Section 8 & Affordable Housing Waitlists in Illinois
In Illinois, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing waitlists are run by local public housing authorities — not by HUD or by Lease Lantern. Each authority opens and closes its own lists, sometimes for only a few days at a time, so timing and persistence matter.
How to find and join an open waitlist
- Identify the housing authorities that serve where you want to live (listed below).
- Contact each one to ask whether its Section 8 or public housing waitlist is currently open.
- Apply to every open list you qualify for — many people keep several active at once.
- Have your documents ready: ID, income, household members, and current address.
- Keep your contact info updated with each authority so you don’t lose your place.
Waitlist openings change frequently, so always confirm the current status directly with the authority. Eligibility depends on your household income versus the Illinois income limits.
Where to apply in Illinois
66 authorities administer Section 8 vouchers in Illinois. Contact one to check waitlist status:
Bureau County Housing AuthorityPrinceton Chicago Housing AuthorityChicago Decatur Housing AuthorityDecatur Dupage Housing AuthorityWheaton East Peoria Housing AuthorityEast Peoria Fulton County Housing AuthorityCanton Grtr Metro. Area Hsng Auth Of Rock Island CountyEast Moline Housing Authority - County Of SalineHarrisburg Housing Authority Cook CountyChicago Housing Authority Of The County Of DekalbDekalb Housing Authority Of The County Of Wayne, IllinoisFairfield Housing Authority For Lasalle CountyOttawa Housing Authority Of Champaign CountyChampaign Housing Authority Of Christian County, IllinoisPana Housing Authority Of Edgar CountyParis Housing Authority Of ElginElgin Housing Authority Of Jefferson CountyMount Vernon Housing Authority Of JolietJoliet Housing Authority Of Marion CountyCentralia Housing Authority Of Mt. Vernon, IllinoisMount Vernon Housing Authority Of Park ForestPark Forest Housing Authority Of The City Of AuroraAurora Housing Authority Of The City Of Bloomington, IlBloomington Housing Authority Of The City Of Marion, IllinoisMarion Housing Authority Of The City Of North Chicago, IlNorth Chicago Housing Authority Of The City Of Rock IslandRock Island Housing Authority Of The City Of WaukeganWaukegan Housing Authority Of The County Of BooneBelvidere Housing Authority Of The County Of FranklinWest Frankfort Housing Authority Of The County Of Jackson, Il.Murphysboro Housing Authority Of The County Of JerseyJerseyville Housing Authority Of The County Of JodaviessGalena Housing Authority Of The County Of Lake, Il.Grayslake Housing Authority Of The County Of McdonoughMacomb Housing Authority Of The County Of Mclean, Ill.Bloomington Housing Authority Of The County Of RichlandOlney Housing Authority Of The County Of Shelby, Il.Shelbyville Housing Authority Of The County Of WilliamsonCarterville Housing Authority Of The Town Of CiceroCicero Housing Authority Of The Village Of Oak ParkOak Park Illinois Housing Development AuthorityChicago Kankakee County Housing AuthorityKankakee Kendall Housing AuthorityYorkville Knox County Housing AuthorityGalesburg Lee County Housing AuthorityDixon Logan County Housing AuthorityLincoln Madison County Housing AuthorityCollinsville Mchenry County Housing AuthorityCrystal Lake Menard County Housing AuthorityPetersburg Mercer County Housing AuthorityAledo Moline Housing AuthorityMoline Montgomery County Housing AuthorityHillsboro Morgan County Housing AuthorityJacksonville Ogle County Housing AuthorityOregon Peoria Housing AuthorityPeoria Quincy Housing AuthorityQuincy Randolph County Housing AuthorityChester Rockford Housing AuthorityRockford Springfield Housing AuthoritySpringfield St. Clair County Housing AuthorityBelleville