Housing lottery vs waitlist vs first come: how each works

In a housing lottery, a random drawing, every on-time application gets a random place in line, so take time to get yours right. On many waitlists, lines for apartments that come free later, joining sooner means your turn comes sooner. Some waitlists use a lottery instead. In a first-come building, the earliest complete applications win.

How does a housing lottery work?

You apply during a set window. After the deadline, a computer or a drawing puts every application in a random order. Applying on the first day gives you no better chance than applying on the last.

• New York City: a computer gives every on-time application a random log number, and the office reviews applications in log-number order, says the city's Marketing Handbook.
• San Francisco: each applicant gets a random rank, and then people with preferences, rules that put certain groups first, move ahead.
• Boston: the city records its lottery and posts the results, and emails you your lottery number within ten days.

A good number only starts the review: the office still checks your income and household before it offers you an apartment. Our guide to how housing lotteries work explains what happens next.

How does a waitlist work?

A waitlist is a line for apartments or vouchers, which pay part of your rent, that aren't free yet. When one comes free, the office contacts the next person in line who qualifies.

The occupancy handbook of HUD, the federal housing department, sets these rules for buildings HUD helps pay for:

• The owner records the date and time of every application and any preference you have, then picks from the list by the building's rules.
• The owner can close the list when the average wait reaches a year or more.
• You can be on several waitlists at once.
• The owner can ask you to check in every six months to stay on the list.
• The owner checks that you qualify only when an apartment is ready for you, so being on the list doesn't mean you qualify.

Lotteries and waitlists often work together. In Boston, applicants whose lottery number isn't high enough for the first round of apartments go onto a waitlist.

How does first come, first served work?

The earliest complete applications are looked at first, until the apartments are gone. San Francisco says a small number of its rentals work this way. In New York City, some apartments being rented again can be filled first come, first served, or from the building's own waitlist. That is allowed by a temporary waiver the city expects to last until April 30, 2027.

Some places limit it. Massachusetts' guidelines for its affordable housing programs say homes should generally go by lottery, not first come, first served. HUD's public housing guide warns that first come shuts out people with disabilities, people who can't leave work or care duties, and people who live far away. It encourages housing offices to use a lottery instead.

How are housing office waitlists different?

Section 8 vouchers, which pay part of your rent at an apartment you choose, have waitlists run by your housing authority (the local housing office). So does public housing, where the housing office is your landlord. HUD says your turn depends on how many vouchers the office has, when you applied and any preference you claimed, such as for veterans or people with disabilities. Because the lists are long, HUD suggests applying to several offices.

A housing office can put people in order by the date and time they applied or by a random drawing, under the federal rules. HUD's public housing guide also lets an office use a lottery to decide who gets onto the list at all. Our guides to Section 8 lotteries and open Section 8 waitlists explain more, and our area-wide waitlists page shows the lists taking names today.

How can you tell which kind a listing is?

The listing's official page says which kind it is. Look for these words:

• "Lottery" and a deadline: a lottery.
• "Applications accepted in the order received": first come.
• "Waitlist": a waitlist. Check whether it is open and whether it has a closing date.

To find each kind near you, browse the open lotteries, waitlists and first-come listings.

Which type should you focus on?

Apply to every kind, but with different habits.

A sample week:

• Monday: check your city's lottery site for new listings that fit your household size and income, and write down each deadline.
• Tuesday: apply to one lottery, and read its preferences before you submit.
• Thursday: check first-come listings and apply to any new ones, with your documents scanned and ready.
• Weekend: check in with each waitlist, and update any change to your phone number or address.

What mistake do people make?

A costly mistake is rushing a lottery application. Applying early doesn't help, but mistakes hurt. In New York City, if one person sends two applications with different household members, both are rejected, says the city's Marketing Handbook. Take an extra day to get your household and income right.

First-come listings are the opposite: a slow or incomplete application can lose you the apartment. To see which listings fit your household, run our qualify check or browse the open listings, and read our guide to housing with no waitlist.