Three things to know before you apply
- Different programs have different lists. An opening for a particular property does not mean the tenant-based Section 8 list is open.
- The adopted two-bedroom payment standard is $1,503. The agency lists this amount effective August 1, 2026. It is used in the subsidy calculation; it is not a promise to pay your entire rent.
- VoucherMatch does not take housing-authority applications. Submit household documents through the authority’s official process.
Merced Housing Authority: phone, office & portal
The Housing Authority of the County of Merced administers Housing Choice Vouchers and other housing programs across the county. For an application question, start with the agency rather than a rental-listing site or a third-party waiting-list directory.
- Main phone
- (209) 722-3501
- Office
- 405 U Street, Merced, CA 95341
- Posted lobby hours
- Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; alternating Fridays, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Call before a Friday visit.
- Accessibility & fax
- TDD: 711 or 800-855-7100
HCV fax: (209) 722-7364
Official agency website · Resident & Applicant Portal · Contact directory
Contact details checked against the official website on October 18, 2026. Ask the agency about application assistance, language help or a reasonable accommodation if the online process is a barrier.
For the directory record and related resources: County of Merced Housing Authority.
Choose the program before choosing a waiting list
“Section 8 application” can mean two different routes in Merced County. A tenant-based voucher supports a qualifying private rental you find. A project-based voucher supports a designated apartment. Public housing is a separate program with its own application rules.
| Program | What you are applying for | Check before submitting |
|---|---|---|
| Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) | Tenant-based assistance for an approved rental. | The notice must specifically cover the HCV list. |
| Project-based voucher (PBV) | Assistance attached to a participating unit. | Property, bedroom size and any household restrictions. |
| Public housing (PH) | Authority-owned and managed housing. | The public-housing list and the applicable unit size. |
The agency’s HCV page identifies PBV locations in Merced, Atwater, Livingston, Los Banos and Dos Palos. That is useful for narrowing your search area, but the property list is not a vacancy report. Check the current opening notice for the actual properties and bedroom sizes accepting applications.
Source: local HCV guidance and PBV site list. Farmworker households can also explore the agency’s seasonal migrant and year-round farm-labor programs; these are distinct from the general voucher application.
How to apply for Section 8 in Merced County
Is the Merced waiting list open?
Check the official public notices and applicant portal for the program you need. This guide does not assign a current open/closed status: a past announcement or a working portal login does not establish that a particular list is accepting applications today.
- Read the full opening notice. Match the program, property (if applicable), eligible bedroom size, opening and closing dates, and submission method. Save a copy.
- Enter through the official website. Follow its Resident & Applicant Portal link. Create an account or sign in to an existing one; then choose the specific eligible waiting list. The agency warns that selecting a closed list or an incompatible bedroom size can lead to rejection.
- Complete the household pre-application. Have household names, contact details and income information ready. Report requested details accurately and keep the submission confirmation and any application number.
- Check status and keep your profile current. The authority directs applicants to the portal’s status column and requires updates to address, phone, income and household size. Keep access to the email account you used.
- Respond when selected. Selection starts eligibility verification. Return the requested packet by its deadline. A successful pre-application does not itself issue a voucher or reserve an apartment.
Prepare proof of household identity, income and benefits, plus any documents requested for a claimed preference. The agency decides what it needs for your case; a document checklist from another county may not be sufficient. If you receive a denial, read the notice immediately for the stated review procedure and deadline.
Source: Merced’s application, status and selection instructions. Keep sensitive documents out of public messages and send them only through the agency’s designated channel.
Merced Section 8 payment standards: adopted August 2026 schedule
The authority publishes the following monthly HCV payment standards effective August 1, 2026. This is the local adopted schedule, separate from the HUD Fair Market Rent table later on this page.
| Unit size | Adopted payment standard |
|---|---|
| Studio / 0 bedrooms | $1,116 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,213 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,503 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,067 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,503 |
| 5 bedrooms | $2,878 |
| 6 bedrooms | $3,254 |
Source: agency payment-standard schedule, effective August 1, 2026; checked October 18, 2026. Confirm the schedule effective for your move or recertification.
