HUD PIH FY25 directory NH · Section 8 / HCV 490 HCV units High Performer bracket 70th percentile in NH

Portsmouth Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile

Portsmouth Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, NH, with 490 authorized HCV units (HUD High Performer size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.

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How this PHA compares nearby

Authorized HCV units · Portsmouth HA vs nearby NH agencies

units
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory As of FY2025

The verdict

Portsmouth Housing Authority administers 490 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - a mid-to-large Section 8 agency nationally, larger than 70% of NH agencies.

490
authorized Section 8 vouchers
75th
percentile by size, nationally
70th
percentile in NH
490 Section 8 units

Portsmouth Housing Authority, based in NH, administers the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program with 490 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Waitlist status changes without much notice, so confirm directly with the agency before applying.

  • 70th percentile by unit count in NH
  • HUD size bracket: High Performer
Compiled from official public sources by the Plainvoucher team.

Section 8 / HCV units

490

High Performer bracket

Total authorized units

421

All programs combined

State-rank percentile

70 th

Among NH PHAs

2-BR standard range · NH

$1,072–$2,711 /mo

Median $1,614/mo · 2-BR

Section 8 / HCV share of Portsmouth Housing Authority authorized units 100.0%
HUD nationwide median

Compared to nationwide HUD median of 62%, PHAs with high HCV share typically focus on tenant-based assistance over project-based public housing.

Where Portsmouth 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.

490 Top 44% higher than 56% of 2,129 voucher-running PHAs

0–10,000: 2,086 voucher-running PHAs (98%). This entry sits in this band. 10,000–20,000: 29 voucher-running PHAs (1%). Above this entry. 20,000–30,000: 8 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 30,000–40,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 40,000–50,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 50,000–60,000: 3 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 60,000–70,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 70,000–80,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 80,000–90,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 90,000–100,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 100,000–110,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 110,000–120,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 120,000–130,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. This PHA 0 130,000 every voucher-running PHA, bucketed by value

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 Portsmouth Housing Authority Tells You

HUD's PHAS system places it in the "High Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity. Portsmouth Housing Authority is one of 3,780 agencies HUD tracks in its PIH Open Data directory for the Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher program operating in NH. This agency's HUD authorization runs to 490 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 421 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted.

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 NH agencies, it lands at the 70th percentile, larger than 70% 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.

Across NH's 14 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,072-$2,711/month (median $1,614); Portsmouth 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 6034364310. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.

Contact this PHA

Phone
6034364310
Fax
6034364937
Email
CraigWelch@nh-pha.com
Executive Director
craigwelch@nh-pha.com · 6034364310
How to apply at Portsmouth 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 "Portsmouth 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 NH's 14 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $1,072–$2,711/month (median $1,614). Portsmouth 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 NH

Waitlists open and close on their own schedules, so spreading applications across nearby PHAs improves your odds. Nearby agencies:

Compare PHAs in NH side by side →

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 Portsmouth 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.

Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Verify with HUD →