To apply for housing through the Durham Housing Authority, start with a short pre-application: submit it online or in person for Public Housing, or wait for the Housing Choice Voucher lottery to open and enter during that window. The full application comes later, once your name is pulled from the waitlist or drawn in the lottery.
Decide Which Program Fits Your Situation
DHA runs two federal programs, and the application path is different for each.
Public Housing means DHA owns the building. You rent a unit in one of its eight communities, and rent is based on your income. You apply through DHA’s online portal at ncdurham.tenmast.com/apply, and your name goes on a waitlist tied to the property.1Durham Housing Authority. Durham Housing Authority Housing Application
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) works differently. You get a voucher and find your own rental with a participating private landlord, and DHA pays part of the rent directly to that landlord. There is no rolling application. DHA opens a lottery for a limited window, you enter at www.DHAVouchers.org, and a random computer draw selects names for the waiting list.2Durham Housing Authority. Waitlist Lottery Information
Both waiting lists can close when they get too long. Before you start, check durhamhousingauthority.org or call 919-683-1551 to confirm the list you want is open.3Durham Housing Authority. Durham Housing Authority
Check Whether You Qualify Before You Apply
Income
Your household income has to fall under limits tied to the Area Median Income for the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area. HUD updates them yearly. For fiscal year 2026, the limits for a four-person household are:4HUD User. 2026 Income Limits Dataset – Summary
- Extremely Low Income (30% of AMI): $38,150
- Very Low Income (50% of AMI): $63,550
- Low Income (80% of AMI): $101,700
Public Housing generally requires income at or below 80% of AMI, with a significant share of admissions reserved for extremely low-income families. The Housing Choice Voucher program targets households at or below 50% of AMI. Limits scale with household size, so look up the exact figure for your household on HUD’s income limits page.
Citizenship or Eligible Immigration Status
Federal law restricts assistance to U.S. citizens and non-citizens with eligible immigration status. Every household member signs a Section 214 declaration. HUD does not require additional documents to verify citizenship beyond that signed declaration, though non-citizens must document their eligible status.5HUD Exchange. The Program Applicant Has Signed a Declaration That They Are a US Citizen
Criminal History
DHA checks criminal records for everyone in the household 18 and older. A record does not automatically disqualify you. The agency looks back three years for drug-related or violent criminal activity, and convictions in that window can make you ineligible.6Durham Housing Authority. Housing Choice Voucher Program Two things carry a lifetime ban: a conviction for manufacturing or producing methamphetamine, and being subject to lifetime sex offender registration.2Durham Housing Authority. Waitlist Lottery Information
DHA also checks for terminations from federally assisted housing within the past three years. If you were evicted from or voluntarily left Section 8 or Public Housing in that window, that history can block the application.
How to Submit the Pre-Application
Public Housing
The Public Housing pre-application is at ncdurham.tenmast.com/apply. You have to finish it in one session, so collect the following for every person who will live in the home before you log in:1Durham Housing Authority. Durham Housing Authority Housing Application
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
- Income amounts and sources
- Asset information (bank accounts, property)
- Expense information
Use only the Next, Back, Confirm, and Submit buttons at the bottom of each screen. Clicking your browser’s back or forward buttons causes an error and may force you to start over. When you submit, the system gives you a confirmation number. Save or print it; that number is your only proof the pre-application went through.
Can’t apply online? Call DHA at 919-683-1551 or go to the main office at 330 E Main Street, Durham, NC 27701.
Housing Choice Voucher
The voucher waitlist doesn’t take applications on an ongoing basis. When DHA opens a lottery window, you enter at www.DHAVouchers.org with basic information: your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and general income details for yourself and everyone in the household. After the window closes, a random computer draw places names on the waiting list in the order drawn.2Durham Housing Authority. Waitlist Lottery Information
DHA gives a preference to applicants who live or work in Durham County, which can move you higher on the list after the draw.
What Happens After You Apply
The Wait
Once your pre-application is in (Public Housing) or your name is drawn (HCVP), you wait. DHA doesn’t publish estimated wait times, and they can run from months to years depending on unit availability and your position. Keep your contact information current the whole time. If DHA sends a notice and you don’t respond, you can be removed from the list.
Report changes in income, household size, or address while you wait. For the Public Housing portal, log back in to update your profile.
Orientation and the Full Application
When your name reaches the top, DHA contacts you and invites you to a mandatory orientation. That’s where the real paperwork starts. Staff walk through program rules, you complete the full application, and DHA verifies your income, household composition, and eligibility.6Durham Housing Authority. Housing Choice Voucher Program
Bring with you:7Durham Housing Authority. Public Housing
- Government-issued photo ID for every adult
- Birth certificates for all household members
- Social Security cards for all household members
- Proof of all income (pay stubs, benefit letters, child support documentation)
- Information about assets and expenses
- A housing history with recent landlords’ names, addresses, and dates of occupancy
How Rent Is Calculated
For both programs, rent is based on 30% of your monthly adjusted income. DHA figures your annual income, subtracts allowed deductions (for dependents, elderly or disabled members, and certain expenses), divides by 12, and multiplies by 0.30.7Durham Housing Authority. Public Housing
Annual income under HUD rules includes wages, benefits, and most recurring payments to adult household members. It excludes earned income from children under 18, foster care payments, insurance settlements for personal injury or property loss, and certain student financial aid.8eCFR. 24 CFR 5.609 – Annual Income
If 30% of your adjusted income comes out below DHA’s minimum rent, the minimum applies. Federal rules let housing authorities set a minimum anywhere from $0 to $50 a month. If a financial hardship makes even that unaffordable, you can request a hardship exemption from DHA.
If You Have a Disability
If a disability affects your ability to apply or use DHA housing, you can request a reasonable accommodation, meaning a change to a rule, policy, or practice so you can participate equally. DHA has a specific form on its website.9Durham Housing Authority. Reasonable Accommodation Request
Describe what you need and how it relates to your use of the housing or the application process. Do not put medical details on the form. You list a qualified third party (doctor, therapist, or social worker) who can verify the disability and the need for the accommodation, and DHA contacts that person directly. Common accommodations include accessible unit features, a live-in aide, modified communication, or extra time to gather documents. For help filling out the form itself, call 919-683-1551.
If Your Application Is Denied
If DHA denies a Housing Choice Voucher application, federal regulations require written notice explaining why and informing you of your right to an informal review.10eCFR. 24 CFR 982.554 – Informal Review for Applicant At the review, you can present written or oral objections, and the person conducting it cannot be someone who was involved in the original denial. DHA then sends a final written decision. Some discretionary administrative decisions, like voucher term extensions or unit approval, are excluded from the informal review requirement.
For Public Housing, DHA’s grievance policy lets you submit a complaint, orally or in writing, within 10 calendar days of the event you’re disputing. Start by requesting an informal settlement at your development office or DHA’s central office. If that doesn’t resolve it, you can escalate to a formal grievance hearing.11Durham Housing Authority. Grievance Policy
Don’t let a denial notice sit. The timelines are short, and missing them usually means the denial stands.