Why this is not your maximum apartment rent
The standard is an input to the subsidy calculation, before the family’s required contribution is deducted. The agency says the applicable standard is the lower of the amount for the household’s authorized unit size and the amount for the actual leased unit size. Renting a larger home does not automatically increase the assistance.
A home also needs a rent-reasonableness review, an affordability calculation and an inspection. Request a calculation for the exact proposed rent and utilities before committing. A rental at or below the published standard is not automatically approved.
Compare the rent plus utilities, not the listing price alone
Gross rent = rent to the owner + the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. The allowance is a scheduled estimate, not your actual monthly bill. Merced’s published utility page separates detached homes from apartments, semi-detached homes and duplexes, with different amounts for fuel and services.
In that example, the gross rent is $47 above the two-bedroom standard. If the household’s total tenant payment were $450 and the applicable standard were $1,503, a simplified calculation gives assistance of $1,053 and a family gross contribution of $497. With the assumed $150 allowance, that leaves $347 payable to the owner, plus the household’s actual utility bills.
The agency must confirm every input, including adjusted income and any minimum-rent or other applicable rules. At an initial lease where gross rent exceeds the standard, the family share generally cannot exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income. This example does not establish eligibility or approval.
Before asking for a quote, record who pays heating, cooking, water heating, electricity, water, sewer and trash; the fuel types; and whether appliances are supplied. Give the agency the actual unit type and address. Ask which utility schedule applies rather than adding every line in the schedule.
Merced utility allowances (page lists October 1, 2025 effective date; confirm applicability) · HUD tenant guidance on gross rent and family share.
Merced County Section 8 income limits & eligibility
The agency’s income table is effective May 1, 2026. For example, it lists a very-low-income limit of $34,000 for one person and $48,550 for four people. These are annual household amounts, not monthly income or the rent you will pay.
| People | Extremely low income | Very low income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $20,450 | $34,000 |
| 2 | $23,350 | $38,850 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $43,700 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $48,550 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $52,450 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $56,350 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $60,250 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $64,100 |
Full agency income schedule, including larger households and the separate low-income category. Figures checked October 18, 2026.
HCV admission generally serves extremely-low-income and very-low-income households; the agency applies additional eligibility rules and verifies your household. The authority notes that 75% of newly admitted families during a year must fall within the extremely-low-income limits. Being under a listed amount does not guarantee selection, priority or immediate housing.
Use the number of people in your household to read the income table. Use the agency’s authorized bedroom size to discuss the payment standard. A four-person household is not automatically entitled to a four-bedroom voucher.
After voucher issuance: find a home, submit the packet, get approval
Write down the search expiration date on your issued voucher. Merced’s guidance describes a 60-to-120-day search period as determined by the agency. If you are struggling to find a unit, contact your worker before the deadline about the extension process and keep a record of your search.
When you find a candidate, get the owner’s proposed rent, unit address, bedroom count, utility responsibilities and earliest availability in writing. The tenant and owner complete their portions of the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). The authority then evaluates the tenancy, checks rent reasonableness and arranges inspection. Coordinate the lease and assistance start date with the worker; an owner’s acceptance of your application is not final agency approval.
Moving into Merced with an existing voucher
Start a portability request with the agency currently administering your voucher. Ask it to coordinate the transfer packet with Merced and confirm eligibility to move, remaining search time, receiving-agency requirements and the applicable payment standard. Do not assume your current county’s subsidy carries over unchanged.
Official Merced leasing and portability instructions. Landlords can use the agency’s owner resources for participation documents.
Search locally and check each offer
Search Merced rental listings. VoucherMatch inventory represents our marketplace, not the authority’s waitlist or all rentals in Merced County. Matching listings appear here when available. Check the location and current listing details; a published listing is not proof of an approved tenancy. The agency also links rental-search resources from its unit-search guidance.
Have a rental to advertise? List your property on VoucherMatch and use the agency’s owner resources to prepare for the separate HCV approval process.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Merced County?
No. California law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Merced 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.
