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There are 3,884 low-income apartments in Santa Barbara County that offer reduced rents to eligible households. Low-income rents in Santa Barbara County, California can range from $945 to $1,895 depending on the number of bedrooms.
Rental assistance programs support 1,800 low-income homes in Santa Barbara County where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2024, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $472 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 Santa Barbara 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 |
|---|---|
| Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
Santa Barbara County, California Affordable Housing Data
Income Based Apartments in Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County features 1,800 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 Santa Barbara County, California
There are 3,884 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Santa Barbara County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Santa Barbara County, California
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Santa Barbara County landlords $1,100 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $500 towards rent in Santa Barbara County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Santa Barbara County, California for a two-bedroom apartment is between $2,695 and $3,293.
2024 Santa Barbara 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara County, California Fair Market Rent | $2,330 | $2,651 | $2,994 | $3,996 | $4,528 |
| Santa Barbara County, California Payment Standard Range | $2,097 to $2,563 | $2,386 to $2,916 | $2,695 to $3,293 | $3,596 to $4,396 | $4,075 to $4,981 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Santa Barbara County, CA Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 147 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 5,781 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 1,800 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 48.09% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 3.08 |
| Average Household Size | 2.92 |
| Median Household Income | $63,985 ±$1,293 |
| Median Rent | $1,369 ±$20 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 54.83% ± 1.68pp |
| Total Population | 435,850 |
Population and Household Demographics
Santa Barbara County is a county in California with a population of 435,850. There are 142,713 households in the county with an average household size of 2.92 persons. 48.09% of households in Santa Barbara County are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Santa Barbara County
The median gross income for households in Santa Barbara County is $63,985 a year, or $5,332 a month. The median rent for the county is $1,369 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Santa Barbara County, a household making less than $4,563 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 54.83% of households who rent are overburdened in Santa Barbara County.
Area Median Income In Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara County, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $107,300
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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara County 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 Santa Barbara County 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 Santa Barbara County AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$82,950 | $94,800 | $106,650 | $118,500 | $128,000 | $137,500 | $146,950 | $156,450 |
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