Last updated 2026-07-10
TL;DR
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) uses HUD's Area Median Income figures for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area. For FY 2025, the very low-income limit is $43,850 for one person and $62,600 for a family of four. Most voucher holders qualify at the very low (50% AMI) threshold. Limits update each April.
What are HACLA's Section 8 income limits for 2025?
HACLA runs the Housing Choice Voucher program under rules set by HUD, and income eligibility comes straight from HUD's official Area Median Income (AMI) data for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. HACLA doesn't set its own numbers. It publishes and applies whatever HUD releases each federal fiscal year, usually in April.
For FY 2025, HUD's income limits for Los Angeles County break into three tiers: extremely low (30% AMI), very low (50% AMI), and low (80% AMI). The table below shows all three across household sizes. Most Section 8 applicants have to fall at or below the very low-income limit at admission.[1]
| Household Size | Extremely Low (30% AMI) | Very Low (50% AMI) | Low (80% AMI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $26,300 | $43,850 | $70,150 |
| 2 persons | $30,050 | $50,100 | $80,150 |
| 3 persons | $33,800 | $56,350 | $90,200 |
| 4 persons | $37,550 | $62,600 | $100,200 |
| 5 persons | $40,550 | $67,600 | $108,200 |
| 6 persons | $43,550 | $72,600 | $116,250 |
| 7 persons | $46,550 | $77,600 | $124,250 |
| 8 persons | $49,550 | $82,600 | $132,300 |
These figures come from HUD's FY 2025 Income Limits data for the Los Angeles metro area.[1] If you're reading this in late 2025 or later, check the current release at huduser.gov first. Limits shift every year.
Here's the part people miss. Federal law under 24 CFR 982.201 requires that at least 75% of new voucher admissions in any given year go to families at or below 30% AMI (extremely low income). So even though the 50% limit is the technical ceiling for most applicants, HACLA, like every public housing authority, puts the lowest-income households at the front of the line.[2]
How does HUD calculate the AMI that sets these limits?
HUD builds AMI from the American Community Survey (ACS), the Census Bureau's annual income survey. For the LA metro, HUD takes median family income for the area, runs it through a formula that adjusts for local housing costs and wage patterns, then caps or floors the outliers so the numbers don't swing wildly from one year to the next.
The published median family income for the LA metro for FY 2025 is $125,200.[1] Half of that is $62,600, and that's exactly the very low-income limit for a family of four. For smaller and larger households, HUD applies adjustment factors: a one-person household gets 70% of the four-person limit, a two-person household gets 80%, on up to 140% for an eight-person household, with some rounding.
HUD also runs a "hold harmless" policy in most metro areas. Limits generally won't drop year over year even if local ACS income data falls. That's why LA's limits have climbed over the past decade. The policy is spelled out in HUD's income limits briefing materials released with each annual data set.[8]
For a closer look at how the housing section 8 program ties these income limits to actual rent payments, huduser.gov has downloadable Excel and PDF documentation for every metro in the country.
Who qualifies for HACLA Section 8 based on income?
Eligibility isn't just hitting a number. HACLA checks three things: income against AMI, citizenship or eligible immigration status, and whether anyone in the household has disqualifying criminal history. Income is the gate most people focus on, so here's how it actually works.
At application, your gross annual income from all sources counts. That means wages, Social Security, SSI, pension, child support, alimony, net self-employment income, and regular contributions from people who don't live in the unit. HUD's definition of annual income sits in 24 CFR 5.609.[3] A few things are left out: income of live-in aides, income of full-time students beyond $480 a year (except the head of household or spouse), and certain one-time payments.
Household size matters a lot. A family of five earning $67,000 a year lands right at the very low-income threshold for FY 2025. A single adult earning that same amount is way over the limit and doesn't qualify. If your income is borderline, call HACLA and ask how they'd count your specific sources before you assume you're out.
Being income-eligible doesn't hand you a voucher. HACLA's waitlist has stayed closed for years at a stretch because demand dwarfs the supply of vouchers. The authority covers a metro area of roughly 4 million residents with one of the worst housing affordability gaps in the country. When the list opens, applications go into a lottery.[4] For a wider view of open section 8 waiting lists around the country, that context helps.
Do income limits change after you already have a voucher?
Once you hold a voucher, the rules loosen. You can earn more than the qualifying threshold and keep it. The program doesn't cut you off the second your income passes 50% AMI. What changes is how much rent you pay.
Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, you pay roughly 30% of your adjusted monthly income toward rent, and the housing authority covers the rest up to the payment standard. If your income climbs, your share climbs with it. Push your income high enough that your 30% share tops the gross rent, and you're effectively paying the whole rent yourself. The voucher goes dormant, though you might not lose it right away.
There's a specific HUD rule here. If a family's income rises above 80% of AMI at reexamination, the PHA has discretion to terminate assistance. It's rare, and PHAs generally don't rush to do it. The authority is 24 CFR 982.552, which lays out PHA discretion in termination decisions.[5]
Annual recertification is when HACLA reviews your income and household composition. You have to report changes in income and family size within a set window, usually 10 to 30 days depending on HACLA's administrative plan. Miss that window and your voucher is at risk.
How do HACLA's limits compare to other LA-area housing authorities?
This is where people get tangled up. Several housing authorities operate in Los Angeles County. HACLA covers the City of Los Angeles. The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) covers unincorporated county areas and cities without their own PHA. Long Beach, Pasadena, and Santa Monica each run their own.
All of them use the same HUD income limits for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale HUD metro area, because they sit in the same geographic market.[1] The dollar thresholds in the table above apply through HACLA, HACoLA, or the Long Beach Housing Authority alike. What differs between PHAs is their payment standards (the max they'll pay toward rent), their local preferences, their waitlist status, and their paperwork.
