San Diego County Housing & Community Development: Assistance & Programs

Service Areas Rental Assistance & Waiting Lists Current Participants & Forms Affordable Housing Search Home Buyer & Repair Programs Homelessness & Veterans Services Fair Housing & Landlord Resources Community Development & Contacts

Find San Diego County resources for rental assistance, affordable housing searches, home buyer and repair programs, homelessness services and fair housing help. Existing applicants and participants can also locate official update procedures and program forms.

Independent guide. This website is not affiliated with San Diego County, Housing and Community Development Services or the Housing Authority of the County of San Diego. It provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Verify current service areas, eligibility rules, application status and deadlines with the responsible official program. Submit applications and supporting documents through official channels.

Check Your Program’s Service Area

Housing and Community Development Services (HCDS) provides housing resources and administers community programs. Its rental assistance information also refers to the Housing Authority of the County of San Diego (HACSD).

HACSD is separate from the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC). A property’s location and the program involved determine which agency or service route you should use. Do not assume that every address within San Diego County is served by the same housing authority.

Rental Assistance Coverage

The county’s Areas Served directory lists HACSD rental assistance coverage in unincorporated communities and 13 incorporated cities: Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach and Vista.

Check the directory for your location and program. It also provides links to city housing resources when another jurisdiction is the appropriate starting point.

Other Housing Programs

Home repair, down payment assistance, HOME Investment Partnerships funding and community development programs have different participating areas. Check the specific program’s service area rather than applying one program’s coverage to another.

Being within a service area does not establish eligibility or guarantee funding. Review the individual program’s current income, property, application and funding requirements.

Rental Assistance and Waiting Lists

The official rental assistance page separates information for new applicants, existing waiting-list applicants and households already receiving assistance. Choose the route matching your current status.

HACSD Waiting Lists Currently Closed to New Applicants

As checked on , HACSD’s application directions state that the following waiting lists are closed to new applicants:

  • Housing Choice Voucher, commonly called Section 8.
  • Project-Based Vouchers.
  • Public Housing.
  • Moderate Rehabilitation.
  • Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) tenant-based rental assistance.

HACSD attributes the restrictions to demand exceeding available funding. Its statement about being unable to select new Housing Choice Voucher applicants for the next several years is not a reopening date or an individual waiting-time estimate.

Check the official notice for changes. These closures do not establish that every affordable housing property or specialized housing service is closed. An “Apply” link or downloadable application on another page also does not override the published restrictions.

Existing Applicants: Update Your Information

Applicants already on a waiting list should use the county’s application update page to reach the official RentCafe portal and current instructions. Updating an existing application is different from applying to a new waiting list.

Respond to HACSD correspondence. The county states that an applicant may be removed from the waiting list for failing to respond or when a letter is returned as undeliverable. Keep your contact information current and follow the instructions in each notice.

Current Participants and Forms

If you already receive assistance, start with the current participant resources. These cover reporting changes, moving assistance between jurisdictions, inspections and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

Report Changes and Plan Moves

Housing Choice Voucher participants must report applicable household, income and address changes. Follow the current reporting instructions and your program notices. Updating a waiting-list record does not replace reporting changes during active assistance.

For a proposed move into or out of HACSD’s jurisdiction, review the Port In and Port Out instructions before making arrangements. A portability request requires its own process; a change of address alone does not complete it.

Common applicant and participant tasks and related forms
Your task Official form or guidance
Update an existing waiting-list application Applicant portal and Update Rental Application instructions
Report changes while receiving assistance Report Changes Form and participant reporting instructions
Request more time to use a voucher Application for Extension of Housing Choice Voucher
Move assistance between jurisdictions Port In or Port Out instructions and applicable request forms
Request a disability-related accommodation Reasonable Accommodation forms for the specific request
Review Violence Against Women Act protections or request an emergency transfer VAWA notices, certification and emergency transfer forms

Find the current documents on the official housing forms page. Select the document matching your role and request, and confirm where it must be submitted.

Accommodations, VAWA and Program Updates

The forms page includes materials for live-in aides and other disability-related accommodation requests. Its Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) section includes notices of rights, certification and emergency transfer documents. Submitting a form does not by itself guarantee approval or immediate placement.

