Public Housing Programs

PIH Programs

Below is a summary of public housing programs within the Office of Public and Indian Housing:

Capital Fund
The Capital Fund provides funds to housing authorities to modernize public housing developments.

Demolition/Disposition
The Demolition and Disposition Applications (Section 18) program was created in an effort to help eliminate old, run down public housing.

Homeownership
A Public Housing Authority (PHA) may sell all, or a portion of, a public housing development to eligible residents or resident organizations, for purposes of homeownership, provided that a Homeownership Plan has been submitted by the PHA and has been approved by HUD.

HOPE VI
Since 1993, HOPE VI has been the engine driving the revitalization of the Nation's most distressed public housing developments by providing grants and unprecedented flexibility to address the housing and social service needs of their residents.

Housing Choice Vouchers (Formerly Section 8)
Allow very low-income families to choose and lease or purchase safe, decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing.

Mixed-Finance Public Housing
Mixed-Finance public housing allows HUD to mix public, private, and non-profit funds to develop and operate housing developments. These new developments are built for residents with a wide range of incomes, and are designed to fit into the surrounding community.

Moderate Rehabilitation
Provides project-based rental assistance for low income families. The program was repealed in 1991 and no new projects are authorized for development. Assistance is limited to properties previously rehabilitated pursuant to a housing assistance payments (HAP) contract between an owner and a Public Housing Agency (PHA).

Moving to Work Demonstration (MTW)
MTW is a demonstration program that allows housing authorities (Has) to design and test ways to give incentives to families to become economically self-sufficient, achieve programmatic efficiencies, reduce costs, and increase housing choice for low-income households.

Operating Fund
The Public Housing Operating Fund provides operating subsidies to housing authorities (HAs) to assist in funding the operating and maintenance expenses of their own dwellings, in accordance with Section 9 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended. The subsidies are required to help maintain services and provide minimum operating reserves.

Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) and Neighborhood Networks (NN)
The ROSS program links services to public housing residents by providing grants for supportive services, resident empowerment activities and activities to assist residents in becoming economically self-sufficient.

Homeownership - Public Housing

Helping Public Housing Residents Buy Homes

On February 9, 2022, HUD held a webinar explaining how Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) can further affordable homeownership in their communities through federal housing programs and assistance. See the video and presentation materials here.

HUD wants to help public housing residents become homeowners.

A Public Housing Authority (PHA) may sell public housing units to their residents and other eligible low-income families in their communities for purposes of homeownership.

See Homeownership for Public Housing Residents Brochure.

Not all PHAs have a homeownership program for public housing residents. Contact your local public housing agency for additional details.

In addition, a PHA can also use Capital Funds for eligible homeownership activities, including providing financial assistance (including closing cost/downpayment assistance and subordinate mortgage loans) to public housing residents. See 24 CFR 905.612(b)(12) and the Capital Fund Guidebook. For additional information, you can contact your local public housing field office.