Housing Authority of the County of Kern: complete guide for applicants and landlords

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the Housing Authority of the County of Kern?

The Housing Authority of the County of Kern, almost always shortened to HACK, is a public agency created under California Health and Safety Code to run affordable housing programs for low- and very-low-income residents of Kern County. Its main office is in Bakersfield. HACK runs the federal Housing Choice Voucher program, better known as Section 8, plus a smaller set of project-based units and other HUD-funded programs. ^[1]

Kern County is one of California's largest counties by land area. It runs from the southern San Joaquin Valley up into the Tehachapi Mountains and out to the Mojave Desert. That geography matters for tenants. HACK covers unincorporated parts of the county and several smaller cities, but it does not cover Bakersfield proper. The City of Bakersfield has its own housing authority. If you live in or want to move to the Bakersfield city limits, you deal with the Bakersfield Housing Authority, not HACK.

HACK is a HUD-designated Public Housing Authority (PHA), so it has to follow every rule in 24 CFR Part 982 for the voucher program. ^[2] Its money comes mostly through HUD's Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract system. The federal government reimburses HACK for the subsidy portion of each approved lease. HACK's board sets local policy inside the limits HUD allows, and those choices live in the agency's Administrative Plan.

What does HACK actually cover, and how is it different from Bakersfield Housing Authority?

This is the single most common mix-up for applicants in the area. HACK covers the unincorporated county plus smaller incorporated cities and towns in Kern County that don't have their own housing authority. Think Wasco, Arvin, McFarland, Delano, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, and similar places.

The City of Bakersfield holds roughly half of Kern County's population, and a separate agency handles it: the Bakersfield Housing Authority (BHA), sometimes called the Housing Authority of the City of Bakersfield. Applying to HACK does not put you on Bakersfield's list, and applying to Bakersfield does not put you on HACK's. If you can't tell which jurisdiction your address falls under, call both agencies or check the boundary on the Kern County Assessor's parcel search.

A note for readers who came from searches about the Jefferson County Housing Authority. That's a different agency in another state (Alabama has the best-known one). It has no connection to HACK. If you're actually looking for Jefferson County, find its local PHA through HUD's PHA contact locator at hud.gov. ^[3]

For Kern County, the rule is simple. Bakersfield mailing address? Start with BHA. Delano, Wasco, Ridgecrest, or an unincorporated county address? Start with HACK.

How do you apply for a Section 8 voucher through HACK?

HACK's voucher waitlist is closed most of the time. Like most large California PHAs, HACK shuts the list when it already has more applicants than it can reasonably serve over the next few years. When the list opens, HACK announces it on the agency website, in local newspapers, and sometimes through community groups. ^[4]

During an open enrollment window, you usually fill out an online pre-application. It collects household size, income, and any preference categories such as veteran status, disability, or displacement from a federally declared disaster. Preferences carry real weight. HUD lets PHAs serve applicants with local preferences ahead of others on the list, and HACK has historically used preferences that can move qualified households toward the front. ^[2]

Income is the other gate. To qualify, your household income generally cannot top 50 percent of area median income (AMI) for the Bakersfield-Kern County area. HUD recalculates these limits every year. For fiscal year 2024, HUD's very-low-income limit (50 percent AMI) for a family of four in the Bakersfield metro was roughly $37,650. These figures move annually, so check the current HUD income limits before you count on any number. ^[5]

Once you're on the list, the wait can run two to five years or longer depending on funding and turnover. Nobody has clean public data on HACK's current average wait. The reliable move is to log into HACK's applicant portal or call the agency. And if your contact information changes while you wait, update it. Being unreachable is how people get dropped.

Want a wider view? Check open Section 8 waiting lists across California to see which PHAs are accepting applications right now.

What are HACK's payment standards and how do they affect what you can rent?

