Section 8 in El Centro, CA, CA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
El Centro, 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) | $939 | $845 to $1,033 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,038 | $934 to $1,142 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,362 | $1,226 to $1,498 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,845 | $1,661 to $2,030 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,285 | $2,057 to $2,514 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in El Centro covers up to $1,362 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,226 to $1,498.
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 El Centro
2 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Imperial Valley Housing Authority
Brawley , CA · CA143 · 1,855 HCV units
7603517000 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Calexico
Calexico , CA · CA039 · 249 HCV units
7603573013
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in El Centro, CA?
No. California law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in El Centro, 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 El Centro 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 El Centro?
- In the El Centro, CA metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,362 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,226 to $1,498 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in El Centro?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the El Centro, CA metro, by bedroom size: studio $939, 1-bedroom $1,038, 2-bedroom $1,362, 3-bedroom $1,845, 4-bedroom $2,285. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in El Centro?
- Section 8 in El Centro is administered by Imperial Valley Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the City of Calexico. 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 El Centro
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.