The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds “Section 8” housing, — locally administered, publicly owned housing — usually multi-unit buildings that residents can apply to live in who meet certain income, age or disability criteria.
HUD-funded multi-unit buildings are searchable by state in the HUD, Affordable Apartment Search database. A list of these is also available from the city or county housing authority and is often posted on the agency website.
Available rental units can be found in the searchable database, goSection8.com.
Housing assistance vouchers are also given to qualified recipients for rental of pre-approved privately owned residences. You’ll have to request a list of these from the city or county housing authority because they aren’t published on the agencies websites.
The types of documents kept by HUD on the construction of public housing and financing arrangements can be researched at the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 24.
The local housing authorities publish an administrative plan, which details the policies governing the operation of these facilities. They also have records on the private property owners who are participants in the voucher program.
The files on individuals who receive housing assistance funds or live in publicly owned buildings are maintained by the local housing authority. By law, access is limited – the recipient or their parents or guardians have explicit access – but practices may vary.
What types of housing authority records have you been able to obtain and what did you find there?
There may be multiple city or county lists of affordable housing units, which can vary from one county agency to another. In California, check the county Department of Housing and Community Development website, as well as the county and city housing authorities. Some of these have detailed directories of low-income renter properties. For example see County of San Diego, Housing Resources Directory and Coachella Valley Association of Governments
Human and Community Resources, Affordable Housing Directory, which detail the units available by city.