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OFFICE CLOSURE EFFECTIVE MARCH 16, 2020

Translation Disclaimer

Berkeley Housing Authority

Payment Standards, Income Limits, and Utility Allowance

Tenants are not required to pay more than 40 percent of the income as rent. The maximum rent shown below is set by payment standards. We understand your participation in the Section 8 Program is a business endeavor, and your rents need to keep pace with current market conditions. The rent must be reasonable – comparable to rents for similar unassisted unites. If the rent approved for a unit equals the Payment Standard, the family will not receive an allowance for any tenant paid utilities. If the rent demanded is greater than the Payment Standard for the unit size, you will become subject to registration and payment of registration fees to the Rent Board and the unit will also be covered by many provisions of the Berkeley Rent Control Ordinance. In addition, the rent you will be able to collect will most likely be the most recent Payment Standard plus Rent Control increases and NOT the market rent you are seeking.The Housing Authority would continue to pay the amount below as a maximum, but tenants may choose either to pay the amount of the increase or relocate to a more affordable unit using their voucher.

Payment Standards, Effective January 1, 2020 for ALL contracts:

SRO	0 Bedrooms	1 Bedroom	2 Bedrooms	3 Bedrooms	4 Bedrooms
$1,227	$1,636	$1,988	$2,462	$3,346	$4,092

Payment Standards, Effective July 1, 2019 for all new contracts:

SRO	0 Bedrooms	1 Bedroom	2 Bedrooms	3 Bedrooms	4 Bedrooms
$1,161	$1,549	$1,876	$2,338	$3,217	$3,945

Payment Standards, Effective November 1, 2017 for all existing contracts:

SRO	0 Bedrooms	1 Bedroom	2 Bedrooms	3 Bedrooms	4 Bedrooms
$1,183	$1,578	$1,895	$2,390	$3,318	$3,824

HUD Income Guidelines, Effective April 24, 2019

Families admitted to the Section 8 program must be extremely low income (30% of area median income), or very low income (50% of area median income). If a family was participating in any other 1937 Housing Act program at the time they were issued a voucher, they may qualify with income up through the low income category (up to 80% of area median income).

Household Size	30% of Median Extremely Low	50% of Median Very Low	80% of Median Low
1	$26,050	$43,400	$69,000
2	29,750	49,600	78,850
3	33,450	55,800	88,700
4	37,150	61,950	98,550
5	40,150	66,950	106,450
6	43,100	71,900	114,350
7	46,100	76,850	122,250
8	49,050	81,800	130,100

2020 Utility Allowances

Utility Allowance, Effective July 1, 2020 for Row House/Townhouse & Semi-Detached/Duplex, Triplex, Fourplex