This is one of the most-searched housing questions in San Antonio — so here’s the straight answer for 2026, plus free housing help you can get right now while the waitlist is closed.
Key takeaways
- Waitlist is closed: The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is currently closed (last opened April 4–6, 2025). No new date announced.
- Free help now: 5 free alternatives below — including the city’s Housing Assistance Program and 2-1-1 referrals.
- What’s open: The 504 Accessible Housing waitlist (seniors/disabilities) is currently accepting free applications.
- Watch for scams: Nobody can sell you a waitlist spot. Applications are always free through official channels.
In this guide
- The short answer
- What IS open right now
- How long is the wait?
- 5 things to do while the waitlist is closed
- Avoid the scams
The short answer: No — the Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is closed
Opportunity Home San Antonio (formerly SAHA) only accepts Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) applications when the waitlist opens. As of this writing, the Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) waitlist is closed. The voucher waitlist opens rarely and closes quickly — sometimes within days. There is no announced date for the next opening. When it does open, it’s announced on Opportunity Home’s official website and social media — openings are typically short, sometimes just days. Applying is always free.
What IS open right now
Two public housing waitlists remain open on Opportunity Home’s official site: the Elderly/Disabled Public Housing Waitlist and the 504 Accessible Public Housing Waitlist (for households requiring an accessible unit). Apply online for free at homesa.org/housing/find-a-home/apply-for-housing/.
How long is the wait?
Even when waitlists are open, waits are long. Opportunity Home’s current estimates are waits of up to 4 years for vouchers and 2–4 years for public housing. That’s the reality, which is why you need a free backup plan now.
5 things to do while the waitlist is closed
- Apply for the City’s Housing Assistance Program (HAP) — San Antonio’s free local rent and relocation assistance program for households facing hardship.
- Call 2-1-1 — the free 211 Texas helpline connects you to emergency rent assistance, shelters, and local nonprofits with current funding.
- Monitor Opportunity Home’s official website and social media for the next opening announcement.
- Look into Opportunity Home’s affordable housing communities — income-restricted apartments with their own free applications, separate from the voucher waitlist: homesa.org/otherhousingoptions.
- Get a personalized housing plan — our free Apply for Me program matches you to every housing program you qualify for right now. Start here.
Avoid the scams
Apply only through Opportunity Home’s official website or offices. If someone asks for payment to get you a waitlist spot, that’s a scam — report it to Opportunity Home.
