Amherst Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Amherst Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, MA, with 444 authorized HCV units (HUD High Performer size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · Amherst HA vs nearby MA agencies
- Haverhill HA
Haverhill Housing Authority
467 units
- Waltham HA
Waltham Housing Authority
455 units
- Newton HA
Newton Housing Authority
446 units
- This PHA
Amherst Housing Authority (this PHA)
444 units
- Arlington HA
Arlington Housing Authority
427 units
- Beverly HA
Beverly Housing Authority
425 units
The verdict
Amherst Housing Authority administers 444 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - a mid-to-large Section 8 agency nationally, larger than 69% of MA agencies.
- 444
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 74th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 69th
- percentile in MA
Amherst Housing Authority is a Public Housing Authority in MA administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with 444 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Contact this PHA directly to check waitlist status and request an application.
- 69th percentile by unit count in MA
- HUD size bracket: High Performer
Section 8 / HCV units
444
High Performer bracket
Total authorized units
15
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
69 th
Among MA PHAs
2-BR standard range · MA
$1,448–$2,842 /mo
Median $1,899/mo · 2-BR
Compared to nationwide HUD median of 62%, PHAs with high HCV share typically focus on tenant-based assistance over project-based public housing.
Where Amherst Housing Authority sits among U.S. PHAs
By authorized Housing Choice Vouchers, across every PHA that runs them. Most are small; a handful of big-city authorities run the long right tail.
444 Top 47% higher than 53% of 2,129 voucher-running PHAs
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more voucher-running PHAs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory · FY2025
Inside HUD's Federal Record for Amherst Housing Authority
This agency's HUD authorization runs to 444 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 15 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, MA's share of the total, where Amherst Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "High Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.
HUD logs its program type as "Combined," which determines which voucher streams (regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions) it can run. By Section 8 unit count among MA agencies, it lands at the 69th percentile, larger than 69% of its in-state peers. The federal rulebook lets every PHA set its own waitlist rules, admissions plan, and local preferences, so this authorized-unit total is best read as a program cap, not a live vacancy count.
its main line is 4132560206. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state. Across MA's 19 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,448-$2,842/month (median $1,899); Amherst Housing Authority sets its own figure within 90-110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves, so confirm the exact number for your metro before signing anything.
Contact this PHA
- Phone
- 4132560206
- Fax
- 4132568551
- progers@amhersthousingauthority.org
- Executive Director
- progers@amhersthousingauthority.org · 4132560206
How to apply at Amherst Housing Authority
How to apply at this PHA
Before applying, confirm whether this PHA's waitlist is currently open. Waitlist status can change without much notice, some PHAs open for as little as 72 hours at a time. Application channels typically include:
- The PHA's own website (search "Amherst Housing Authority Section 8 application")
- A public notice posted at the PHA office or in the legal notices of the local newspaper
- HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in the area
- Local legal-aid and tenant-advocacy groups
See our step-by-step How to Apply for Section 8 guide for the full federal application process.
What to expect, typical waitlist
HUD does not publish current waitlist open/closed status centrally, and waitlist lengths vary sharply by local demand. In high-cost metros, waits can exceed 5–10 years and many waitlists are closed. In smaller cities and rural counties, waits of 6 months to 3 years are more typical. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come-first-served. This site does not predict your individual wait time. Contact the PHA directly to confirm the current list status and whether local preferences apply to your household. Our waitlist strategy guide explains how to maximize your odds by applying to multiple PHAs.
Payment standard reference
Payment standards are set per HUD FMR area, not per agency. Across MA's 19 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $1,448–$2,842/month (median $1,899). Amherst Housing Authority sets its own figure within 90–110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves.
Find your exact number: look up the 2-, 1-, and 3-bedroom payment standards for your metro with the payment-standard lookup tool, then confirm the current figure with the PHA before signing a lease. See our Payment Standards vs. FMR guide.
Nearby PHAs in MA
A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:
- Newton Housing Authority · 446 units
- Waltham Housing Authority · 455 units
- Arlington Housing Authority · 427 units
- Beverly Housing Authority · 425 units
- Haverhill Housing Authority · 467 units
Related guides
Source: HUD PIH Open Data (FY25). Last compiled April 2026. Payment-standard figures: Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2025. If any contact detail has changed, please email corrections@plainvoucher.com. See our methodology for how we compile and cross-reference this data.
⚠ Disclaimer. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or with Amherst Housing Authority. Data here is compiled from HUD public sources for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for consulting the PHA directly about eligibility, waitlist status, or application procedures.