Bristol Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Bristol Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, RI, with 273 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 · Bristol HA vs nearby RI agencies
- East Greenwich HA
East Greenwich Housing Authority
292 units
- Coventry HA
Coventry Housing Authority
282 units
- This PHA
Bristol Housing Authority (this PHA)
273 units
- North Providence HA
North Providence Housing Authority
272 units
- Cranston HA
Cranston Housing Authority
262 units
- Warren HA
Warren Housing Authority
224 units
The verdict
Bristol Housing Authority administers 273 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - a mid-to-large Section 8 agency nationally, larger than 61% of RI agencies.
- 273
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 66th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 61th
- percentile in RI
Bristol Housing Authority is a Public Housing Authority in RI administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with 273 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Contact this PHA directly to check waitlist status and request an application.
- 61th percentile by unit count in RI
- HUD size bracket: High Performer
Section 8 / HCV units
273
High Performer bracket
Total authorized units
221
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
61 th
Among RI PHAs
2-BR standard range · RI
$1,576–$2,200 /mo
Median $1,614/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 Bristol 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.
273 Top 60% higher than 40% 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
What HUD's PIH Record for Bristol Housing Authority Tells You
Bristol Housing Authority appears in HUD's Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Open Data set, one of 3,780 Public Housing Authorities nationwide running the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program alongside every other agency in RI. HUD authorizes 273 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency, against 221 total authorized units across every HUD program combined. 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. Ranked by Section 8 unit count within RI, it sits at the 61th percentile there, ahead of 61% of RI PHAs by that measure. HUD sets the ceiling; each PHA still runs its own waitlist, admissions plan, and local preferences under the federal Section 8 rulebook, so the number above caps capacity without guaranteeing an open list today.
Across RI's 3 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,576-$2,200/month (median $1,614); Bristol 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. its main line is 4012534464. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.
Contact this PHA
- Phone
- 4012534464
- Fax
- 4012539249
- mmedeiros@bristolhousingri.org
- Executive Director
- mmedeiros@bristolhousingri.org · 4012534464
How to apply at Bristol 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 "Bristol 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 RI's 3 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $1,576–$2,200/month (median $1,614). Bristol 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 RI
A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:
- North Providence Housing Authority · 272 units
- Coventry Housing Authority · 282 units
- Cranston Housing Authority · 262 units
- East Greenwich Housing Authority · 292 units
- Warren Housing Authority · 224 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 Bristol 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.