Section 8 in South Carolina: Housing Authorities and How to Apply

Section 8 (the Housing Choice Voucher program) is run by local public housing agencies (PHAs). You apply to the agency that serves where you want to live; many keep waiting lists that open only at times. Here are the agencies serving South Carolina's largest areas, from HUD's official contact list and each agency's site.

Is it illegal for a South Carolina landlord to refuse Section 8? No. The South Carolina Fair Housing Law protects race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin (among other protections), but not source of income or voucher use. S.C. Code 31-21-40

Housing authorities in South Carolina

• South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing) – Housing Choice Voucher Program — Columbia, Lexington County, Clarendon County, Colleton County, Dorchester County, Fairfield County, Kershaw County, Lee County
  Housing Choice Voucher
  Phone: 803-896-8888
  How to apply / waiting list — Closed: the HCV waiting list is closed to all applicants until further notice (as of 2026-10-24 per SC Housing site)
• Housing Authority of the City of Columbia (Columbia Housing) — Columbia, Richland County
  Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, HUD-VASH, HCV Homeownership
  Phone: 803-254-3886
  How to apply / waiting list — Public housing 3-bedroom pre-applications open January 26, 2026 to January 26, 2027; Oak Read High Rise (62+) and Arrington Manor (50+) open until further notice; general Housing Choice Voucher list status not stated (as of 2026-10-24 per PHA site)
• Housing Authority of the City of Charleston — Charleston, Charleston County
  Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, HUD-VASH, Family Self-Sufficiency
  Phone: (843) 720-3970
  How to apply / waiting list
• Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority — Charleston, Charleston County
  Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing
  Phone: (843) 722-1942
  How to apply / waiting list — Public housing waiting list open; Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) waiting list closed (as of 2026-10-24 per PHA site)
• North Charleston Housing Authority — North Charleston, Charleston County
  Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based Voucher, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit apartments
  Phone: (843) 747-1793
  How to apply / waiting list — Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) waiting list closed; some development-specific RAD and tax-credit lists open (as of 2026-10-24 per PHA site)
• The Greenville Housing Authority — Greenville, Greenville County
  Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based Voucher
  Phone: (864) 467-4250 (toll-free 844-411-8442; TTY 711)
  How to apply / waiting list — Project-Based Voucher waitlists open for Stratham Place and Southernside East (55+); Housing Choice Voucher list status not stated (as of 2026-10-24 per PHA site)
• Spartanburg Housing — Spartanburg, Spartanburg County
  Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)
  Phone: 864-598-6000
  How to apply / waiting list
• Housing Authority of Myrtle Beach — Myrtle Beach, Horry County
  Housing Choice Voucher, HUD-VASH, Family Self-Sufficiency, HCV Homeownership, Mainstream Voucher
  Phone: 843-918-1525
  How to apply / waiting list — Housing Choice Voucher waiting list closed; Mainstream Program waiting list scheduled to open November 2, 2026 (as of 2026-10-24 per PHA site)
• Housing Authority of Conway — Conway, Horry County
  Phone: (843) 248-7327
• Rock Hill Housing Authority — Rock Hill, York County
  Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based Voucher, HUD-VASH, Foster Youth to Independence
  Phone: 803-324-3060
  How to apply / waiting list
• Housing Authority of York — York, York County
  Phone: (803) 684-7359

Source: HUD public housing agency contact list. Check the agency's own site before applying; waiting lists open and close.

Statewide housing agency

South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing) — SC Housing runs a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program with up to 2,500 vouchers in Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee and Lexington counties, and offers an online search for affordable rentals.

Help paying rent in South Carolina

• SC Housing Search for Rentals — Statewide online search for affordable rental housing, run by SC Housing.

How to apply

1. Find the housing authority for the city or county where you want to live (list above).
2. Check whether its voucher waiting list is open; many open for short windows or use a lottery.
3. Apply only through the agency's official site or office. Applying is free — no one may charge you to get on a list.
4. Keep your contact information current with the agency so you do not lose your place.
5. When a voucher is issued, you find a rental whose rent fits the agency's payment standard and that passes inspection.

Rent levels (HUD Fair Market Rent) and local help by county

• Greenville County (Greenville)
• Richland County (Columbia)
• Charleston County (Charleston, North Charleston)
• Horry County (Myrtle Beach)
• Spartanburg County (Spartanburg)
• York County (Rock Hill)
• Lexington County (Lexington)
• Berkeley County
• Anderson County
• Beaufort County
• Florence County
• Aiken County
• Dorchester County
• Pickens County

South Carolina tenant rights · Free legal help in South Carolina · Section 8 in other states

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.