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The federal government spent $67 billion on housing assistance in 2023, representing just over 1 percent of total federal outlays. About 80 percent ($53 billion) of the federal government’s support for housing is through three programs that provide rental assistance to low-income households:
Tenant-based rental assistance ($30 billion). Low-income households receive a voucher that allows them to choose housing in the private market while paying 30 percent of their income toward rent. The voucher, administered by local public housing authorities (PHAs), covers the remainder of the rent.
Project-based rental assistance ($15 billion). The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enters into contracts with property owners who have agreed to rent their units to low-income households. The households pay 30 percent of their income toward the rent and HUD makes up the difference. HUD has allowed such contracts to expire gradually over time and has been switching households to tenant-based assistance.
Public housing ($8 billion). In this arrangement, PHAs own and operate housing units and rent them directly to low-income households, who pay 30 percent of their income. HUD provides regulatory oversight and allocates funding to PHAs to support operating costs and capital improvements.
Aside from the three programs above, the federal government spent an additional $14 billion in 2023 on other programs including those targeted to the elderly, people with disabilities, and rural renters. That includes the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program, which is a short-term program established in 2021 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
