The income limit that applies depends on the programme and, for Section 8, on whether the HAP contract was initially effective before 1 October 1981; the family must also need the assistance

s8.income_eligibility.applicable_income_limit_and_need_for_assistance · v1.0.0

HUD publishes four income limits as percentages of area median income: the BMIR limit at 95 percent, the low-income limit at 80 percent, the very low-income limit at 50 percent, and the extremely low-income limit at 30 percent, the last used for income targeting in Section 8 projects and not for eligibility. Which limit governs depends on the programme. Section 8 projects with HAP contracts initially effective on or after 1 October 1981 must admit only very low-income families unless HUD has approved an exception; projects with contracts initially effective before that date may admit up to the low-income limit. Section 236, Rent Supplement and RAP use the low-income limit; Section 202/811 PRACs use the very low-income limit except those funded in FY1995, which use the low-income limit; and Section 221(d)(3) BMIR uses the BMIR limit. In a project with more than one type of subsidy the owner must use the limit applicable to the type of assistance the family is to receive. Owners compare annual income to the limit before placing an applicant on the waiting list, but may wait until a unit is available to verify income eligibility. An income-eligible family must also NEED the assistance: the amount it would pay under the applicable HUD rent formula must be less than the gross rent for the unit, or the market rent for Section 236 projects, a requirement that does not apply to Section 202 or 811 PRACs. A household does not need to have income to be eligible.

Confidence

high

Effective from

2013-08-07

Last reviewed

2026-09-01