Local rental overview
Official PHA HCV guidance reviewed 2026-09-28: https://provhousing.org/hcv.aspx . PHA says its Leased Housing Department serves over 2,700 households across HCV (Section 8), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), project-based vouchers (PBV), Mainstream Vouchers (MSV), and Mod-Rehab. Most HCV assistance is tenant-based: an eligible participant chooses a qualifying private-market home and can take the voucher to another suitable home. PBV assistance is attached to a specific unit under a landlord contract of up to 20 years; PHA refers families from its PBV waiting list. PHA does not provide site lists here for MSV or Mod-Rehab. MSV targets qualifying non-elderly disabled households; VASH combines voucher help with VA services for eligible veterans.
PHA's stated HCV entry conditions include household income at or below 50% of area median income, at least one US citizen/eligible non-citizen household member, documentation and program compliance, and background/supported-housing eviction review. The page's income table labels AMI $112,100 and lists these 50% limits: 1 person $39,250; 2 $44,850; 3 $50,450; 4 $56,050; 5 $60,550; 6 $65,050; 7 $69,550; 8 $74,000. Its separate bedroom subsidy-standard section labels AMI $114,300; it says 1 person 0–1 bedroom, 2 people 1, 3–4 people 2, 5–6 people 3, and 7–8 people 4, with possible separate bedrooms for opposite-sex children over age 6. These are program standards and displayed income limits, not rents or unit availability.
PHA's development page https://provhousing.org/development.aspx separately states 13 public-housing communities and 2,606 managed apartments; that aggregate is not a count of HCV/PBV vacancies. Its published project links identify Dexter Manor as an existing residence and Parcel 41 as only proposed. The HCV/PBRA table below is not a list of the other 11 public-housing communities.
Criminal screening overview
On https://provhousing.org/hcv.aspx PHA states it reviews criminal background and subsidized-housing eviction history, and some offenses may cause denial. Its HCV FAQ explicitly says a criminal record is not automatically disqualifying: felony criminal activity within five years of application may lead to ineligibility, but PHA considers the nature of the history, rehabilitation evidence and mitigating circumstances. An applicant found ineligible has a right to a hearing to submit additional information. Public housing is a separate program; https://provhousing.org/public.aspx says PHA reviews landlord references and five-year court/police records as applicants near the top of the list. Neither source decides an individual's case or proves blanket felony acceptance. Ask PHA for the written policy that applies to the specific program.
Application tips
PHA's public housing page https://provhousing.org/public.aspx says that as of January 1, 2026 it accepts online applications for studios (single-person households 18+ with disabilities or 50+), one-bedroom elderly/disabled households, and family units with 2–7 bedrooms at https://pha-web.com/portals/onlineApplication/2023 . It also says its Section 8 voucher waitlist “remains open” via RI Housing's Central Wait List at https://www.waitlist-centralri.com/ ; the HCV page says to select Providence. This is PHA's website claim reviewed 2026-09-28, not an independently verified live portal status. PHA directs project-based rental assistance applicants to https://pha-web.com/portals/onlineApplication/2023 and PBV list-update questions to waitlist@provhousing.org. Existing applicants can check/update status at https://www.pha-web.com/portals/waitingListStatus/2023 ; for RI Housing login help call 844-459-3600 or 401-457-1288.
PHA explicitly says Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) are no longer accepting applications; this does not close HCV, PBV or public-housing lists. Crossroads RI Family Housing, Copley Chamber I and Travelers Aid Housing list Coordinated Entry System-only referrals; Open Doors lists Open Doors-only referrals. For VASH eligibility, PHA points veterans to the VA at 401-265-4114. Confirm each pathway with the responsible program. None of these application routes guarantees a vacant apartment or a specific applicant's admission.
Local housing resources
PHA's project-based rental assistance table, source https://provhousing.org/hcv.aspx , describes contracts with private property owners for some or all units. The 20 printed rows total 287 units by arithmetic; PHA does not publish this subtotal. Counts are contracted inventory, not openings. Location descriptions are mostly street names without numbered residential addresses, sometimes spanning several streets. A blank referral column does not prove direct applications. The following retain source spellings, including “Jospeh,” “Harverd,” “Whitmash” and a repeated Elmwood Ave.:
Crossroads RI Family Housing — 21 contracted units; location: Cranston, Linwood, Lidia, Steuben, Webster & Updike St.; neighborhood: West End; PHA referral condition: Coordinated Entry System (CES) only.
