Affordable Rental Housing and Assistance

Rental
Programs

Rental assistance programs for eligible Rhode Island residents.

Centralized
Wait List

Apply for affordable housing through RIHousing’s centralized wait list.

Find an
Appartment

Search for available, affordable rental housing.

Renter
Resources

Information and tools to help you navigate renting and housing stability.

Rhode Island Centralized Wait List

Looking for a Housing Voucher?

Apply through the RI Centralized Waiting List (CWL) to be considered for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) and Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) across the state.


We’ve partnered with the Public Housing Association of Rhode Island to make the process easier—allowing applicants to access multiple waiting lists with a single application.

NOTE: Not all Public Housing Authorities in Rhode Island are currently participating.

If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness:

Please contact one of the regional access point for help. These access points connect individuals and families to shelter, housing support, and other services. Find contact information for each region on the flyer below.
Please note: The Coordinated Entry System (CES) hotline is no longer used to access shelter.

Find an Affordable Home

Housing
Search RI

Find everything from affordable rental homes, how to apply to helpful resources.

Rental
Resource Guide

A directory of affordable rental housing options across Rhode Island

Guía De Recursos
De Alquiler

Una guía de opciones de viviendas en alquiler en Rhode Island

Rental Programs

Voucher Programs

Also referred to as Section 8 Rental Assistance, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s major program for helping eligible households rent safe, healthy and affordable homes by paying some or all of a voucher holder’s rental costs.

Project Based Rental Assistance

Subsidized Housing Developments make federally subsidized rental units available for low-income individuals and families. Project-based assistance means the financial aid is attached to the property itself, not the tenant.

Protect Yourself From Scams!

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Beware of scammers who are taking money for properties they do not have the right to rent. Watch for signs of a scam and protect yourself.

Watch out for the following signs as they may mean you are being scammed:

  • The same property is listed on other sites with different rent or contact information.
  • The address is not disclosed.
  • The deal seems too good to be true: the rent is very low compared to other similar types of units in the same area.
  • They ask you to wire money or send money using an app or want your credit card information right away.
  • The landlord is out of town or out of the country and cannot meet you.
  • The landlord will not speak with you on the phone or let you into a property to view it. (Although some scammers will speak with you and even let you into a property they do not own.)
  • DO NOT pay any deposits or rent until you are certain you have signed a valid lease with someone who has the right to rent the unit.
  • DO NOT share your credit card information right away.
  • DO NOT wire money or send money using an app.
  • DO avoid situations where you feel pressured or uncomfortable.
  • DO search the address of the property online to see if it is offered elsewhere with different contact information or rent.
  • DO screen your landlord. Ask them questions and search their name online. Read online reviews of the property and check public records for complaints, foreclosure status, and criminal activity.

Renter Resources

Is my apartment LeadSafe?

Our LeadSafe Homes program helps Rhode Island homeowners, homebuyers and landlords lessen the dangers associated with lead in their homes.

Once the work is complete, a state-certified inspector will issue a Lead-safe Certificate to the homeowner for the property. For renters, this certificate assures you that the property complies with Rhode Island’s lead laws.
To see if your apartment has received a ‘Certificate of Conformance’ under the Lead Hazard Mitigation Law, or to find an apartment that has received this certificate, visit the Rhode Island Rental Registry or this Rhode Island Department of Health database.

Rhode Island’s subsidized housing programs are administered by 26 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) throughout the state. Applicants may contact housing authorities for more specific information about the housing programs available in each jurisdiction.

Find a list of low-cost internet, and device, options in Rhode Island that we hope can help you stay connected.

Are you a Newport resident?

Check whether your current residence is located within an eligible census tract.

Newport-Census-Map

Only residents of census tract 405 are eligible for the FirstGenHomeRI pilot program.

The map on the left shows the approximated eligible region.

Unsure if your address is part of the eligible region?

Type in your address below to find out (Include street #, street name, Newport, RI).

Data mapped by PolicyMap, an online GIS mapping tool.

Do you live in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Newport or East Providence?

Check whether your current residence is located within an eligible census tract for application prioritization.

Applications from residents who live in the census tract listed below are prioritized.

Central Falls 44007010900, 44007010800, 44007011100, 44007011000
Pawtucket 44007016000, 44007015300, 44007015100, 44007015200, 44007015500, 44007016600, 44007016700, 44007017000, 44007017100, 44007016100, 44007016400
Newport 44005040500, 44005041100
East Providence 44007010100, 44007010501

Type in your address below to learn if you are in the targeted area. (Include street #, street name, city, RI).