Payment standards are the most HACK will pay in monthly housing assistance for a voucher holder. They're set as a percentage of HUD's published Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for the area. PHAs can set them between 90 and 110 percent of the current FMR without special HUD approval. ^[2]

For the Bakersfield-Kern County HUD Metro FMR Area, HUD's fiscal year 2025 FMRs (effective October 2024) are:

Bedroom size	FY2025 FMR (Kern County area)
Studio (0 BR)	$929
1 bedroom	$1,059
2 bedroom	$1,333
3 bedroom	$1,883
4 bedroom	$2,319

Source: HUD FY2025 Fair Market Rents, Bakersfield-Kern County HUD Metro FMR Area ^[6]

HACK's actual payment standards can differ from these FMR numbers. The agency can go up to 110 percent in high-cost sub-areas or for accessibility reasons. Pull the current payment standard schedule straight from HACK's website before you sign anything. If a landlord asks rent above the payment standard, the tenant pays the difference out of pocket on top of the standard tenant share. That gap adds up fast and can make a unit unaffordable even with a voucher in hand.

Tenant share is 30 percent of adjusted monthly income. At initial lease-up, HUD caps the tenant share at 40 percent of gross monthly income. ^[2] After the first year, rent increases can push that number higher if the payment standard doesn't keep pace with the market.

For more on how the rent math works program-wide, see rental assistance.

What happens during a HACK Section 8 inspection?

Before HACK pays a dime of housing assistance on a unit, that unit has to pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. HQS lives in 24 CFR 982.401 and covers categories like space and security, water supply, lead-based paint, sanitation, the thermal environment, electricity, structural soundness, and food preparation. ^[2]

A typical HQS inspection for a single-family home or apartment takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The usual fail items are cheap fixes: dead smoke detectors, missing stove burner knobs, broken window locks, peeling paint in pre-1978 homes (a lead concern), exposed wiring, and missing outlet covers. Landlords who've never rented to a voucher holder are often surprised by how specific the standards get. None of them call for expensive renovation.

HACK has to re-inspect voucher units at least once a year. If a unit fails, the landlord gets a set window to fix it, typically 24 hours for emergency items and 30 days for non-emergency ones. If the repairs don't happen, HACK can suspend housing assistance payments until the unit passes. In the worst case, the agency abates payments entirely and lets the tenant move.

Tenants can also request a special inspection when they think the unit has slipped out of HQS compliance. That's a real right under 24 CFR 982.405. Using it isn't automatically retaliation-proof, but California law layers extra tenant protections on top of the federal HUD rules.

What do landlords need to know about renting to HACK voucher holders?

Landlords in Kern County who take voucher holders sign a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract directly with HACK. The HAP contract is separate from the lease, and it runs on a one-year cycle that mirrors the lease. HACK pays its share of the rent straight to the landlord by electronic transfer or check each month. ^[1]

California's source-of-income law, Government Code Section 12955, bars landlords from refusing to rent to someone just because they use a housing voucher. It applies across the whole state, Kern County included. HACK itself has limited power over landlord refusals, but a tenant can file a fair housing complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH). ^[11]

Here's the honest accounting for a landlord on the fence. The upside: a guaranteed government payment for the subsidy portion every month, a tenant whose income has already been verified by a federal agency, and tenants who tend to stay put once they find a good unit. The downside: the HQS inspection adds lead time before the tenancy starts (usually two to four weeks from request to inspection), annual re-inspections mean ongoing compliance work, and HACK's rent reasonableness call can land below what the open market would pay.

Rent reasonableness is HACK's process of comparing your proposed rent against similar unassisted units nearby. Under 24 CFR 982.507, HACK cannot approve a contract rent above the reasonable rent for comparable units. ^[2] This is a separate test from the payment standard. Even if your rent sits below the payment standard, HACK can still reject it for failing the comparison.

New to the voucher world? VoucherReady has a landlord kit that walks through the HAP contract, the inspection checklist, and the rent reasonableness process in plain language.

To list a property and reach voucher holders searching in Kern County, go section 8 listing sites are one place to start, and section 8 houses for rent aggregators pull from several databases at once.

Can you port your HACK voucher to another county or state?

Yes. Portability is a federal right under 24 CFR 982.353. Once you've been in HACK's program for at least 12 months (or less in some hardship cases), you can take your voucher anywhere in the United States where another PHA will accept it. ^[2]

The mechanics: HACK becomes the initial PHA and contacts the receiving PHA in your destination. The receiving PHA either absorbs the voucher into its own funding or bills HACK for the housing assistance payments. In tight markets like Los Angeles County or the Bay Area, receiving PHAs sometimes run their own waitlists for portability intake, which slows things down.