Elmwood Commons — 30 contracted units; location: Ontario & Warrington St.; neighborhood: Elmwood.
Avenue of Providence — 9 contracted units; location: Congress, Elmwood, Mawney, Moore & Broad St.; neighborhood: Elmwood.
Sutterfield Apartments — 60 contracted units; location: Admiral, East, General, Middle, South & Phebe St.; neighborhood: Wanskuk.
Maplewoods — 7 contracted units; location: Huber Ave.; neighborhood: Manton.
Open Doors — 19 contracted units; location: Plainfield St.; neighborhood: Silver Lake; PHA referral condition: Open Doors only.
Visions Apartments — 6 contracted units; location: Bernon, Goddard, Mansfield & Wayne St.; neighborhood: Smith Hill.
University Heights — 21 contracted units; location: Nicholas Brown Yard; neighborhood: College Hill.
Copley Chamber I — 8 contracted units; location: Broad St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence; PHA referral condition: CES only.
Copley Chamber II & III — 8 contracted units; location: Broad St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence.
Jordan Caffey Townhomes — 8 contracted units; location: Portland St., Linden St., Harverd St., Somerset St., Taylor St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence.
Jospeh Caffey Apartments — 8 contracted units; location: Somerset St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence.
King Street Commons — 7 contracted units; location: King St.; neighborhood: Olneyville.
Parcel 9 - Phase 1 — 8 contracted units; location: George M. Cohan Boulevard; neighborhood: Fox Point.
Parkis Historical Properties — 5 contracted units; location: Parkis Ave.; neighborhood: Elmwood.
Potters - Tigrai, LP — 7 contracted units; location: Salisbury St., Ocean St., Plain St., Public St., Potters Ave.; neighborhood: Lower South Providence.
Summer Street Apartments — 34 contracted units; location: Summer St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence.
Travelers Aid Housing — 8 contracted units; location: Broad St.; neighborhood: Upper South Providence; PHA referral condition: CES only.
Trinity Place — 8 contracted units; location: Bridgham St., Whitmash St., Elmwood Ave., Broad St., Elmwood Ave.; neighborhood: Elmwood/Westend.
Justice Assistance Holding — 5 contracted units; location: Goddard St., Lydia St.; neighborhood: Smith Hill.
PHA separately lists these VASH unit sites (not the PBRA table): Veterans for Tomorrow — 115 Douglas Ave, 20 units; Sgt. Belanger Housing — 963 Chalkstone Ave, 11 units; Crossroads Summer Street Housing — 160 Broad Street, 10 units. It does not provide bedroom mix, ownership, or vacancy status for them. Crossroads Summer Street Housing is not the table's Summer Street Apartments or multi-street Crossroads RI Family Housing. Veterans seeking VASH information are directed to the VA at 401-265-4114.
Dexter Manor — 100 Broad Street, Providence RI 02903; https://provhousing.org/dextorManor.aspx . This existing PHA public-housing community has two wings totaling 291 apartments (120 studios, 144 one-bedroom, 27 two-bedroom); community room, laundry, property office and administrative-office space. Its renovation/RAD conversion is in pre-development and planning; do not treat it as a new 291-unit opening. PHA's Parcel 41 plan at 295 Pine Street (https://provhousing.org/parcel41.aspx) estimates 60–120 future units, but is proposed rather than an existing rental.
PHA directs voucher holders searching for a private-market unit to https://www.housingsearchri.org/ . That search link is not an application or proof of current vacancies at the sites above.
Current HCV participant resources (https://provhousing.org/hcv.aspx): PHA says annual recertification packets are mailed 120 days before the HAP contract date; contact your program representative for interim recertification. Housing Quality Standards inspections are required before move-in and annually thereafter. The HCV FAQ says report income changes within 10 days, contact the landlord first for maintenance, and tell your program representative before moving. For suspected housing discrimination, PHA links HUD https://www.hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination and the RI Human Rights Commission http://www.richr.ri.gov/filecharge/index.php . Qualifying Section 8 participants may ask their representative about using a voucher toward homeownership. Family Self-Sufficiency education/employment assistance: 401-709-6406 or 401-709-6402. Adult residents in good standing on a lease may ask PHA about its Resident Advisory Board. These services are not new rental vacancies.