Participants can also use the county’s resources for inspection preparation, Family Self-Sufficiency, utility allowances and Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) implementation updates. Follow the current schedules and your household’s correspondence rather than assuming every update applies immediately to every case.

The Rental Assistance and Affordable Housing Directory identifies affordable housing complexes, rental assistance information and city housing contacts. The county provides directory materials in several languages.

Contact the property manager directly to confirm vacancies, eligibility, application procedures and any property-specific waiting list. A directory listing is not a vacancy notice, and contacting a property does not update a HACSD application.

County-Restricted Affordable Housing Map

The directory page also links to a map of affordable housing projects that received county funding. Projects are marked “Existing” or “Under Construction,” with project contact information.

The county describes a quarterly update schedule. Check directly with the project: “Existing” does not guarantee an available unit, and “Under Construction” does not establish a move-in date.

CalWORKs Housing Support

The directory includes information about the CalWORKs Housing Support Program. Families must first enroll in CalWORKs and meet the housing program’s applicable requirements. This is separate from applying to a HACSD waiting list; use the official CalWORKs information linked from the directory for enrollment guidance.

Home Buyer and Repair Programs

The home buyer and homeowner resources link to home repair assistance, down payment and closing cost assistance, and moderate-income down payment programs.

Select the program matching your goal, then review:

  • The property’s eligible service area.
  • Current income and household requirements.
  • Property and purchase conditions.
  • Application availability and available funding.
  • Whether assistance involves a loan, grant or other conditions.

A program appearing on the county website does not guarantee that funds are currently available or that an application will be approved. Obtain the current program terms before relying on assistance for a purchase or repair commitment.

Homelessness and Veterans Services

If you are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing housing, use the county’s homelessness services page to find the Office of Homeless Solutions and other official program resources. A long-term voucher waiting list is not an immediate shelter reservation.

Veterans Housing

The veterans services page provides information about Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), which combines rental assistance and supportive services for eligible veterans experiencing homelessness.

Review the program’s own eligibility and referral instructions. A VASH funding announcement for property owners or developers is different from an individual veteran’s request for housing assistance.

Specialized Assistance

HOPWA provides housing-related assistance and services for eligible people living with HIV or AIDS. Check the specific service and referral route, including any current application restrictions. Do not assume closure of the HOPWA tenant-based rental assistance waiting list describes every HOPWA-funded service.

Weather-related shelter services and other homelessness resources depend on current operations and availability. Confirm arrangements with the listed provider before traveling.

Fair Housing and Landlord Resources

Fair Housing Help

The county’s Fair Housing page provides information about housing discrimination, disability protections and assistance resources. These issues can arise in renting, buying, lending and home insurance.

The county identifies CSA San Diego County as its Fair Housing Program Administrator. For questions or to report suspected discrimination, contact 619-444-5700 or outreach@c4sa.org, and confirm the appropriate service route for your location.

A county-funded service area does not define the geographic reach of fair housing laws. Residents outside a particular program’s coverage should seek the appropriate local, state or federal assistance rather than assuming they have no protection.

Resources for Landlords

The landlord resources page covers leasing to voucher holders, inspection preparation, property marketing and program updates.

Use the official forms page for rent increase requests, direct deposit authorization and leasing documents. Follow the applicable notice and review procedures; submitting a rent increase request should not be treated as approval of the requested amount.

Community Development and Contacts

Funding for Projects and Organizations

The community development page explains Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships and other funding for neighborhood improvements, affordable housing and eligible services.

Developers, organizations and service providers should review the current Notice of Funding Availability and program instructions. These opportunities are separate from household rental assistance applications. Check the eligible applicant, project location, funding purpose and deadline before preparing a submission.

For public comment opportunities, advisory meetings and implementation notices, review current announcements on the HCDS homepage. Follow the individual notice’s participation instructions and dates.

Office and General Assistance

County of San Diego Housing and Community Development Services
3989 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123

General information: 858-694-4801
Toll-free: 877-478-5478
TDD: 800-735-2929

Published office hours are Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Check the official contact page for current arrangements before visiting. Use current MTS trip-planning information if traveling by public transportation.

Section 8 Contacts

Use the submission method specified for applications, change reports and other formal requests. A general inquiry does not replace a required filing or response to a program notice.