Section 8 in Alameda County, CA
26,682 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Alameda County, 85% utilized. 6 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
Voucher-friendly listings in Alameda County
7 listings
$2,912/mo2 bed · 1 bath1463 8Th St
Prescott, Oakland, CA 94607
$2,000/mo1 bed · 1 bath8610 Plymouth St
Eastmont, Oakland, CA 94621
$3,800/mo3 bed · 2 bath6429 Brann St
Fairfax, Oakland, CA 94605
$2,900/mo2 bed · 1 bath5324 Belvedere St
Maxwell Park, Oakland, CA 94601
$5,000/mo5 bed · 3 bath1308 E 19Th St
Clinton, Oakland, CA 94606
$3,100/mo3 bed · 2 bath1439 48th Ave
Melrose, Oakland, CA 94601
HUD Fair Market Rents in Alameda County (FY2027)
HUD rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $2,088 | $1,879 to $2,297 |
| 1-bedroom | $2,290 | $2,061 to $2,519 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,805 | $2,525 to $3,086 |
| 3-bedroom | $3,592 | $3,233 to $3,951 |
| 4-bedroom | $4,250 | $3,825 to $4,675 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Alameda County is $2,805. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $2,525 to $3,086, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.
What changed from FY2026 to FY2027 in Alameda County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Alameda County, CA fell from $2,912 in FY2026 to $2,805 in FY2027, a change of -$107 a month (-3.7%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $2,142 | $2,088 | -$54 (-2.5%) |
| 1-bedroom | $2,385 | $2,290 | -$95 (-4.0%) |
| 2-bedroom | $2,912 | $2,805 | -$107 (-3.7%) |
| 3-bedroom | $3,724 | $3,592 | -$132 (-3.5%) |
| 4-bedroom | $4,413 | $4,250 | -$163 (-3.7%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard. The basic range is 90% to 110% of the applicable FMR or SAFMR, with exceptions and Moving to Work policies that may differ. A HUD effective date is not a household rent-change notice. Confirm the adopted schedule and its application to your lease or reexamination with your agency.
Already renting with a voucher in Alameda County? Under standard HCV rules, a lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. Moving to Work agencies may use different policies. 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.
Section 8 income limits in Alameda County (FY2026)
To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, a household's gross annual income generally has to be at or below the very low income limit for its size. In Alameda County that is $84,850 a year for a family of four, about $7,070 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $162,800.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $35,650 | $59,400 | $95,050 |
| 2 people | $40,750 | $67,900 | $108,600 |
| 3 people | $45,850 | $76,400 | $122,200 |
| 4 people | $50,900 | $84,850 | $135,750 |
| 5 people | $55,000 | $91,650 | $146,650 |
| 6 people | $59,050 | $98,450 | $157,500 |
| 7 people | $63,150 | $105,250 | $168,350 |
| 8 people | $67,200 | $112,050 | $179,200 |
Which column applies to you. The middle column is the eligibility line for most applicants (24 CFR 982.201). The low income column only applies in special cases, such as families already receiving federal housing assistance. Federal rules generally require at least 75% of admissions from the waiting list each year to be extremely low income families. This does not predict selection or waiting time. For a family of four here, that threshold is $50,900 or less.
Income is counted before taxes and covers the whole household. The housing authority verifies it when your name is reached on the waiting list, so what counts is your income at that point. Being under the income limit is only one part of eligibility and does not guarantee admission.
Compare your household income with Section 8 limits and see how monthly income becomes an annual estimate.
Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Alameda County?
No. California law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Alameda County. 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.
Alameda County in the San Francisco metro
Alameda County is one of the counties inside the San Francisco, CA core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See San Francisco metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Alameda County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Alameda County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for California ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in CaliforniaExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in CaliforniaMarket rent versus HUD fair market rent by city and bedroom count.
- How Section 8 rent is calculatedFair market rent, payment standards and rent reasonableness, step by step.
- Section 8 landlord math for 2026What the payment standard changes mean for cash flow this year.
Housing authorities serving Alameda County
Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. Confirm the administering agency on your voucher and whether it can serve the proposed address; a ZIP code alone does not settle jurisdiction or portability.
Oakland Housing Authority (OHA)
Oakland · PHA code CA003
14,426 Section 8 unitsHousing Authority of the County of Alameda
Hayward · PHA code CA067
7,124 Section 8 unitsBerkeley Housing Authority
Berkeley · PHA code CA058
2,135 Section 8 unitsHsg Auth of the City of Livermore
Livermore · PHA code CA074
938 Section 8 unitsOakland Housing Authority
Oakland · PHA code CA062
—Housing Authority of the City of Pleasanton
Pleasanton · PHA code CA081
—
Applying, following up or moving with a voucher? Find the right Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) portal and next step.
Section 8 rent by ZIP in Alameda County
Alameda County is in a Small Area FMR metro, so HUD publishes a separate rent limit for each ZIP (FY2027). The 2-bedroom figure is shown; each ZIP page has the full bedroom table.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Alameda County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Alameda County, CA is $59,400 for one person, $67,900 for two, $76,400 for three and $84,850 for a family of four. Limits vary by household size. The agency also checks other eligibility requirements and any applicable exceptions.
- What counts as extremely low income in Alameda County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Alameda County is $35,650 for one person and $50,900 for a family of four. Housing authorities must give at least 75% of the vouchers they issue from the waiting list each year to families at or below this level.
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Alameda County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Alameda County is $2,805 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $2,525 to $3,086. This is not a household rent limit. ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ; ask your agency for its adopted standard and the unit's utility allowance.
- Who runs Section 8 in Alameda County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Alameda County are administered by Oakland Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the County of Alameda, Berkeley Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Each authority keeps its own waiting lists and eligibility preferences. Check each official application notice; applying to one agency does not apply to the others.
Find Section 8 apartments in Alameda County
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.
Nearby California counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 1,663,823 · FIPS 06001.