Affordable Housing in Memphis, TN

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Memphis and Shelby County — not generic Section 8 advice. If you need shelter tonight, want to know whether MHA's voucher list is open, or are looking for an organization that can help with this month's rent, the named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Memphis

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Hospitality Hub of Memphis — Memphis's main downtown day shelter and engagement center. Connects people experiencing homelessness with shelter, services, and case management. hospitalityhub.org
• Memphis Union Mission — emergency shelter for men, with meals and addiction recovery programs
• Salvation Army Memphis Area Command — emergency shelter for women, children, and families, plus rental assistance and disaster response
• Dorothy Day House — emergency shelter that keeps families together, including fathers (rare in shelter systems)
• Family Promise of Memphis — congregational network shelter and rapid rehousing for families with children
• Family Safety Center — domestic violence intake, advocacy, and shelter referrals. 24-hour line: (901) 222-4400
• YWCA Greater Memphis — domestic violence shelter and crisis services
• Community Alliance for the Homeless — Memphis-Shelby CoC lead agency, runs Coordinated Entry. cafth.org
• 211 Tennessee — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Memphis: MHA Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Memphis are administered by the Memphis Housing Authority (MHA). Current status (checked September 9, 2026):

• The HCV waitlist is closed as of September 9, 2026 with no scheduled reopening. MHA opens the list periodically and advertises publicly; watch memphisha.org for announcements
• If you're already on the waitlist: MHA notifies you by U.S. Mail to a physical mailing address when you reach the top. You must keep your address current with MHA by submitting an Applicant Status Update form — if mail is returned undeliverable or you miss a scheduled appointment, your family is removed from the list
• Public Housing through MHA — a separate program with its own waitlist; some site-specific public-housing lists open more often than the general HCV list
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) lists at specific Memphis properties may be open even when the general HCV list is closed
• Other special programs: HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Millington Housing Authority, Fayette County, Tipton County, and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA, statewide) run separate lists
• Status check: call MHA at (901) 544-1100, or the HCV line at (901) 544-1347, if you've already applied and need to verify your position on the list

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Memphis (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Memphis. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Shelby County Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP) — operated by the Shelby County Community Services Agency. Up to $1,000 once per program year for rent or mortgage. Important: applications open the 1st Monday of each month at 8:00 AM and fill quickly — apply at shelbycountycsa.org
• MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) — Memphis's largest emergency assistance nonprofit. Combines rental help, eviction prevention, Meals on Wheels, and case management. Apply online at mifa.org/applyonline or call (901) 527-0208
• Memphis & Shelby County Housing Hotline — referrals to current rental, utility, and shelter programs. Available through 211 Tennessee
• Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) — free legal help for tenants facing eviction. malsi.org
• Catholic Charities of West Tennessee — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services. Spanish-language services available
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of West Tennessee — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army of Memphis — eviction prevention and utility assistance in addition to shelter
• Welcome Home Memphis (home901.org) — housing search and counseling for voucher holders

The federal pandemic ERA has ended

The Memphis & Shelby County Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program from the pandemic era has closed. All federal funds are spent. Current paths in Memphis are CEAP, MIFA, and the named nonprofits above. Don't waste time on old 2021–2023 application portals.

Utility assistance: LIHEAP

In Tennessee, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is administered by community action agencies. In Shelby County, you apply through the same Shelby County CSA that runs CEAP. Cooling assistance is critical in summer humidity. Apply at shelbycountycsa.org or call 211.

Tenant Rights in Tennessee

Memphis is in Shelby County, which is covered by Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTRA) — that's good news, because URLTRA gives stronger tenant protections than the older common-law rules in Tennessee's smaller counties:

• Memphis IS covered by URLTRA: URLTRA applies to counties with more than 75,000 residents — Shelby (Memphis), Davidson (Nashville), Knox (Knoxville), Hamilton (Chattanooga), and others. The protections below apply to Memphis tenancies
• No source-of-income protection: Tennessee does not have a statewide law preventing landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers. Memphis has no local ordinance. Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — MHA can provide a list of participating landlords
• 14-day notice for nonpayment (TCA §66-28-505) — longer than many states. You have 14 days to pay or the landlord can terminate. Use those days to call CEAP or MIFA
• 30-day notice for month-to-month termination from either party (TCA §66-28-512)
• Security deposit return: the landlord must mail (or hand-deliver) an itemized list of deductions within 30 days of move-out (TCA §66-28-301). Tennessee does not cap deposit amounts under URLTRA
• Warranty of habitability: TCA §66-28-304 requires landlords to comply with building and housing codes, keep common areas safe, provide working plumbing, heating, hot water, and structural soundness
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under TCA §66-28-514 if the landlord acts in response to good-faith tenant complaints, joining a tenants' association, or exercising legal rights
• Self-help eviction is illegal: Tennessee prohibits landlord lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal of belongings. They must go through Shelby County General Sessions Court
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is illegal under federal law and Tennessee Human Rights Act. The Tennessee Human Rights Commission and HUD handle complaints

For free legal help: Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) represents low-income tenants facing eviction; West Tennessee Legal Services also serves the broader region. For state-level details, see our Tennessee housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Memphis

• Public housing: MHA owns public-housing communities across Memphis. Application is separate from Section 8 — ask when you call (901) 544-1100
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): privately owned income-restricted apartments. Memphis has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Shelby County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Memphis-area veterans are referred through the Memphis VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Community Alliance for the Homeless. Access via 211 or Coordinated Entry intake
• Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) programs — Great Choice Home Loan, down-payment assistance, Section 8 in non-MHA counties. thda.org
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — United Housing and RISE Foundation cover Memphis

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

If rent is due this month, set an alarm for the first Monday at 8:00 AM and apply to Shelby County CEAP at shelbycountycsa.org — applications fill within hours. If you've received an eviction notice, contact Memphis Area Legal Services immediately at malsi.org.