Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, OH, with 15,413 authorized HCV units (HUD Standard Performer size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · Columbus Metropolitan HA vs nearby OH agencies
- Cuyahoga Metropolitan HA
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
16,007 units
- This PHA
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (this PHA)
15,413 units
- Cincinnati Metropolitan HA
Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
12,006 units
- Akron Metropolitan HA 5,436
Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
5,436 units
- Greater Dayton Premier Management 4,905
Greater Dayton Premier Management
4,905 units
- Lucas Metropolitan HA 4,745
Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority
4,745 units
The verdict
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority administers 15,413 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 99% of OH agencies.
- 15,413
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 99th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 99th
- percentile in OH
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority is a Public Housing Authority in OH administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with 15,413 authorized Section 8 units (Standard Performer size bracket). Contact this PHA directly to check waitlist status and request an application.
- 99th percentile by unit count in OH
- HUD size bracket: Standard Performer
Section 8 / HCV units
15,413
Standard Performer bracket
Total authorized units
170
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
99 th
Among OH PHAs
2-BR standard range · OH
$884–$1,445 /mo
Median $894/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 Columbus Metropolitan 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.
15,413 Top 1% higher than 99% 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 Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority Tells You
Columbus Metropolitan 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 OH. HUD authorizes 15,413 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency, against 170 total authorized units across every HUD program combined. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "Standard Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.
Ranked by Section 8 unit count within OH, it sits at the 99th percentile there, ahead of 99% of OH PHAs by that measure. 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. 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 6144216000. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state. Across OH's 68 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $884-$1,445/month (median $894); Columbus Metropolitan 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
- 6144216000
- Fax
- 6144214505
- c_hillman@cmhanet.com
- Executive Director
- c_hillman@cmhanet.com · 6144216400
How to apply at Columbus Metropolitan 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 "Columbus Metropolitan 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 OH's 68 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $884–$1,445/month (median $894). Columbus Metropolitan 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 OH
Waitlists open and close on their own schedules, so spreading applications across nearby PHAs improves your odds. Nearby agencies:
- Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority · 16,007 units
- Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority · 12,006 units
- Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority · 5,436 units
- Greater Dayton Premier Management · 4,905 units
- Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority · 4,745 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 Columbus Metropolitan 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.