HACK also takes incoming ports. If you hold a voucher from another jurisdiction and want to move into a HACK-covered area, your initial PHA contacts HACK to start the port. While you search in the new area, you follow HACK's local payment standards and policies, not your original PHA's.

Porting takes time. Budget at least 30 to 60 days for the paperwork to move between agencies, and confirm with both PHAs that the receiving side is open to incoming ports before you give notice at your current place. For a wider look at moving with a voucher, see moving and porting.

What other housing programs does HACK administer beyond vouchers?

HACK runs more than the tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher. The agency also administers:

Project-Based Voucher (PBV) units. These work like HCV vouchers but attach to specific apartment units instead of the tenant. If you get a PBV subsidy and leave the unit, the subsidy stays with the unit. PBV lists often move faster than the main voucher program because they're funded separately. ^[1]

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS). A voluntary program that helps voucher holders build savings and move toward economic independence. When participants earn more, the resulting rent increase gets escrowed into a savings account. Finish the five-year program and the savings go to you. HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing oversees FSS nationwide. ^[1]

HOME Investment Partnerships and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs. HACK and Kern County's Community Development and Housing Department administer some of these funds separately, covering first-time homebuyer help, owner-occupied rehab, and down payment assistance. All income-limited, all funded through HUD's formula grants to the county. ^[3]

Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation (Mod Rehab). An older project-based program where HACK contracts with specific properties. HUD no longer funds new Mod Rehab, but existing contracts keep running.

For older adults specifically, Kern County also has HUD-funded low income senior housing properties that operate entirely outside the voucher program.

How does HACK's Section 8 program compare to other California PHAs?

HACK is a mid-size California PHA, not one of the giants like LA County's LACDA or the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Size matters here because funding allocations, waitlist lengths, and how fast an agency answers the phone vary a lot across PHAs, even inside the same state.

A few comparisons worth knowing if you're deciding where to apply or considering a port:

PHA	Approx. Vouchers Administered	Waitlist Status (as of mid-2025)	Notes
HACK (Kern County)	~4,000-5,000	Closed (check agency site)	Serves unincorporated county + smaller cities
Bakersfield Housing Authority	~2,000-3,000	Closed	Bakersfield city limits only
LACDA (LA County)	~25,000+	Closed	One of the largest in the US
Sacramento Housing Authority	~15,000+	Closed	Occasional lottery openings
Fresno Housing	~5,000-6,000	Varies	Nearest large neighbor to Kern County

Note: Voucher counts are approximate, drawn from HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households data ^[9] and PHA annual reports. Waitlist status changes often, so verify directly with the agency.

Kern County's rental market is cheaper than coastal California. That means payment standards here can cover a wider slice of the market than they can in San Francisco or Santa Cruz. It's a genuine advantage for voucher holders who can outlast the wait.

What are tenants' rights when dealing with HACK?

Voucher holders have several formal rights that HACK has to respect, all grounded in federal law.

Grievance rights. Under 24 CFR 982.555, you can request an informal hearing before HACK when the agency moves to terminate your assistance, cut your payment, or deny a port request. ^[2] Ask for the hearing in writing within the window stated in your notice, usually 10 to 14 days. Blowing that deadline is how most tenants lose their hearing rights. Treat deadline notices as urgent.

Annual recertification. HACK has to recheck your income and family composition every year. You can correct errors in HACK's math. If HACK says you owe repayment for an overpaid subsidy, you can dispute the amount through the hearing process.

Reasonable accommodation. If you or a household member has a disability, you can request a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. That might mean a larger bedroom size than your household would normally get, a longer voucher search period, or an exception payment standard. Put the request in writing.

Privacy. HACK can't hand your personal information to third parties without your consent except where the law requires it. That includes not confirming your voucher status to anyone who calls claiming to be your employer.

For the full picture of how the federal program protects tenants, HUD publishes the HCV program administration handbook at hud.gov under the Office of Public and Indian Housing. ^[1] The tenant rights section of VoucherReady covers these protections in more depth across every state.

