In a private house or apartment, rent is set by the landlord. In addition to this, many of the rights and duties of public housing tenants are directed by federal law. In contrast, most rights and duties of private tenants are set by the landlord. You actually have more rights in public housing than in private housing. Your income must be below a certain level, depending on your household size.
Public housing is available to families and to the handicapped, disabled and elderly.
While you may still apply, the housing authority can look at your history as a tenant. They can check things like your rent record or to see if you have a criminal history. They also can check to see if you owe money to a housing authority. If you are denied because of this kind of information, you are entitled to an informal conference with the housing authority. You will be allowed to prove this information untrue or show that you have improved.