Waythrough is an independent resource, not HOME. We summarize public information to help you get oriented. For applications and the most current waiting-list status, always use the official links below.

Section 8 vouchers and most of El Paso's deeply affordable apartments are run by Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises — HOME — the agency known for decades as the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, or HACEP. Its website moved from hacep.org to ephome.org. HOME describes itself as "the 14th largest public housing authority in the United States," and its own homepage counts 99 communities and about 52,000 residents. One structural fact shapes everything about applying here: HOME converted its public housing under HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, so most former public-housing sites now operate as separately managed affordable communities that keep their own waiting lists. That changes where you apply — and it is why the central voucher list being closed does not mean there is nothing to apply for.

Quick Facts

Serves: the City of El Paso, Texas
Phone: (915) 849-3742
Official site: www.ephome.org/
Apply: HOME application page
Status last checked: July 31, 2026

Waiting-List Status

Waiting lists open and close frequently, so treat the status below as a starting point and confirm on the official site before you rely on it.

  • Housing Choice Voucher (tenant-based Section 8): Closed — Closed (checked July 31, 2026). HOME's own programs page reads: "The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (previously known as “Section 8”) is currently closed but does open periodically. Available programs accepting applications may be viewed upon registering on the applicant portal." HOME does not publish a reopening date, so the only reliable way to catch a window is to watch ephome.org yourself and register on the portal so you can apply quickly. The last general pre-application period closed at 5 p.m. on July 5, 2024; ephome.org no longer displays that date.
  • Project-Based Vouchers and converted RAD communities — site-based lists: Varies by property — This is the realistic path in El Paso today, and it is open even while the central voucher list is not. Individual communities keep their own waiting lists and you apply property by property. As of July 31, 2026, WinnResidential's El Paso portal (livewinnelpaso.com) showed open waiting lists at six communities — North Mountain Village, Canyon Square, Nuestra Señora, Meadowbrook Townhomes, Alvarez Park and Cedar Oak Townhomes. A second operator, Envolve, runs its own El Paso portal at envolveelpaso.com — it has partnered with HOME since 2020 and, as of the same date, listed 12 communities including Alamito Gardens, Alamito Place, Cisneros Homes and DeWetter Homes. A few communities, among them Alamito Terrace and Sherman Ridge, take applications at their own site offices instead. Availability churns and varies by bedroom size and community type, so check both portals or call the property office for today's status.
  • Conventional public housing: No separate list to join — Checked July 31, 2026. HOME converted its public housing under HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration program, in stages its own site labels RAD Phase I and RAD Phase II; HOME summarizes the change as HUD giving "ownership of city's public housing to HOME." HOME still runs one online pre-application covering, in its words, "the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs" — and that pre-application is currently closed. In practice there is no separate conventional public-housing waiting list to join; apply at the individual communities instead. Call (915) 849-3742 before assuming a list is open, or HOME's RAD Hotline at (915) 849-3888 with questions about a converted property.

Programs HOME Runs

  • Housing Choice Voucher (tenant-based Section 8)
  • Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) attached to specific properties
  • Former public-housing communities converted under HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)
  • Affordable housing for seniors
  • Housing for people experiencing homelessness
  • Housing for domestic farm laborers
  • Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)
  • Special voucher programs for target groups, including veterans

How to Apply

Apply directly through the authority's official application page: apply.hacep.org/. If you have already applied, call (915) 849-3742 to verify your position and keep your contact information current — if the authority cannot reach you when your name comes up, you can be dropped from the list.

New to the process? Our step-by-step guide to applying for Section 8 walks through the whole thing, and how to find your PHA helps you locate the right authority.

Other Authorities Serving This Area

  • El Paso County Housing Authority (EPCHA) is a separate agency — (915) 764-3559, epcha.org — and it is the county authority, serving El Paso County communities outside the city limits. HOME is the city's authority. Aggregator sites regularly swap the two; if your address is outside El Paso city limits, EPCHA is the one to call.
  • Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) administers Section 8 in parts of Texas without a local PHA and runs statewide rental and homebuyer programs (tdhca.texas.gov).
  • HOME does not run emergency housing. Its own site states: "At this time, HOME does not offer emergency shelter. Organizations outside of HOME offer immediate assistance for anyone experiencing homelessness or domestic violence." If you need somewhere to sleep tonight, dial 211 (free, 24/7), or contact the Opportunity Center for the Homeless or the YWCA El Paso del Norte Region at (915) 519-0000 — the El Paso resources page linked below has the full local list.

