HUD Launches A Public Dashboard Grading Local Housing Authorities From High Performer To Troubled, And 7 Are Already In Substantial Default

Anyone who rents with a housing voucher, lives in public housing or has a family member who does now has a new way to check how the local housing authority is doing. On October 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a public online tool called the Public Housing Authority Accountability Dashboard, according to HUD release No. 26-089.

A modern apartment building with many balconies and large windows

HUD says it gives residents and the public direct access to performance and funding data for housing authorities across the country. And the department put out two numbers with it: since January 2025 it has lifted 77 housing authorities out of troubled status, and it has declared 7 in substantial default.

Every Housing Authority Gets A Score And A Label From High Performer To Troubled

The dashboard shows each authority’s current performance score from two federal assessments. One is the Public Housing Assessment System, known as PHAS, and the other is the Section 8 Management Assessment Program, known as SEMAP.

Based on those scores, each authority carries a designation. The choices are High Performer, Standard, Substandard or Troubled. That makes it easy to see at a glance where your own housing authority falls.

In plain terms, PHAS is the yardstick HUD uses for public housing properties, covering things like the physical condition of buildings and how the agency is run. SEMAP is the yardstick for how well an agency manages its voucher program. An authority that runs both can have a score for each.

It Also Shows How Many Units And Vouchers Each Authority Manages

Beyond the labels, the tool lists the number of public housing units and Housing Choice Vouchers each authority manages. It also shows utilization rates, which describe how fully an authority is using its vouchers and funding, along with its budget authority, meaning the federal resources it has to serve residents.

You can search by individual housing authority, by state or nationwide. The dashboard can also build custom reports, filtered by whether an authority is troubled, substandard, standard or a high performer, or whether it is in receivership or monitorship, or facing a funding shortfall. Results can be compared across states and regions, and a glossary and user guide are included.

“Every Family Deserves A Safe Home And A Well-Managed Housing Authority”

HUD Secretary Turner said in the release: “Every family and individual in federally assisted housing deserves a safe home and a well-managed housing authority.” Turner added that the dashboard “will provide the public with a clear view of service quality.”

HUD ties its work on troubled authorities to the Assessment, Recovery, and Oversight Center, which it set up to step in early when a housing authority is struggling. The 77 authorities lifted out of troubled status and the 7 declared in substantial default come from that effort.

What Residents And Neighbors Can Do With It

Housing authorities run public housing and manage the voucher program that helps families pay rent to private landlords. If you live in one of those homes, or you are on a waiting list, the quality of the agency can affect how fast repairs happen and how smoothly paperwork moves.

Here are some practical ways to use the tool.

Look up your own authority. Search by name or state and note its designation and score.
Check the numbers. Utilization rates and the count of units and vouchers can show how large the agency is and how fully it uses its funding.
Compare nearby areas. If you hold a voucher and are thinking about moving, the state and regional comparisons give you a sense of how neighboring agencies are rated.
Bring it to meetings. Housing authorities have boards, and residents can attend meetings and ask questions, with the score in hand.

A score is only one measure. An authority with a Standard rating can still have a building with a broken elevator, and a High Performer can still have a slow response on a repair. If something in your own home needs fixing, report it in writing to the management office and keep a copy with the date.

Anyone can open the dashboard, since HUD describes it as a public transparency tool. That means a tenant council, a reporter, a landlord who accepts vouchers or a neighbor curious about the agency down the street can all look up the same numbers.

Why It Matters Beyond Subsidized Housing

Even if you do not live in federally assisted housing, a housing authority affects the neighborhood. Its properties are part of the street, and its landlords and tenants are your neighbors. Knowing whether the agency in your town is rated Troubled, or whether it is in receivership or monitorship, gives local residents something concrete to bring to town hall.

If you want to check your own area, start with the housing authority’s name, which usually appears on your lease, voucher paperwork or the sign outside the building. The individual scores live in the dashboard itself.

For families who rely on these programs, a clear public scorecard is a tool worth knowing about. It will not fix a leaky roof, but it can tell you who to ask and how your agency compares.

Willow and Hearth