HUD Fair Market Rents: a separate market benchmark
Use the adopted local schedule above for a payment-standard conversation. The HUD table below provides market context by fiscal year. Its illustrated 90%–110% range is not Merced’s adopted schedule, an offer of assistance or an approval range.
Merced County HUD Fair Market Rents (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) | $1,200 | $1,080 to $1,320 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,262 | $1,136 to $1,388 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,517 | $1,365 to $1,669 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,087 | $1,878 to $2,296 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,477 | $2,229 to $2,725 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Merced County is $1,517. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,365 to $1,669, 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 Merced County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Merced County, CA rose from $1,503 in FY2026 to $1,517 in FY2027, a change of +$14 a month (+0.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,116 | $1,200 | +$84 (+7.5%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,213 | $1,262 | +$49 (+4.0%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,503 | $1,517 | +$14 (+0.9%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,067 | $2,087 | +$20 (+1.0%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,503 | $2,477 | -$26 (-1.0%) |
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 Merced County? Under standard HCV rules, once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)). Confirm any applicable Moving to Work policy with your agency.
Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rent datasets. Years and effective dates are shown with the table; they differ from the agency schedule’s adoption date.
Compare California Section 8 resources · Explore Merced, CA voucher data
A checklist for your next agency call or rental viewing
Take this worksheet to a call, appointment or viewing. It separates application tasks from lease-approval tasks so you can ask for the next action that actually moves your case forward.
Open printable Merced housing checklist →- Applying: Which program and bedroom-size list is accepting applications? What confirmation should I receive? Where do I update my details?
- Already issued a voucher: What is my authorized bedroom size and expiration date? Which standard and utility schedule apply?
- Proposing a home: Have both sides completed the RFTA? What rent, utilities, inspection or document issues are still unresolved?
- Moving counties: Has my current agency sent the portability packet, and has Merced confirmed receipt and next steps?
Common Merced housing questions
Can I apply through VoucherMatch?
Housing-authority applications go through the authority’s designated process. VoucherMatch is an independent housing resource and marketplace; sending us a rental inquiry does not put you on an agency waiting list.
How long is the Merced Section 8 wait?
There is no reliable single wait time for every household or program. Admissions depend on funding, turnover, preferences and the list involved. Use the portal to check status, keep your profile current and ask the agency about your application rather than relying on an estimated move-in date.
Does a PBV opening mean the regular Section 8 list is open?
No. Project-based voucher openings can be limited to named properties, unit sizes and household categories. Read the notice for the exact program. Applying for one list does not automatically add you to every other list.
Will Section 8 pay my deposit?
Do not assume the recurring voucher subsidy covers your security deposit or other move-in charges. Ask the agency about separate assistance and confirm with the owner what is due and when before you commit to a unit.
Is the HUD rent table the same as Merced’s payment standard?
No. HUD publishes market benchmarks. Merced separately adopts a local payment schedule. The agency’s published August 1, 2026 schedule lists $1,503 for two bedrooms; household assistance also depends on income, unit size and gross rent.
Sources, scope & what changed
This guide was substantially rewritten by the VoucherMatch editorial team on October 18, 2026 to add official application routes, the adopted August payment schedule, income guidance, original process graphics and a printable worksheet. We have not interviewed agency staff or verified an individual household’s eligibility.
- Agency homepage and contact page: office details and official portal route.
- HCV program guidance and public housing: application, selection, leasing and program distinctions.
- Public notices: the place to verify dated openings, restrictions and deadlines.
- Adopted payment standards: effective August 1, 2026.
- Income limits: effective May 1, 2026.
- Utility allowances: posted effective October 1, 2025; ask which schedule applies to your tenancy.
- HUD applicant and tenant resources: federal program background and gross-rent guidance.
Agency pages checked October 18, 2026. The utility illustration uses hypothetical inputs; it is not an agency quote. Original diagrams: VoucherMatch, 2026. Contact details, list openings and schedules can change; the authority controls current requirements. To report an error, use VoucherMatch contact and include this page URL and the source that needs updating.