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

Jacksonville Housing — formerly the Jacksonville Housing Authority, and still HUD agency number FL001 — is the public housing authority for Jacksonville and Duval County, Florida. Its own site says it operates 2,881 public housing units and manages 7,868 Housing Choice Vouchers. This page summarizes what Jacksonville Housing itself publishes about its waiting-list status, contact information, and how to apply, and links to its own pages for anything time-sensitive.

Quick Facts

Serves: Jacksonville and Duval County, Florida
Phone: (904) 630-3810
Official site: www.jaxha.org/
Apply: Jacksonville Housing application page
Status last checked: July 30, 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 (Section 8): Closed — Closed (checked July 30, 2026). Jacksonville Housing's own program pages say: "All Waiting Lists(s) are officially closed effective Wednesday, May 31st, 2023, by 5:00 p.m. - NO Applications will be accepted after this date," and its applicant portal page states: "The Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed and not accepting applications." Note the year — 2023, not 2026. Some listing sites have this date wrong.
  • Public Housing: Closed — Closed (checked July 30, 2026): "The Public Housing waiting list is closed and not accepting applications." The closure has not been unbroken — Jacksonville Housing reopened the five-bedroom public housing list in November 2023, then closed Centennial Towers, Hogan Creek and the working and non-working five-bedroom lists on Friday, August 23, 2024, adding that "all other Jacksonville Housing waiting lists are closed at this time." That pattern is worth knowing: individual lists can open briefly even while the main lists stay shut, so check jaxha.org regularly.

Programs Jacksonville Housing Runs

  • Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
  • Public Housing (2,881 units)
  • Site-specific public housing waiting lists, including Centennial Towers and Hogan Creek
  • Voucher portability into and out of Jacksonville

How to Apply

Apply directly through the authority's official application page: myportals.jaxha.org/. If you have already applied, call (904) 630-3810 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

  • Check that you have the right Jacksonville. Housing agencies in several other states also use the name "Jacksonville Housing Authority." Florida's agency is HUD number FL001, its website is jaxha.org, and its phone is (904) 630-3810. If a phone number or waiting-list notice you found does not match those, you are probably looking at a different state's agency.
  • Use myportals.jaxha.org, not apply.jaxha.org. The apply.jaxha.org address fails with a security-certificate error. The portal Jacksonville Housing links from its own site is myportals.jaxha.org.
  • Jacksonville Housing's own site describes its service area as the City of Jacksonville and Duval County. If you live in Clay, St. Johns or Nassau County, look up your own county's housing authority — you may be able to apply there as well.

More Local Resources

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Jacksonville Section 8 waiting list open?

No. As of July 30, 2026, all Jacksonville Housing waiting lists are closed. Its program pages state: "All Waiting Lists(s) are officially closed effective Wednesday, May 31st, 2023, by 5:00 p.m. - NO Applications will be accepted after this date." The year is 2023. If you have seen a 2026 date for this closure somewhere else, that is an error. Confirm current status at jaxha.org or by calling (904) 630-3810.

I'm behind on rent — do I still get a 30-day notice before eviction?

For now, yes, but this is actively changing and you should not count on it. HUD published an interim final rule on February 26, 2026 that would revoke the 30-day pre-termination notice requirement for nonpayment of rent in public housing and project-based Section 8. On March 13, 2026, HUD delayed that rule's effective date indefinitely while it considers public comments, so the 30-day notice requirement remains in place pending a final rule. The practical advice does not change either way: if you are behind on rent, act immediately rather than waiting for a notice period. Contact your housing authority or property manager the day you know you will be short, ask in writing about a repayment agreement, keep copies of everything you send and receive, and get legal help early — a Florida eviction moves quickly once it is filed.

How do I apply for housing in Jacksonville?

Applications go through the Rent Café portal at myportals.jaxha.org — but only when a waiting list is open, and as of July 30, 2026 none are. Create your account now anyway so you are ready the moment a list opens, and check jaxha.org's news page regularly, since Jacksonville Housing has opened individual lists for short periods in the past.

What preferences does Jacksonville Housing use?

Its public housing FAQ lists a working-family preference — "two families from this category will be selected for every one family selected from the Non-Working Families category" — for households whose head or spouse has worked at least 30 hours a week continuously for at least six months. Households whose head or spouse is at least 62 or has a documented disability also qualify for that preference. There are separate preferences for people with disabilities, for applicants who verify they are victims of domestic violence, and for applicants displaced by government action. There is a veteran preference for "any veteran who has served active duty in any branch of the United States military service" — the FAQ sets no discharge-status condition — and if the veteran dies before admission, their spouse keeps that place and preference. Its current Housing Choice Voucher administrative plan defines working families by a different test: head, spouse or co-head "employed and currently working 28 hours in Duval County." Ask which rule applies to the program you are applying for.

How many units does Jacksonville Housing have?

Its own site says 2,881 public housing units and 7,868 Housing Choice Vouchers. Its PHA Annual Plan gives a larger voucher total of 9,081. Both figures are Jacksonville Housing's own, published in different documents; the difference likely reflects different counting dates or which voucher categories are included. Either way, demand far exceeds supply, which is why the lists have stayed closed.

Sources