What should you do if HACK's waitlist is closed?

Closed waitlists are the norm for California PHAs, not the exception. A closed HACK list doesn't leave you with nothing.

First, apply to every open PHA in California and nearby states. HUD keeps a PHA locator at hud.gov with contact information for every federally funded housing authority. ^[3] Some smaller PHAs have shorter lists. And portability means you don't have to stay in that PHA's area once you've held a voucher for 12 months.

Second, look at project-based affordable housing. Properties funded through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program keep their own waitlists, separate from HACK's. In Kern County, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) database shows which properties have tax credit units. ^[10] These aren't vouchers, but they offer below-market rents to qualified households.

Third, check emergency and transitional programs. Kern County runs emergency housing programs through the Department of Human Services, and HUD-funded Continuum of Care programs in Bakersfield may offer rapid rehousing assistance.

Fourth, get on any HACK notification list and check the agency website often. HACK has to announce openings publicly, but the application window can be short, sometimes just a few weeks.

For a regularly updated list of which California PHAs are taking applications, bookmark open Section 8 waiting lists.

How do you contact HACK and what should you bring to any appointment?

HACK's main administrative office is in Bakersfield. As of 2025, the agency publishes a main phone line, a fax number for documents, and an online applicant portal for waitlist status and uploads. Confirm the exact phone number and office hours at HACK's official website (kernhousing.com), because they change. ^[4]

For any in-person appointment or document drop-off, bring:

• Government-issued photo ID for every adult in the household
• Social Security cards or ITINs for all household members
• Birth certificates for minor children
• Proof of income (recent pay stubs, Social Security award letter, unemployment determination)
• Bank statements for the past two to three months
• Current lease or utility bills showing your address
• Any proof of a preference category (DD-214 for veterans, disability verification letter)

Bring originals or certified copies. HACK may scan and hand back originals, or require you to upload through the portal. Ask which one before you go.

If English isn't your primary language, HACK has to give you meaningful access under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and that includes translation services. Request them when you schedule. It's not a favor. It's the law.

Frequently asked questions

Is HACK the same as the Bakersfield Housing Authority?

No. HACK (Housing Authority of the County of Kern) serves the unincorporated county and smaller cities like Delano, Wasco, and Ridgecrest. The City of Bakersfield has its own separate agency, the Bakersfield Housing Authority, covering Bakersfield's city limits. Applying to one does not place you on the other's list. If your address sits inside Bakersfield city limits, contact BHA directly.

When will HACK open its Section 8 waitlist?

HACK does not publish a reopening schedule ahead of time. The list opens when funding and turnover give the agency confidence it can serve new applicants within a few years. Check the official HACK website (kernhousing.com) and sign up for any notification list they offer. Openings can be brief, sometimes only two to three weeks, so watch regularly.

What are HACK's current Section 8 payment standards?

HACK sets payment standards between 90 and 110 percent of HUD's Fair Market Rents for the Bakersfield-Kern County area. For FY2025, HUD's FMRs run from $929 for a studio to $2,319 for a 4-bedroom. Pull HACK's exact current schedule from their website or ask the agency, since it can differ from the base FMR and updates every year.

How long is the wait for a Section 8 voucher through HACK?

Waits at HACK have historically run two to five years or longer, depending on voucher turnover and federal funding. There's no reliable public data on the current average. Once on the list, check your status through HACK's applicant portal and update your contact information the moment it changes, because being unreachable can get you dropped.

Can I use a HACK voucher to rent in Bakersfield?

You can use a HACK voucher in areas that carry a Bakersfield-area zip code but actually sit in unincorporated county territory. If the unit falls inside Bakersfield's real city limits, HACK would need to coordinate with the Bakersfield Housing Authority. In practice, most HACK voucher holders focus on units in HACK's direct service area. Confirm the jurisdiction before you sign a lease.

Do landlords have to accept Section 8 vouchers in Kern County?

California Government Code Section 12955 bars landlords from refusing to rent to applicants solely because they use a housing voucher. This source-of-income protection applies statewide, Kern County included. A landlord can still screen on credit, rental history, and income, but a blanket refusal of voucher holders as a class is illegal. Tenants who hit this can file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.

