Public Housing

Public housing refers to government-owned housing units or complexes that are provided to low-income individuals and families at subsidized rental rates. These housing units are managed and maintained by local housing authorities like County Housing.

County Housing owns and maintains public housing located throughout St. Louis County, both in multi-family developments and as single-family homes. For a full list of all of County Housing’s properties, visit our Properties page.

Your eligibility for public housing is based on 1) annual gross income, 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family, and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.

In general, you can stay in public housing as long as you are compliant with your lease and your income continues to qualify you for assistance.

You can pay your rent to County Housing by mailing or dropping a cashier’s check or money order off at your property management office. Please note that we cannot accept cash payments.

Yes, with some exceptions and by meeting the pet requirements. Pet owners must pay a pet deposit in addition to any other required deposits. The amount of the deposit is the higher of the family’s total tenant payment or $50 and must be paid in full before the pet is brought onto the premises.

General animal policy

Per Chapter 10 of the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP)

• Pets must be registered with the Authority before they are brought onto the premises.
• Registration includes documentation signed by a licensed veterinarian or state/local authority that the pet has received all vaccinations required by state or local law, and that the pet has no communicable disease(s) and is pest-free.
• This registration must be renewed annually and will be coordinated with the annual reexamination date.
• Pets will not be approved to reside in a unit until completion of the registration requirements.
• The pet must be a common household pet, meaning a domesticated animal such as a dog, cat, bird, or fish, that is traditionally recognized as a companion animal and is kept in the home for pleasure rather than commercial purposes.

Pet restrictions

The following animals are not considered common household pets:

• Reptiles
• Rodents
• Insects
• Arachnids
• Wild animals or feral animals
• Pot-bellied pigs
• Animals used for commercial breeding

In addition, the following animals are not permitted:

• Any animal whose adult weight will exceed 40 lbs
• Dogs of the pit bull, rottweiler, chow, or boxer breeds
• Ferrets or other animals whose natural protective mechanisms pose a risk to small children of serious bites or lacerations
• Any animal not permitted under state or local law or code
• Residents may own a maximum of two pets, only one of which may be a dog
• In the case of fish, residents may keep no more than can be maintained in a safe and healthy manner in a 10-gallon tank

Service animals

For an animal to be considered a service animal:

• It must be a trained dog.
• There must be a person with disabilities in the household who requires the dog’s services.

Service animal policies:

• Residents are responsible for feeding, maintaining, providing veterinary care, and controlling their assistance animals. A resident may do this on his or her own or with the assistance of family, friends, volunteers, or service providers.
• Residents must care for assistance animals in a manner that complies with state and local laws, including anti-cruelty laws.
• Residents must ensure that assistance animals do not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or cause substantial physical damage to the development, dwelling unit, or property of other residents.
• When a resident’s care or handling of an assistance animal violates these policies, County Housing will consider whether the violation could be reduced or eliminated by a reasonable accommodation. If the authority determines that no such accommodation can be provided, the authority may withdraw the approval of a particular assistance animal.

In general, factors that help County Housing determine your rent are:

• Family composition
• Income and assets
• Eligible deductions
• Immigration status
• Bedroom size
• For a full explanation of how rents are calculated, visit the HUD Fact Sheet on how your rent is determined