Section 8 in Hawaii: how the waitlists work and how to apply

In Hawaii, Section 8 vouchers come from several agencies, and each runs its own list. The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and the City and County of Honolulu serve Oahu. Hawaii, Maui and Kauai counties run their own. As of October 5, 2026, the Hawaii County and Kauai lists were open, and the Oahu and Maui lists were closed.

Each list has its own opening dates, so check the agency before you plan around it. For the basics of how a voucher works once you have one, see our guide to the Housing Choice Voucher program.

Who runs Section 8 in Hawaii?

A voucher pays part of your rent to a private landlord. HUD, the federal housing department, funds it, and a local agency runs it. Hawaii has five agencies, and none covers the whole state.

HUD says high demand may mean you need to apply to several lists. On Oahu, two agencies each run a list. The state agency's site says you can apply to any program that is accepting applications, but only once per list.

What do we know about each list?

• Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Its April 2026 public notice says it opened its Oahu voucher list for 1,000 applications, chosen by lottery, along with two lists for specific buildings. Applications stay active 18 months after placement. Families that were homeless in the last 12 months get a preference, which moves them up the list. You apply online at hpha.myhousing.com or at 1002 N. School Street in Honolulu. The state's site lists (808) 204-9042 for Section 8, and the April notice gave (808) 832-6040.
• City and County of Honolulu. About 17,000 applications came in during July 2025, and 3,000 were randomly selected for the list. The city says the list is not expected to reopen for about three years and that it takes online applications only. For help, call (808) 768-7077.
• County of Hawaii. Its application page says the list opened on August 1, 2025 and stays open until further notice. It orders applicants by local preferences first, then by the date and time of application. That page still carried 2025 income limits when we read it, so call the Section 8 office at (808) 959-4642 to confirm.
• County of Maui. Its portal said there were no open lists. The county's last notice, for June 26 to 30, 2023, is the last time we found a list opening. That notice said applications would be placed by random lottery. The Maui office phone is (808) 270-7751.
• County of Kauai. The list opened at midnight on September 1, 2026. Kauai's application page lists local preferences, including people who live or work in Kauai County. It says the time you apply has no bearing on selection, while its Section 8 page says selections within a preference category follow the time of the pre-application, so do not assume a late application is safe. The Section 8 office can book a kiosk appointment at (808) 241-4440.

What are the 2026 income limits?

The federal housing department, HUD, publishes limits for each county. These are its very low income limits. HUD names them after 50% of the area median income for a four-person household. That is the middle income in the area: half of households earn more and half earn less. HUD scales the limits for other household sizes. It raises some where rents are high compared with incomes. So a figure can differ from that share of the median. They took effect May 1, 2026. All figures are yearly household income.

Honolulu's page lists the same limits as HUD's very low income row, and Kauai's stated maximum for an eight-person household, $89,700, matches it. Hawaii County's page says that, in general, income may not exceed 80% of the county median, and that 75% of its vouchers must go to households at or below 30%. See what area median income means, or try our qualify check.

How do you apply?

1. Check the list. Look at the agency's page, or call, before you spend time on a form.
2. Have your details ready. The state agency asks for each member's name, date of birth, Social Security number, current address, email address, monthly gross income and income sources.
3. Apply once per household where the agency says so. The state agency, Hawaii County and Maui each allow one application per household, and the state removes duplicates.
4. Ask for help if you need it. Applicants who need an accommodation or an interpreter can call the agency. The state's 2026 notice names community groups that can help with the online form.
5. Keep your account current. Placement on a list is not an approval, and agencies contact you by the details you gave.

Our guides to how to apply for Section 8 and finding an open Section 8 waitlist cover the general steps.

What other options does Hawaii offer?

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority also manages federal and state public housing. The state's housing finance agency, the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, publishes an affordable rental housing inventory list. See our public housing waitlist guide.

One example from the listings we track is Hoʻohiki Senior Living in Honolulu, 249 apartments for adults 55 and older, being built in partnership with the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, with completion projected for January 2027. It is a tax-credit property, built with a federal tax credit for builders, for households at or below 60% of the area median. Its September 30, 2026 packet gives two deadlines for the first lottery, October 16 in the selection rules and October 31 on the application form, so confirm with the manager at (808) 322-3422. It accepts Section 8 vouchers. The packet also describes a $15 fee per adult, and it words the timing two ways, so ask any property what it charges and when.

How do you spot a scam?

• Do not pay anyone to be added to a list. The federal inspector general warns of fake waitlist announcements on social media, and Maui County warned in June 2024 of a post claiming a Section 8 opening that was not real.
• Honolulu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii County each say applying for a voucher is free.
• Use the agency's own website or the phone numbers above.

What do we list in Hawaii today?

As of October 5, 2026, we list one open Hawaii listing, Hoʻohiki Senior Living, and no Hawaii waitlists. For the Hawaii County and Kauai lists above, the agencies' own pages are the best source. See our Hawaii page and all listings.