What happens at a HACK HQS inspection and how long does it take?

A Housing Quality Standards inspection checks the categories defined in 24 CFR 982.401, including smoke detectors, window security, plumbing, lead-paint condition in pre-1978 units, and structural soundness. Most inspections take 30 to 45 minutes. If the unit fails, the landlord gets a correction deadline, typically 30 days for non-emergency items. Units have to pass before HACK begins housing assistance payments.

Can I port my HACK voucher to another state?

Yes. After 12 months in HACK's program, you have a federal right to port your voucher anywhere in the United States where another PHA accepts incoming ports, under 24 CFR 982.353. Contact HACK to start the process. The receiving PHA sets the local payment standard and policies once you arrive. Budget 30 to 60 days for the paperwork to move between agencies.

What income limits apply for HACK's Section 8 program?

To qualify, household income generally cannot exceed 50 percent of area median income for the Bakersfield-Kern County area. HUD's FY2024 very-low-income limit for a family of four was about $37,650. Limits vary by household size and update annually. HUD publishes current income limits at huduser.gov. By federal law, at least 75 percent of vouchers issued must go to households at or below 30 percent AMI.

What is the Family Self-Sufficiency program at HACK?

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a voluntary five-year program open to HACK voucher holders. As participants earn more, HACK escrows the resulting rent increase into a savings account. Finishing the program and its goals releases those savings to the participant. It's a real path to building a financial cushion. Ask HACK's FSS coordinator about current enrollment openings.

How is the Housing Authority of the County of Kern different from the Jefferson County Housing Authority?

They're completely separate agencies in different states. HACK serves Kern County, California. The Jefferson County Housing Authority most often refers to agencies in Alabama or other states with a Jefferson County. They share no administrative, funding, or policy connection. If you want Jefferson County assistance, use HUD's PHA locator at hud.gov to find the right contact.

What should I do if HACK tries to terminate my Section 8 voucher?

Request an informal hearing in writing within the deadline stated in your termination notice, typically 10 to 14 days. Under 24 CFR 982.555, you can present evidence and question the agency's decision before a neutral hearing officer. Missing the deadline waives that right in most cases. Contact a local legal aid group, such as Kern County Legal Aid, the moment you get a termination notice.

Does HACK have project-based voucher units with shorter waits?

Yes. Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) attach to specific units at particular properties rather than to the tenant. These waitlists are funded and managed separately from the main HCV list and can move faster. Contact HACK or check their website for a list of PBV properties taking applicants. The trade-off: the subsidy stays with the unit if you move, instead of traveling with you.

Sources

1. Housing Authority of the County of Kern (HACK), official agency website: HACK administers the Housing Choice Voucher program and project-based programs across Kern County, with its main office in Bakersfield.
2. HUD, 24 CFR Part 982, Section 8 Tenant-Based Assistance: Housing Choice Voucher Program: Federal regulations governing payment standards, HQS inspections, portability, informal hearings, rent reasonableness, and income targeting for the voucher program.
3. HUD, Public and Indian Housing PHA contact locator: HUD maintains a searchable database of all federally funded Public Housing Authorities by state and county, including contact information.
4. Housing Authority of the County of Kern, HCV program information and waitlist announcements: HACK announces waitlist openings and closures publicly through the agency website and local notices.
5. HUD Office of Policy Development and Research (HUD User), FY2024 Income Limits: HUD FY2024 very-low-income limit (50 percent AMI) for a family of four in the Bakersfield metro area was approximately $37,650.
6. HUD Office of Policy Development and Research (HUD User), FY2025 Fair Market Rents: FY2025 FMRs for the Bakersfield-Kern County HUD Metro FMR Area range from $929 (studio) to $2,319 (4-bedroom), effective October 2024.
7. HUD User, Picture of Subsidized Households dataset: PHA-level voucher counts and program utilization data used for the comparative PHA table.
8. California State Treasurer, Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC): TCAC maintains a public database of Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties in California, including Kern County.
9. California Civil Rights Department (CRD): California Government Code Section 12955 prohibits landlords from refusing to rent solely because an applicant uses a housing voucher.