Walking paths, trees, and a playground in a courtyard of an apartment complex.
CDA Housing

Applicants

CDA Housing provides multiple types of housing assistance:

  • Public housing: Housing is owned and managed by the CDA, and rent is reduced based on your income. CDA residents usually pay 30% of their income toward rent.
  • Housing vouchers (Section 8): Voucher holders live in privately-owned housing and receive a rental subsidy. The Section 8 lottery closed on April 2, 2023. We are not currently accepting applications.

We maintain a separate wait list for each housing program. You must apply online when the waitlist is open.

How to Apply

  1. Check Eligibility

    To qualify, your household income needs to be below a certain amount. Check eligibility requirements.

    You may also be eligible for application preference. If you’re eligible, we’ll prioritize your application.

  2. Apply

    We only accept applications online. If you have a disability and cannot fill out the online form, you can request an accommodation.

    Apply online

    You can create an account to manage your application, but it isn’t required.

    If you have trouble using the online form, or if you aren’t sure if you need to apply, please contact us at 608-266-4675.

    You can also get help applying for housing from a local organization.

  3. Waitlist

    After you apply, we will put you on the waitlist. We will notify you by mail when you get to the top of the waitlist.

    Make sure to keep your information up-to-date while you are on the waitlist. Notify us of any changes to address and household composition. You will be removed from the waitlist if your mail is returned as undeliverable.

Eligibility

To qualify, your household income needs to be at or less than these federal income limits:

Household SizePublic HousingSection 8
1$72,700 $45,450 
2$83,100 $51,950 
3$93,500 $58,450 
4$103,850 $64,900 
5$112,200 $70,100 
6$120,500 $75,300 
7$128,800 $80,500 
8$129,100 $85,700 

Households must:

  • Include an adult.
  • Qualify as a family as defined by the HUD and CDA.
  • Provide social security numbers for eligible family members.
  • Have at least one family member who is a citizen, national, or noncitizen with eligible immigration status. Housing assistance will be prorated, or reduced, for families that have some ineligible members.

Applicants do not need to live in the City of Madison currently. However, we give preference to City of Madison residents.

CDA Screening Criteria

The CDA will reject applicants who may have had a negative effect on other tenants in the past. We conduct a criminal background check on all adults in the household. We also check references and credit history.

For Section 8, the property owner is responsible for screening tenants.

Reasons for denial may include, but are not limited to:

  • State sex offender registration requirement
  • Illegal use of drugs
  • Drug-related criminal activity
  • Criminal activity
  • Alcohol abuse that interferes with other tenants
  • Lease violations, eviction filings, or judgments
  • Owing money to a landlord
  • Negative behavior and disturbances to neighbors
  • Not meeting financial obligations, including rent
  • Poor housekeeping habits
  • Debts owed to any federal housing authority

Accommodations

If you cannot use the online application system due to a disability, you can request accommodations:

  • Phone: 608-267-8644
  • Mail:
    215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Suite 161
    Madison, WI 53703
    ATTN: Online Application
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