Section 8 in Gulfport, MS: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area. FY2027 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 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) | $844 | $760 to $928 |
| 1-bedroom | $982 | $884 to $1,080 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,185 | $1,067 to $1,304 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,525 | $1,373 to $1,678 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,723 | $1,551 to $1,895 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Gulfport is $1,185. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,067 to $1,304, 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 Gulfport
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro rose from $1,140 in FY2026 to $1,185 in FY2027, a change of +$45 a month (+3.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $786 | $844 | +$58 (+7.4%) |
| 1-bedroom | $923 | $982 | +$59 (+6.4%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,140 | $1,185 | +$45 (+3.9%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,471 | $1,525 | +$54 (+3.7%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,612 | $1,723 | +$111 (+6.9%) |
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 Gulfport? 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.
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 Gulfport
3 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. Viii
Gulfport , MS · MS040 · 8,285 HCV units
2288312992 - Status unknown
the Housing Authority of the City of Biloxi
Biloxi , MS · MS005 · 1,632 HCV units
2283747771 - Status unknown
Bay Waveland Housing Authority
Bay St Louis , MS · MS301 · 521 HCV units
2284674545
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Gulfport, MS?
In most of the state, yes. Mississippi has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Gulfport, MS can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Mississippi has no source-of-income protection
Mississippi has NO statewide source-of-income protection, no relevant local ordinances in DeSoto County (Horn Lake / Southaven). Landlords can legally decline voucher applicants. This is one of the weakest SOI environments in the country. Voucher tenants remain a good economic option (guaranteed monthly rent that often exceeds local market) — the choice is voluntary either way.
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 Gulfport 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 Gulfport?
- In the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,185 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,067 to $1,304. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.
- What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Gulfport?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro, by bedroom size: studio $844, 1-bedroom $982, 2-bedroom $1,185, 3-bedroom $1,525, 4-bedroom $1,723. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Gulfport for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro went from $1,140 in FY2026 to $1,185 in FY2027, an increase of $45 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Gulfport?
- Section 8 in Gulfport is administered by Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. Viii, the Housing Authority of the City of Biloxi, Bay Waveland Housing Authority. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.
Find Section 8 apartments in Gulfport
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.
Other Section 8 markets in MS
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.