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
As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in OH, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 15,413 authorized Section 8 units (Standard Performer size bracket). Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.
- 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
The nationwide HUD median sits at 62%; agencies running a higher HCV share than that tend to lean toward tenant-based vouchers rather than project-based public housing stock.
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
Inside HUD's Federal Record for Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
HUD authorizes 15,413 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency, against 170 total authorized units across every HUD program combined. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, OH's share of the total, where Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "Standard Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.
By Section 8 unit count among OH agencies, it lands at the 99th percentile, larger than 99% of its in-state peers. 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. Every PHA in the directory runs its own waitlist, publishes its own admissions plan, and sets its own local preferences within the federal Section 8 rulebook, so this authorized-unit figure is a ceiling, not a promise of current availability.
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
A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:
- 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.