Watertown Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Watertown Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, MA, with 220 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 · Watertown HA vs nearby MA agencies
- Weymouth HA
Weymouth Housing Authority
229 units
- Fitchburg HA
Fitchburg Housing Authority
227 units
- This PHA
Watertown Housing Authority (this PHA)
220 units
- Milton HA
Milton Housing Authority
218 units
- Dartmouth HA
Dartmouth Housing Authority
201 units
- Attleboro HA
Attleboro Housing Authority
200 units
The verdict
Watertown Housing Authority administers 220 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - a mid-to-large Section 8 agency nationally, larger than 58% of MA agencies.
- 220
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 63rd
- percentile by size, nationally
- 58th
- percentile in MA
As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in MA, Watertown Housing Authority runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 220 authorized Section 8 units (Standard Performer size bracket). Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.
- 58th percentile by unit count in MA
- HUD size bracket: Standard Performer
Section 8 / HCV units
220
Standard Performer bracket
Total authorized units
-
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
58 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 Watertown 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.
220 Top 66% higher than 34% 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
Watertown Housing Authority: What the HUD Directory Shows
Watertown 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 MA. HUD authorizes 220 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "Standard Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.
HUD's directory categorizes it under the "Combined" program type, the classification that governs which voucher streams -- regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions -- it is eligible to run. By Section 8 unit count among MA agencies, it lands at the 58th percentile, larger than 58% 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.
its main line is 6179233950. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state. Across MA's 19 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,448-$2,842/month (median $1,899); Watertown 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
- 6179233950
- Fax
- 6179232466
- jweir@watertownha.org
- Executive Director
- jweir@watertownha.org · 6179233950
How to apply at Watertown 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 "Watertown 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). Watertown 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
A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:
- Milton Housing Authority · 218 units
- Fitchburg Housing Authority · 227 units
- Weymouth Housing Authority · 229 units
- Dartmouth Housing Authority · 201 units
- Attleboro Housing Authority · 200 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 Watertown 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.