More Local Resources

For the full picture of affordable housing in this area — emergency shelter, rental assistance, tenant rights, and legal aid — see our El Paso housing resources page and our TX state resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the El Paso (HOME) Section 8 waiting list open?

No. As of July 31, 2026, HOME's own programs page states that the Housing Choice Voucher program 'is currently closed but does open periodically.' HOME does not announce a reopening date in advance, so check ephome.org regularly and register on the applicant portal so you can apply the moment a window opens. The last general pre-application period closed at 5 p.m. on July 5, 2024.

If the voucher list is closed, where can I actually apply in El Paso right now?

At individual communities. Because HOME converted its public housing under HUD's RAD program, most former public-housing sites now operate as separately managed affordable communities that keep their own waiting lists. As of July 31, 2026, WinnResidential's El Paso portal at livewinnelpaso.com showed open waiting lists at North Mountain Village, Canyon Square, Nuestra Señora, Meadowbrook Townhomes, Alvarez Park and Cedar Oak Townhomes. Apply to every one you qualify for — each list is separate, so applying to several raises your odds of a placement. Envolve runs a second El Paso portal at envolveelpaso.com covering a different set of communities, so check both. Availability changes without notice — confirm on the portal or with the property office.

What happened to public housing in El Paso?

HOME converted it under HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, in stages HOME's own site labels RAD Phase I and RAD Phase II. HOME describes the change as HUD giving 'ownership of city's public housing to HOME,' which lets HOME use low-income housing tax credits and private financing to rehabilitate and replace units. For applicants the practical effect is that you apply at the property rather than joining one central public-housing list. Current residents with questions about how RAD affects them can call HOME's RAD Hotline at (915) 849-3888.

Is HOME the same agency as HACEP?

Yes. Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises (HOME) is the current name of the agency long known as the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP). The website moved from hacep.org to ephome.org, though the old name still appears in some official web addresses — the applicant portal is still hosted at apply.hacep.org.

How long is the wait for housing assistance in El Paso?

HOME's own site says 'Wait times for assistance can range from two to four years,' and separately that it 'typically takes two to four years to receive approval to enter our public housing communities.' Those are HOME's published estimates, not a guarantee, and the wait at an individual community can be shorter or longer.

Do I earn too much to qualify?

For the El Paso metro area, HUD's FY2026 income limits for a four-person household are $25,100 at the extremely low income tier (30% of area median income), $41,850 at very low income (50%), and $66,950 at low income (80%), effective June 1, 2026. Limits scale with household size and are updated each year. HOME's own site still displays older approximate figures, so rely on the current HUD limits or call (915) 849-3742 to check where your household falls.

I need somewhere to sleep tonight — can HOME help?

No. HOME states plainly: 'At this time, HOME does not offer emergency shelter. Organizations outside of HOME offer immediate assistance for anyone experiencing homelessness or domestic violence.' Dial 211 for Texas's free 24/7 referral line, or contact the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, El Paso's largest day center and emergency shelter system for adults, or the YWCA El Paso del Norte Region at (915) 519-0000. Our El Paso resources page lists the full set of local shelters and crisis lines.

Why do some websites list HOME as the county housing authority?

Because they have it wrong. HOME is the City of El Paso's housing authority. The county authority is the El Paso County Housing Authority (EPCHA), a separate agency reachable at (915) 764-3559 and epcha.org, serving communities outside the city limits. Several aggregator sites have swapped the two. If you are unsure which one covers your address, call either and ask — both can tell you.

How do I keep from being dropped off a waiting list?

Keep your contact information current with every list you are on. HOME requires applicants to update any change of name, address, phone number, email address, income or family size through the online portal, and warns that it 'will not forward returned mail, including appointment letters and inspection notices.' HOME's site says that if it cannot reach you when it mails your admissions appointment letter, 'you will not be able to continue and your application will be withdrawn; you will be removed from the waitlist and you will need to reapply.' The same discipline applies at each property office where you have applied.

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