Reading Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Reading Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, MA, with 128 authorized HCV units. Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · Reading HA vs nearby MA agencies
- North Andover HA
North Andover Housing Authority
137 units
- The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
133 units
- Andover HA
Andover Housing Authority
131 units
- This PHA
Reading Housing Authority (this PHA)
128 units
- Southbridge HA
Southbridge Housing Authority
128 units
- Needham HA
Needham Housing Authority
123 units
The verdict
Reading Housing Authority administers 128 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - a mid-sized Section 8 agency, larger than 42% of MA agencies.
- 128
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 55th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 42nd
- percentile in MA
As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in MA, Reading Housing Authority runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 128 authorized Section 8 units. Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.
- 42nd percentile by unit count in MA
Section 8 / HCV units
128
HUD-authorized
Total authorized units
-
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
42 th
Among MA PHAs
2-BR standard range · MA
$1,448–$2,842 /mo
Median $1,899/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 Reading 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.
128 Top 80% higher than 20% 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 Reading Housing Authority Tells You
This agency's HUD authorization runs to 128 Section 8 / HCV units. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, MA's share of the total, where Reading Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity.
Ranked by Section 8 unit count within MA, it sits at the 42nd percentile there, ahead of 42% of MA PHAs by that measure. HUD's directory categorizes it under the "Section 8" program type, the classification that governs which voucher streams -- regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions -- it is eligible to 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.
Across MA's 19 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,448-$2,842/month (median $1,899); Reading 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 7819446755. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.
Contact this PHA
- Phone
- 7819446755
- Fax
- 7819446875
- julie@readinghousing.org
- Executive Director
- kgallant@readinghousing.org · 7819446755
How to apply at Reading 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 "Reading 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). Reading 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
Waitlists open and close on their own schedules, so spreading applications across nearby PHAs improves your odds. Nearby agencies:
- Southbridge Housing Authority · 128 units
- Andover Housing Authority · 131 units
- The Bridge of Central Massachusetts · 133 units
- Needham Housing Authority · 123 units
- North Andover Housing Authority · 137 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 Reading 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.