There are 1,029 low-income apartments in Berkeley that offer reduced rents to eligible households.
Rental assistance programs support 803 low-income homes in Berkeley where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2024, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $506 towards rent each month.
Affordable rent data for some communities last confirmed on July 2nd, 2024. Subdsidized rents typically change once a year based on federal guidance.
Public Housing Agencies Serving Berkeley, California
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
| Housing Authority | Programs |
|---|---|
| City of Berkeley Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
| Housing Authority of the County of Alameda | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
Berkeley, California Affordable Housing Data
Income Based Apartments in Berkeley, California
Berkeley features 803 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Berkeley, California
There are 1,029 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Berkeley.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Berkeley, California
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Berkeley landlords $1,600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $500 towards rent in Berkeley.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Berkeley, California for a two-bedroom apartment is between $2,331 and $2,849.
2024 Berkeley, California Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards
Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
| Studio | One BR | Two BR | Three BR | Four BR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley, California Fair Market Rent | $1,825 | $2,131 | $2,590 | $3,342 | $3,954 |
| Berkeley, California Payment Standard Range | $1,643 to $2,008 | $1,918 to $2,344 | $2,331 to $2,849 | $3,008 to $3,676 | $3,559 to $4,349 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Berkeley, CA Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 42 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 1,838 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 803 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 57.35% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 2.15 |
| Average Household Size | 2.29 |
| Median Household Income | $66,237 ±$2,415 |
| Median Rent | $1,362 ±$26 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 51.94% ± 2.37pp |
| Total Population | 117,384 |
Population and Household Demographics
Berkeley is a city in Alameda County, California with a population of 117,384. There are 45,917 households in the city with an average household size of 2.29 persons. 57.35% of households in Berkeley are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Berkeley
The median gross income for households in Berkeley is $66,237 a year, or $5,520 a month. The median rent for the city is $1,362 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Berkeley, a household making less than $4,540 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 51.94% of households who rent are overburdened in Berkeley.
Area Median Income In Berkeley
Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.
HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Berkeley, the AMI is calculated from all households within Alameda County.
In Berkeley, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $147,900
Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.
Rental Assistance in Berkeley
Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.
Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Berkeley
| 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 30% of the Berkeley AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households. |
$31,050 | $35,500 | $39,950 | $44,350 | $47,900 | $51,450 | $55,000 | $58,550 |
| 50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Berkeley AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households. |
$51,800 | $59,200 | $66,600 | $73,950 | $79,900 | $85,800 | $91,700 | $97,650 |
| 80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Berkeley AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$78,550 | $89,750 | $100,950 | $112,150 | $121,150 | $130,100 | $139,100 | $148,050 |
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