Portland, OR – Home Forward, Oregon’s largest public housing authority, will begin accepting applications from community members for project-based waitlists at Meadowlark Place and four additional properties starting Wednesday, September 9 at 9:00am through Monday, September 21 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.

A project-based waitlist is for rent assistance that is tied to a specific Home Forward community instead of an individual household. To get this support, the household must live at that property. These vouchers cannot be moved to another place. Home Forward will accept applications for 5 property-based waitlists, and community members can apply for one or more of these waitlists.

Home Forward will randomly pick enough applicants to fill spots for the next three years, based on the number of people currently on each list and waiting, how often units become available, and other factors. Individuals are selected off the waitlist as units become vacant. Once chosen, an applicant must pass an eligibility screening.

Home Forward’s tenant-based waitlist for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program remains closed, and we are not issuing vouchers from that waitlist at this time.

Properties:

Home Forward will be opening waitlists at the following properties:

• Meadowlark Place
• Dahlke Manor
• Hollywood East
• Medallion Apartments  
• Gresham Civic Station  

Eligibility:

Anyone can apply and must qualify when they are selected from a waitlist and a unit is available. We encourage anyone that thinks they might qualify to apply!

To qualify:

• A household must earn less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
• The head of the household must be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor.
• At least one person in the household must be a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status.
• Every adult in the household must agree to a criminal background check.

About the Application:

The application process is not first-come, first-served—once someone applies, they will be entered into the lottery with an equal chance of being selected for the waitlists they have applied to. Every qualified applicant who applies during the application period has the same chance in the lottery. Being added to a waitlist does not guarantee rental assistance or housing placement.

Community members can create an account in Rent Café before the application opens, and are encouraged to prepare their documents and materials.

Once the application opens, there will be a dedicated Applicant Helpline community members can contact for support.

Please remember this housing resource is not immediate. If you are placed on a waitlist, it may take months to years to obtain housing assistance.

Helpline Information:

Applicant Helpline: 503-415-8050
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Dates: September 9–21, 2026

If you have limited access to technology or need help completing your application, you can apply by phone with a Home Forward staff member.

Translation services are available.