Section 8 in Odessa, TX: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Odessa, TX metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.
Voucher-friendly listings available now in Odessa
1 listing
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026, in effect from October 1, 2025. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,245 | $1,121 to $1,370 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,269 | $1,142 to $1,396 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,595 | $1,436 to $1,755 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,912 | $1,721 to $2,103 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,213 | $1,992 to $2,434 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Odessa covers up to $1,595 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,436 to $1,755.
FY2027 rent limits in Odessa: what changes on October 1, 2026
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Odessa, TX metro falls from $1,595 in FY2026 to $1,522 in FY2027, a change of -$73 a month (-4.6%). FY2027 figures take effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,245 | $1,153 | -$92 (-7.4%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,269 | $1,229 | -$40 (-3.2%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,595 | $1,522 | -$73 (-4.6%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,912 | $1,813 | -$99 (-5.2%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,213 | $2,083 | -$130 (-5.9%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the published figure. When a new one pushes the old schedule outside that range, the authority has up to three months after the effective date to publish a new one (24 CFR 982.503). Until it does, the old payment standards still apply, so call the authority before you rely on the new number.
Already renting with a voucher in Odessa? A lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. The housing authority may keep your current payment standard for as long as you stay in the same unit. If it decides to lower it, the reduction cannot start sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, and only after it sends you the required notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). Families who are new to the program, or who move to a different unit, get the schedule in effect at that time.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.
Housing authorities serving Odessa
1 PHA administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority City of Odessa
Odessa , TX · TX455 · 1,355 HCV units
4323331088
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Odessa, TX?
Yes. Texas law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Odessa, TX can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.
Texas SB 267 (2015), Local Gov't Code §250.007
Preempts local source-of-income ordinances (nullified Austin and Dallas). HB 1193 (2023) only bars homeowners' associations from blocking voucher tenants. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Odessa metro
County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Odessa?
- In the Odessa, TX metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,595 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,436 to $1,755 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Odessa?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Odessa, TX metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,245, 1-bedroom $1,269, 2-bedroom $1,595, 3-bedroom $1,912, 4-bedroom $2,213. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Odessa for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Odessa, TX metro goes from $1,595 in FY2026 to $1,522 in FY2027, a decrease of $73 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents take effect on October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set their own payment standards from that figure and have up to three months to update them, so confirm the current amount with the authority that covers the address.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Odessa?
- Section 8 in Odessa is administered by Housing Authority City of Odessa. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.
Find Section 8 apartments in Odessa
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Other Section 8 markets in TX
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.