Section 8 in Chico, CA, CA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Chico, CA 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.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. 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) | $1,155 | $1,040 to $1,271 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,270 | $1,143 to $1,397 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,625 | $1,463 to $1,788 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,260 | $2,034 to $2,486 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,726 | $2,453 to $2,999 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Chico covers up to $1,625 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,463 to $1,788.
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 Chico
1 PHA administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
County of Butte Hsg Auth
Chico , CA · CA043 · 2,284 HCV units
5308954474
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Chico, CA?
No. California law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Chico, CA. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
California FEHA source-of-income protection (SB 329 / Gov. Code 12955)
Statewide: landlords may not refuse Section 8/HCV vouchers as a source of income.
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 Chico 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 Chico?
- In the Chico, CA metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,625 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,463 to $1,788 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Chico?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Chico, CA metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,155, 1-bedroom $1,270, 2-bedroom $1,625, 3-bedroom $2,260, 4-bedroom $2,726. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Chico?
- Section 8 in Chico is administered by County of Butte Hsg Auth. 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 Chico
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 CA
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.