency: Raleigh's public housing list favors people who live or work in Wake County and steady working families, while INLIVIAN puts displaced residents first. What can help a single mother is low income, since most new voucher slots must go to extremely low income families.

How long is the Section 8 North Carolina wait once I am on a list?

Raleigh estimates four to seven years for a voucher, and Greensboro says the wait can run from months to several years. Agencies do not give out list numbers because positions shift as preferences apply. Joining a public housing or project-based list at the same time can improve your odds of being housed sooner.

Can I take a Section 8 North Carolina voucher to another state?

Usually, yes, through portability, such as a move closer to family who help with the kids. If you lived in the agency's area when you applied, you can ask to move the voucher; if not, it can keep you local for 12 months. Tell your caseworker before giving notice, because the receiving agency sets its own payment amount.

Sources

• INLIVIAN. How to Apply (Housing Choice Voucher waitlist status). inlivian.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• INLIVIAN. Frequently Asked Questions (site-based waiting lists). inlivian.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• INLIVIAN. Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan, approved amended 2025 (local preferences, income targeting). inlivian.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• INLIVIAN. Housing Choice Voucher Program (work requirement, portability). inlivian.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Raleigh Housing Authority. Waiting List (closed June 6, 2025). rhanc.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Raleigh Housing Authority. RHA FAQs (wait length, preferences). rhanc.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Raleigh Housing Authority. Housing Choice Voucher overview (payment standards, SAFMRs). rhanc.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Raleigh Housing Authority. HCV Eligibility and Applications (lease term, security deposit). rhanc.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Wake County Housing Authority. Home page (program size, towns served). wakecountyha.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Durham Housing Authority. Home page (program size, waitlist policy). durhamhousingauthority.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Durham Housing Authority. Opening of Converge at Momentum and Sankofa Landing Waiting Lists (posted September 15, 2026). durhamhousingauthority.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Durham Housing Authority. Public Housing. durhamhousingauthority.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Greensboro Housing Authority. Housing Programs (waiting list status). gha-nc.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Greensboro Housing Authority. Frequently Asked Questions. gha-nc.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• High Point Housing Authority. Housing Choice Voucher Program. hpha.net (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• High Point Housing Authority. How To Apply For Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. hpha.net (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• High Point Housing Authority. How To Apply For Public Housing. hpha.net (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• ASPIRE (Housing Authority of Winston-Salem). Applicants (voucher list last open April 2024). aspirews.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority. HCV/Section 8 (waiting list closed). fmhanc.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority. Public Housing (pre-application steps). fmhanc.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Wilmington Housing Authority. Housing Choice Voucher Program (waiting list closed). wha.net (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Wilmington Housing Authority. WHA Communities (public housing waiting list closed). wha.net (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Housing Authority of the City of Asheville. Admissions (HCV tenant-based and affordable housing waitlists open; page updated September 3, 2026). haca.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Housing Authority of the City of Asheville. Housing Choice Voucher Program. haca.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• NC Department of Administration, Commission of Indian Affairs. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. doa.nc.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. North Carolina (PHA contacts, rental help). hud.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• HUD User. Income Limits, FY2026 Section 8 income limits data (effective May 1, 2026). huduser.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 982.201, Eligibility and targeting. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 5.611, Adjusted income (dependent and child care deductions). ecfr.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 982.508, Maximum family share at initial occupancy. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 982.353, Where family can lease a unit with tenant-based assistance. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• NCHousingSearch.org. North Carolina rental housing search. nchousingsearch.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Find Rent Assistance (voucher scam warning). nchfa.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. NC Home Advantage Mortgage. nchfa.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Home Buyers (NC 1st Home Advantage, Community Partners Loan Pool). nchfa.com (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• United Way of North Carolina. NC 211. nc211.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• Crisis Assistance Ministry. Get Help (emergency rent and utility assistance). crisisassistance.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• NC Department of Health and Human Services. Crisis Intervention Program (Heating and Cooling). ncdhhs.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• NC Department of Health and Human Services. Low Income Energy Assistance Program. ncdhhs.gov (retrieved October 17, 2026)
• NC Coalition to End Homelessness. Balance of State CoC Coordinated Entry. ncceh.org (retrieved October 17, 2026)