The city received 14,316 applications for Section 8 rental assistance during a one-week open application period that ended at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, officials said.

It was the first time since 2005 the city had opened up to the public the waiting list for the city’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 program, the "housing choice" option allows voucher holders some flexibility in selecting where they want to live.

Being on the wait list does not guarantee that a person or family will receive a voucher immediately. A predetermined number of applications will be randomly selected to be placed on the wait list.

When the city last closed the list nine years ago, more than 10,000 families and individuals were on it, officials said.

Between 200 and 500 new slots are expected to be available in the next few years, depending on the availability of funding and affordable housing, officials said.

Only those meeting income limits are eligible to receive vouchers each month. The typical rental voucher in Hono­lulu is $1,000, with a family contributing about the same amount. Income must be recertified and units inspected annually in order to continue receiving the subsidies.

Pam Witty-Oakland, city community services director, said earlier this week that the high number of applicants "speaks volumes" about the demand for affordable housing on Oahu.