​​​​​The federal Housing Choice Voucher Program provides rental subsidies in the form of vouchers to eligible families or individuals to use toward housing payments.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)​ funds local public housing agencies – often the participant’s county or municipality – to administer the program. For the area they oversee, these public housing agencies are responsible for:

• creating the eligibility criteria,
• processing applications,
• developing and maintaining waitlists, and
• verifying requirements.

Housing Choice Voucher Contacts

To learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher program, contact the local organization that administers the program.

Waitlist Status

• Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Talbot, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties
• Town of Elkton

Applications period

• Starts: April 1, 2026, at 9:00 AM
• Ends: April 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM

Submit a preliminary application or​ check your status on the Waitlist Status Portal.

Note: We accept all applications, but we use a lottery selection process for waitlist placement. Submitting an application does not guarantee a spot on the waitlist.

If you have a disability or need extra support to complete your application, please contact us at [email protected] or 410-901-4081. In-person assistance will be available at specific locations to help individuals needing assistance to apply. Check the individual announcements for dates and locations:

• Eastern Shore Waiting List Announcement
• Town of Elkton Waiting List Announcement

State-Administered Local Programs

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development acts as the Public Housing Authority (PHA) for a portion of the state. It directly administers the federal Housing Choice Voucher program for:

• Caroline,
• Somerset,
• Talbot,
• Wicomico,
• Worcester,
• Kent,
• Dorchester counties, as well as
• The City of Cambridge and
• The City of Elkton.

Other jurisdictions in Maryland maintain their own local programs and waiting lists and should be contacted directly at the contacts provided above.

Resources

• Draft PHA 5-Year Plan FY 2026 ​- FY 2030
  
• Draft PHA Annual Plan ​​FY 2027
• Draft PHA Annual Plan ​​FY 2026
• Draft PHA Annual Plan FY ​2025​
  
• PHA 5-Year Plan FY 2021-FY ​2025​
• DHCD FY 2025 HCVP Administrative Plan​