There are different types of public housing available such as housing for families, elderly persons, and certain persons with disabilities Eligibility: To be eligible to live in state public housing a household must typically earn no more than 80 percent of the area median income. Income guidelines vary from year to year and region to region. You must put your name on a waiting list that is kept by the local housing authority. Applicants may put their name on more than one waiting list if they qualify for more than one program. Waiting lists for public housing tend to be long. When your name comes to the top of the list, the housing authority will contact you.