Section 8 in Portland, ME, ME: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Portland-South Portland, ME 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) | $1,264 | $1,138 to $1,390 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,397 | $1,257 to $1,537 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,833 | $1,650 to $2,016 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,380 | $2,142 to $2,618 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,038 | $2,734 to $3,342 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Portland covers up to $1,833 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,650 to $2,016.
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 Portland
7 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Portland Housing Authority
Portland , ME · ME003 · 2,679 HCV units
2077734753 - Status unknown
the Housing Authority of the City of Westbroo
Westbrook , ME · ME015 · 1,026 HCV units
2078549779 - Status unknown
South Portland Housing Authority
South Portland , ME · ME020 · 740 HCV units
2077734140 - Status unknown
Sanford Housing Authority
Sanford , ME · ME011 · 719 HCV units
2073246747 - Status unknown
Brunswick Housing Authority
Brunswick , ME · ME006 · 678 HCV units
2077258711 - Status unknown
Bath Housing Authority
Bath , ME · ME019 · 264 HCV units
2074433116 - Status unknown
Biddeford Housing Authority
Biddeford , ME · ME028 · 214 HCV units
2072826537
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Portland, ME?
Source-of-income protection status for Maine is not yet in our database. Check with local legal aid or the state civil-rights office before assuming either way.
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Portland 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 Portland?
- In the Portland-South Portland, ME metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,833 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,650 to $2,016 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Portland?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Portland-South Portland, ME metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,264, 1-bedroom $1,397, 2-bedroom $1,833, 3-bedroom $2,380, 4-bedroom $3,038. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Portland?
- Section 8 in Portland is administered by Portland Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of the City of Westbroo, South Portland Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. 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 Portland
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 ME
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.