What the Lawrence Housing Authority does

The Lawrence Housing Authority (LHA) is a public agency that owns and manages rental housing in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It operates public housing developments where residents pay rent based on their income, typically 30 percent of what they earn. The LHA also administers the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8), which allows people to rent from private landlords while the program pays part of the rent directly to the owner.

The LHA is separate from the city government, though it receives some state and federal funding. It has its own board of commissioners and staff who handle tenant services, maintenance, and program administration. If you live in an LHA property or hold an LHA voucher, you deal with the LHA directly for lease questions, repairs, rent calculations, and program rules.

Key Takeaways

  • The Lawrence Housing Authority runs public housing developments and the Section 8 voucher program; you explore to the LHA itself, not to the city.
  • Public housing rent is calculated as 30 percent of your household income, and you must report income changes within 30 days.
  • The Section 8 waiting list in Lawrence is typically closed, and when it opens, the wait for a voucher can be several years.
  • You can contact the LHA directly by phone, mail, or in person at their main office to ask about current programs and waiting list status.
  • Maintenance requests and lease disputes go through the LHA's tenant services office, not through a separate landlord.

Public housing in Lawrence: how rent and income work

If you live in an LHA public housing unit, your rent is set at 30 percent of your household's gross monthly income. This means your rent changes when your income changes. You are required to report any change in income—a new job, a job loss, a change in hours, or a change in household members—within 30 days. The LHA will recalculate your rent based on the new information.

Income includes wages, Social Security, unemployment benefits, child support, and other regular payments. The LHA counts income for all household members who are 18 or older, except for full-time students under 24 and people receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). If you do not report a change and your rent should have gone up, you may owe back rent. If your rent should have gone down and you did not report it, the LHA should adjust it once you do.

Public housing is not temporary. You can stay as long as you follow the lease and pay your rent. There is no time limit on how long you can live in an LHA unit, though the LHA can evict you for lease violations, non-payment, or criminal activity.

Section 8 vouchers: waiting lists and how they work

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program lets you rent from any private landlord who accepts the voucher. The LHA pays the landlord a portion of the rent (called the "housing information payment"), and you pay the rest out of pocket. Your share is typically 30 percent of your income, though it can be higher if the rent is very low.

The Lawrence Housing Authority's Section 8 waiting list is usually closed. When it is closed, you cannot add your name. The LHA opens the list periodically—sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes for a few months—and then closes it again once a certain number of applications have been received. When the list is open, the wait for a voucher typically ranges from two to five years, depending on how many people are ahead of you and how fast the LHA can process cases.

To find out whether the waiting list is currently open, call the LHA directly or visit their office. You can also ask to be placed on a notification list so the LHA can contact you when applications are being accepted. Some people wait years before getting a voucher; others never hear back. It is worth checking the status every few months if you are interested.

How to contact the Lawrence Housing Authority

The Lawrence Housing Authority's main office is located at 75 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, MA 01840. You can reach them by phone at (978) 683-3000 during business hours. The office is open Monday through Friday, typically 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though hours may vary by department.

You can also visit in person to ask questions about public housing, Section 8, waiting list status, or to submit documents. If you are a current resident or voucher holder, you can call your property manager or the tenant services line for maintenance requests, lease questions, or rent disputes. The phone number for your specific development is usually on your lease or in any mail you receive from the LHA.

For written inquiries, you can mail the LHA at their Haverhill Street address. Include your name, address, phone number, and a clear description of what you need. Response times vary, but the LHA typically replies within two to three weeks.

Maintenance requests and lease disputes

If you live in an LHA public housing unit and need a repair—a broken window, a heating problem, a plumbing issue—contact your property manager or the LHA's maintenance line. Most developments have a phone number for emergency repairs (usually for heat loss, no water, or safety hazards) and a separate line for routine requests. Emergency repairs should be addressed within 24 hours; routine repairs typically take longer depending on the workload.

If your repair request is not being handled, document what you reported, when you reported it, and who you spoke to. Keep copies of any written requests. If the LHA is not making necessary repairs, you may have rights under Massachusetts housing code, though the process for enforcing them against a public housing authority is different from enforcing them against a private landlord. Contact a local legal aid organization or tenant rights group if a repair issue is not resolved.

Lease disputes—disagreements over rent calculations, lease terms, or eviction notices—should be addressed first with your property manager or the tenant services office. If you cannot resolve it that way, you have the right to request a hearing before an impartial officer. The LHA must give you written notice of the hearing process and your rights.

Income limits and who can live in LHA housing

To move into Lawrence Housing Authority public housing, your household income must be at or below 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) for the Lawrence area. The income limit changes each year and depends on household size. For example, the limit for a single person is lower than the limit for a family of four. The LHA publishes current income limits on their website or can tell you the limit for your household size when you call.

Once you are living in public housing, there is no income limit to stay. Your rent will go up as your income goes up, but you will not be forced to move out because you earn too much. This is different from some other housing programs that have "recertification" rules. In LHA public housing, you straightforward pay 30 percent of whatever you earn.

For Section 8 vouchers, income limits are similar—you must be at or below 80 percent of AMI to receive a voucher initially. Like public housing, once you have a voucher, your income can increase and you keep the voucher; your share of the rent just goes up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if the Section 8 waiting list is open right now?

Call the Lawrence Housing Authority at (978) 683-3000 and ask about the Section 8 waiting list status. They can tell you whether applications are being accepted and, if not, when the list might open next. You can also ask to be added to a notification list so they contact you when it reopens.

What happens if I do not report a change in my income?

If your income goes up and you do not report it, your rent should have increased but did not, and you may owe back rent once the LHA discovers the change. If your income goes down and you do not report it, you are paying more rent than you should, but the LHA will adjust it once you tell them. Always report changes within 30 days to avoid problems.

Can I choose any landlord if I have a Section 8 voucher?

You can rent from any private landlord who is willing to accept the voucher and whose unit meets LHA housing standards. The landlord must pass an inspection, and the rent cannot be higher than the LHA's payment standard for that area. Not all landlords accept vouchers, so you may need to search or ask the LHA for a list of landlords who do.

What if my landlord is not making repairs in my public housing unit?

Contact your property manager or the LHA's maintenance line when ready with details of what needs to be fixed. If the repair is an emergency (no heat, no water, safety hazard), it should be addressed within 24 hours. If repairs are not made after you have reported them, document your requests and contact the LHA's tenant services office or a local legal aid organization.

How long does it take to get approved for public housing?

The timeline depends on how complete your process is and how busy the LHA is. Typically, the LHA will contact you within a few weeks to schedule an interview and verify your income and household information. After that, it can take another few weeks to a few months before a unit becomes available. Ask the LHA for an estimate when you explore.