APPLY FOR HOUSING

KAH has units affordable to households making 25-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). If you are a single person making $20,375-$65,200 per year, or a family of four making $29,100-$93,120 per year, you may qualify for affordable housing. Detailed income limits are above. Units are designated for particular incomes and household sizes, so if a unit opens up that is a good fit for you, you might get housing much sooner than our long waiting list would suggest. In addition to giving you the chance at securing an affordable unit, your application provides important information as we plan our next developments. You can download an application here:

In addition to applying for housing in Kent, you should fill out the Litchfield County Area Rental Housing Interest List, so you can receive applications for housing in other towns in the area.

Improve Your Chances by Applying With a Roommate

If you’re applying for affordable housing, income matters—but so does household size. And right now, the data show that applying with a roommate can significantly improve your chances of getting a unit.

What the Numbers Tell Us

In January 2026, our waiting list had 56 households, and the demand was heavily concentrated among single applicants:

• 44 households (nearly 80%) were seeking one-bedroom apartments

• Yet the existing housing portfolio includes only 15 one-bedroom units

• By comparison, there are 16 two-bedroom units, but only 9 households on the waiting list are seeking a two-bedroom apartment

This imbalance means that one-bedroom units are by far the most competitive, while two-bedroom units have substantially less demand. The exceptionally strong demand for one-bedroom apartments has been consistent over the years.

What Counts as a Household?

For affordable housing purposes, a household is defined as the person or people who will live together in the apartment and share responsibility for rent and living expenses.

A household may be:

• A single individual, or

• Two or more unrelated adults who choose to live together as roommates

Roommates do not need to be related. If two people intend to live together in the unit and apply jointly, they are considered a single household under affordable housing rules.

Why Applying With a Roommate Improves Your Odds

Because of the mismatch between supply and demand:

• Single applicants compete for a very limited number of one-bedroom units

• Two-person households can access a larger pool of available apartments

• Waiting times for two-bedroom units are often shorter due to lower demand

Applying with a roommate aligns household size with available units, making the system work better for everyone.

How Income Is Considered

When you apply with a roommate:

• Household income is combined

• Income limits are higher for larger households, which means many two-person households qualify even if one person alone might not

• Both roommates must meet screening requirements and intend to live in the unit

For many applicants, this makes qualifying easier than expected, not harder.

A Practical Option—Not a Loophole

Applying with a roommate is not a workaround or exception. It is a fully legitimate and encouraged approach under affordable housing rules, and one that helps reduce long wait times for the most in-demand units.

The Bottom Line

With nearly 80% of applicants seeking one-bedroom apartments and far fewer one-bedroom units available, applying with a roommate can meaningfully improve your chances by opening access to less competitive two-bedroom homes. If you’re a single applicant who has been waiting for a one-bedroom unit, we encourage you to consider applying with a roommate. It’s one of the most effective steps you can take toward securing an affordable home—sooner.