What services does the Salisbury Housing Authority provide?
The Salisbury Housing Authority provides permanent housing for low income families through the Public Housing Program.  Applicants can apply for housing on Thursdays, providing that applications are being taken. 

Public housing assistance is provided at eight apartment communities owned and operated by Salisbury Housing Authority. These apartment complexes are within the city limits of Salisbury and are accessible by the City of Salisbury Transit System. Utilities are provided in Public Housing; however, any excess utility usage is payable by residents. 

Visit the HUD website for more information on the public housing program.

Does the Salisbury Housing Authority provide emergency housing?
No. The Salisbury Housing Authority provides permanent housing only. SHA does not provide temporary or emergency housing of any kind.

Emergency housing is only offered through homeless shelters, Family Crisis Council and Rowan Helping Ministries.

Will I get housing more quickly if I have a disability?
Persons with disabilities have a priority on the waiting list.

The Salisbury Housing Authority will select families based on the following preferences within each bedroom size category based on our local housing needs and priorities:

1. Displaced person(s)
2. Applicants with an adult family member in an employment training program, currently working a minimum of 20 hours a week for 12 continuous months prior to being offered housing. The preference is also extended equally to all elderly and disabled families.
3. All other applicants

What assistance does SHA provide for the homeless?
Unfortunately, SHA does not have emergency housing available. We will refer you to agencies in town that provide emergency shelter and assistance.

My family is soon to be evicted, how can you help?
Again, unfortunately, SHA does not operate emergency housing.

What is the difference between Public Housing and Section 8?
Public Housing is when a Housing Authority owns and manages the property it leases. The Salisbury Housing Authority owns and manages apartments which it leases to low-income individuals on an income-based rental rate in the Salisbury area.

Section 8 is owned and managed by private landlords, who list their property with a Housing Authority/Housing Agency who, in turn, refer prospective tenants to their property. The Housing Authority or Agency also subsidizes part of the tenant’s rent to the landlord. ***SHA DOES NOT HAVE SECTION 8.
 

Where is the Salisbury Housing Authority office located and what services are provided by the office staff?
The SHA office is located at 200 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Salisbury, NC  28144. The office staff provides administrative and financial services for the agency. Information about public housing and applications for housing may be obtained here. Applications are also available online.

What do I need to do to apply for housing?
Applications should be completed and returned to the office. The application is date stamped at the time the application is received. Social security numbers and birth dates of individuals applying for housing must be verified. Individuals with felonies are ineligible for three years from the date of last conviction. In the case of misdemeanors, individuals are ineligible for one year from the date of last conviction.

What happens once my application has been accepted?
The application is placed on the appropriate waiting list in the order that it was received and ranked according to established preferences. You will be mailed a letter that you are eligible for admission to public housing. 
 

I’ve just submitted my application, how long will I have to wait for housing?
There is no simple answer to this question because an applicant’s wait time will depend upon the preferences they qualify for, in addition to the date of their application. In general, an applicant’s wait for housing may be months to a year(s).

Where am I on the waiting list?
SHA does not give out numbers on the waiting list, simply because your position fluctuates as new applicants are added and others are taken off the waiting lists.

What happens if any of my information changes after my application has been submitted and I am placed on the waiting list?
It is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the Salisbury Housing Authority of any changes in income, family composition, employment status, address or phone number change, etc.

Failure to report any changes may cause your application to be purged from the waiting list and will require you to re-apply for Public Housing. This will delay your possibility of being offered housing or assistance.                                            

How is my rent calculated?
Rent is calculated as either 10% of the individual’s/family’s income or 30% of the adjusted monthly income (after applicable deductions). SHA minimum rent is $50.00 for those individuals with no income.

The Salisbury Housing Authority has set a flat rent for each public housing unit. Residents may choose to pay a flat rent instead of 30% of their monthly income. The flat rent rates listed are based on the size of the apartment and are as follows:

0 bedroom  $258.00
1 bedroom  $313.00
2 bedroom  $368.00
3 bedroom  $460.00
4 bedroom  $515.00
5 bedroom  $592.00