Section 8 in Virginia Beach, VA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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) | $1,470 | $1,323 to $1,617 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,488 | $1,339 to $1,637 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,667 | $1,500 to $1,834 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,298 | $2,068 to $2,528 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,710 | $2,439 to $2,981 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Virginia Beach is $1,667. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,500 to $1,834, 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 Virginia Beach
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro fell from $1,713 in FY2026 to $1,667 in FY2027, a change of -$46 a month (-2.7%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,492 | $1,470 | -$22 (-1.5%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,512 | $1,488 | -$24 (-1.6%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,713 | $1,667 | -$46 (-2.7%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,376 | $2,298 | -$78 (-3.3%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,797 | $2,710 | -$87 (-3.1%) |
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 Virginia Beach? 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.
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 Virginia Beach
9 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority
Norfolk , VA · VA006 · 5,464 HCV units
7576231111 - Status unknown
Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
Hampton , VA · VA017 · 3,259 HCV units
7577276337 - Status unknown
Newport News Redevelopment & Housng Authority
Newport News , VA · VA003 · 3,125 HCV units
7579282620 - Status unknown
Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
Portsmouth , VA · VA001 · 2,719 HCV units
7573995261 - Status unknown
Va. Beach Dept. of Hsg & Neighborhood Pres.
Virginia Beach , VA · VA039 · 2,204 HCV units
7573855750 - Status unknown
Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
Chesapeake , VA · VA012 · 2,011 HCV units
7575230401 - Status unknown
Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Suffolk , VA · VA025 · 1,245 HCV units
7575392100 - Status unknown
James City County Office of Housing
Williamsburg , VA · VA041 · 195 HCV units
7572595349 - Status unknown
Williamsburg Redevelopment & Housing Auth.
Williamsburg , VA · VA026
7572203477
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Virginia Beach, VA?
No. Virginia law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Virginia Beach, VA. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
Virginia Fair Housing Law (HB 6, 2020)
Virginia's HB 6 (2020) added source of income to the list of protected classes under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. Applies statewide to all landlords regardless of unit count. Enforcement via Virginia DPOR / Virginia Fair Housing Office.
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 Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach?
- In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,667 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,500 to $1,834. 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 Virginia Beach?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,470, 1-bedroom $1,488, 2-bedroom $1,667, 3-bedroom $2,298, 4-bedroom $2,710. 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 Virginia Beach for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro went from $1,713 in FY2026 to $1,667 in FY2027, a decrease of $46 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 Virginia Beach?
- Section 8 in Virginia Beach is administered by Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Newport News Redevelopment & Housng Authority and other local housing authorities. 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 Virginia Beach
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 VA
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.