HUD PIH FY25 directory MA · Section 8 / HCV 3,700 HCV units High Performer bracket 98th percentile in MA

Worcester Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile

Worcester Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, MA, with 3,700 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 · Worcester HA vs nearby MA agencies

units
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory As of FY2025

The verdict

Worcester Housing Authority administers 3,700 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 98% of MA agencies.

3,700
authorized Section 8 vouchers
96th
percentile by size, nationally
98th
percentile in MA
3,700 Section 8 units

As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in MA, Worcester Housing Authority runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 3,700 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.

  • 98th percentile by unit count in MA
  • HUD size bracket: High Performer
Compiled from official public sources by the Plainvoucher team.

Section 8 / HCV units

3,700

High Performer bracket

Total authorized units

2,537

All programs combined

State-rank percentile

98 th

Among MA PHAs

2-BR standard range · MA

$1,448–$2,842 /mo

Median $1,899/mo · 2-BR

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

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 Worcester 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.

3,700 Top 7% higher than 93% 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

Inside HUD's Federal Record for Worcester Housing Authority

This agency's HUD authorization runs to 3,700 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 2,537 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, MA's share of the total, where Worcester Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "High Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.

By Section 8 unit count among MA agencies, it lands at the 98th percentile, larger than 98% 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. HUD sets the ceiling; each PHA still runs its own waitlist, admissions plan, and local preferences under the federal Section 8 rulebook, so the number above caps capacity without guaranteeing an open list today.

Across MA's 19 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,448-$2,842/month (median $1,899); Worcester 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 5086353000. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.

Contact this PHA

Phone
5086353000
Fax
5086353186
Email
corrales@worcesterha.org
Executive Director
corrales@worcesterha.org · 5086353106
How to apply at Worcester 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 "Worcester 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). Worcester 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:

Compare PHAs in MA 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 Worcester 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 →