Apply to Orange County Apartment Waiting Lists
- Altrudy Senior Apartments Senior Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Westminster Crossing Apartments Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Buena Esperanza Apartments Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Santa Angelina Senior Apartments, 1-Bedroom Senior Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Aurora Vista Apartments Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Crossroads at Washington Apartments Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Mesa Vista Apartments Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Villa St. Joseph Apartments, 1-Bedroom Senior Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
- Pelican Harbor Apartments, 1-Bedroom Senior Section 8 Project-Based Voucher is open.
Crossroads at Washington
Sea Wind Apartments
Cobblestone Apartments
Casa Querencia
There are 17,241 low-income apartments in Orange County that offer reduced rents to eligible households. Low-income rents in Orange County, California can range from $651 to $1,560 depending on the number of bedrooms.
Rental assistance programs support 5,180 low-income homes in Orange County where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2024, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $502 towards rent each month.
Affordable rent data for some communities last confirmed on July 7th, 2024. Subdsidized rents typically change once a year based on federal guidance.
Public Housing Agencies Serving Orange County, 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 |
|---|---|
| Orange County Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) |
Orange County, California Affordable Housing Data
Income Based Apartments in Orange County, California
Orange County features 5,180 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 Orange County, California
There are 17,241 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Orange County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Orange County, California
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Orange County landlords $1,200 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $500 towards rent in Orange County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Orange County, California for a two-bedroom apartment is between $2,505 and $3,061.
2024 Orange County, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, California Fair Market Rent | $2,200 | $2,344 | $2,783 | $3,769 | $4,467 |
| Orange County, California Payment Standard Range | $1,980 to $2,420 | $2,110 to $2,578 | $2,505 to $3,061 | $3,392 to $4,146 | $4,020 to $4,914 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Orange County, CA Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 322 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 22,907 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 5,180 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 42.32% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 3.09 |
| Average Household Size | 3.04 |
| Median Household Income | $76,509 ±$426 |
| Median Rent | $1,548 ±$10 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 55.21% ± 0.65pp |
| Total Population | 3,116,069 |
Population and Household Demographics
Orange County is a county in California with a population of 3,116,069. There are 1,009,353 households in the county with an average household size of 3.04 persons. 42.32% of households in Orange County are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Orange County
The median gross income for households in Orange County is $76,509 a year, or $6,376 a month. The median rent for the county is $1,548 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Orange County, a household making less than $5,160 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 55.21% of households who rent are overburdened in Orange County.
Area Median Income In Orange County
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.
In Orange County, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $127,800
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 Orange County
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 Orange County
| 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 Orange County AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households. |
$30,150 | $34,450 | $38,750 | $43,050 | $46,500 | $49,950 | $53,400 | $56,850 |
| 50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Orange County AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households. |
$50,250 | $57,400 | $64,600 | $71,750 | $77,500 | $83,250 | $89,000 | $94,750 |
| 80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Orange County AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$80,400 | $91,850 | $103,350 | $114,800 | $124,000 | $133,200 | $142,400 | $151,550 |
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