Courtesy of Home Forward

Home Forward, Multnomah County's housing agency, has opened up the waitlist for a dozen subsidized housing properties in the Portland area — and people are rushing to get in line. The last time the waitlist opened up was two years ago.



Home Forward's apartments are reserved for low-income tenants. If you get one, you pay rent on a sliding scale, set at about one third of your income. A subsidy covers the rest. People have until midnight Saturday to sign up online.



"It's pretty scary and it's really unfortunate. And it's an indicator of the need right now. On the first day of the opening, we've already had over 6,000 applications submitted," said Jill Smith, Home Forward's chief operating officer.

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Home Forward has room for just 1,800 people on the waitlist. A lottery will decide which names get picked.



Home Forward's properties have very few vacancies right now, so the people who make it onto the waitlist will move in over the next two years, as rooms open up.



Most of the people in Home Forward's subsidized housing are people with disabilities or single working parents.

Affordable housing advocates estimate Portland has a shortage of more than 20,000 units that are affordable for individuals and families with low incomes.

Applications are open at the following properties:

Slavin Court

Eliot Square

Madrona Place

Maple Mallory

Tamarack Apartments

Winchell Court

Medallion Apartments

Northwest Tower

Humboldt Gardens

Stephens Creek Crossing

The Jeffrey

New Columbia (New Columbia always accepts applications for 4- ,5- and 6-bedroom apartments, but a wider range of apartments is available now).

Editor's Note: This story was updated to clarify when the Home Forward wait list was last opened in Multnomah County.

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