So if someone tells you HACLA's limits are stricter than another LA-area PHA, they're almost certainly wrong on the income eligibility piece. The limits are standardized by HUD geography. Payment standards, though, can vary a lot, and those decide what you can actually afford to rent.
For context on rental assistance more broadly: a landlord or tenant working with several PHAs in the LA area will find the income limits identical across them, while the voucher payment amounts and landlord paperwork shift by PHA.
How do Hawaii's Section 8 income limits compare to HACLA's?
Some readers looking up HACLA info are also sizing up California against Hawaii, especially if they're thinking about porting a voucher or moving between states. Hawaii's Section 8 income limits run mainly through the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) and several county-level agencies. HUD sets them for each Hawaii county or metro area on its own.
For Honolulu County, HUD's FY 2025 very low-income (50% AMI) limit for a family of four is roughly $73,350. That beats LA's $62,600, which reflects Honolulu's extreme housing costs and higher local AMI.[11] Maui and Kauai counties carry their own published limits, different again from Honolulu.
The hawaii section 8 income limit varies by island, which is unusual next to mainland metros. HUD treats each Hawaii county as its own housing market. A family that qualifies in one Hawaii county isn't automatically income-eligible in another.
Porting a voucher from HACLA to Hawaii (or the reverse) is possible under 24 CFR 982.353, but the receiving PHA applies its own payment standards and rules, and the voucher payment can move a lot depending on local rents.[6] Hawaii tends to have a long waitlist, and absorbing ported vouchers can be slow.
What are HPD Section 8 income limits, and how are they different?
HPD is the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which runs several rental assistance programs in New York City, including some federally funded vouchers. People searching hpd section 8 income limits alongside HACLA are usually comparing two of the largest urban PHA programs in the country.
HPD uses HUD income limits for the New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. For FY 2025, the very low-income limit for a family of four in New York runs well above Los Angeles, because New York's AMI is higher. HUD publishes these in the same national income limits database.[1]
The bigger difference is the structure, more than the dollars. HPD runs a mix of city-funded and federally funded programs, and some of them have their own income thresholds set by New York City rather than strictly by HUD. HACLA, by contrast, runs mostly federal HUD programs (HCV, Project-Based Vouchers, public housing) where the federal limits govern. HPD's CityFHEPS program, for one, has its own income rules that don't match HUD's standard 50% AMI threshold.
The honest comparison: the two programs share the same federal framework (AMI-based limits, HUD oversight), but HPD's city-funded add-ons make New York more layered. HACLA's programs map more directly onto the federal rulebook.
How does household size affect your income limit at HACLA?
Household size is one of the biggest levers in Section 8 eligibility, and people underestimate how much it moves. A single adult and a family of four sit $18,750 apart in their very low-income threshold under FY 2025 limits. That's not rounding. For a lot of working families, that gap is the difference between qualifying and getting turned away.
HUD counts everyone who will live in the unit as part of the household. Children, elderly parents, live-in aides (though the aide's income doesn't count toward household income). Unborn children can count if a household member is pregnant at application, and HACLA's administrative plan should say how they handle it.
Household size also sets your voucher size after approval. HACLA issues vouchers for a specific number of bedrooms based on household composition, using an occupancy standard (two people per bedroom is a common benchmark, though HACLA's specific standards live in their Administrative Plan).[4] Getting the count right at application matters both for the income calculation and for the bedroom size you'll be vouched for.
If your household grows after you get a voucher (a new baby, a family member moving in), you have to report it to HACLA. They'll recalculate your rent share and may bump your voucher size, which could let you move to a larger unit.
What counts as income for HACLA's Section 8 eligibility test?
This is where applications go sideways. People either underreport by accident or don't know what HUD wants to see, then hit trouble at verification or annual recertification.
HUD's definition of annual income (24 CFR 5.609) includes wages and salaries, net income from business or self-employment (revenue minus allowable business expenses), Social Security and SSI payments, pension and retirement income, disability payments, alimony and child support, and regular contributions from people outside the household.[3]
Things that do NOT count: income tax refunds, one-time lump-sum payments (like a back-payment of disability benefits), income of live-in aides, income of foster children and foster adults, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) payments that are non-recurring.
Self-employment income is a persistent gray area. If you drive for a rideshare company or do gig work, HACLA looks at net income after deductions, and they may count your expenses differently than your tax return does. Keep clean records of business expenses.
Part-time and seasonal work gets annualized. Earn $8,000 over six months, and HACLA will typically count it as $16,000 for the year unless you can document that the work was genuinely one-time. That annualization can push borderline households over the limit, so understand it before you apply.
VoucherReady's free income eligibility tools can help you rough out whether your household is likely to qualify before you sink hours into the application, which saves time if you're on the margin.
When do HACLA income limits update, and how do you track changes?
HUD publishes new income limits once per federal fiscal year, usually in late March or April. The release ripples out to every PHA in the country, HACLA included. The new limits apply to new admissions and can affect recertifications processed after the effective date.
HUD posts the data at huduser.gov, and the release includes a nationwide spreadsheet where you can look up any metro or non-metro county. The Los Angeles metro limits sit under the "Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA" HUD Metro FMR Area.[1]
In practice, HACLA often takes a few weeks after HUD's release to update its own published materials. If you're applying or going through recertification near the April changeover, ask HACLA which year's limits apply to your case. The general rule: limits in effect on the date of the action (admission, reexamination) are what govern, but administrative plans vary on the specifics.
For landlords deciding whether to accept HUD housing vouchers, tracking annual limit changes matters less directly. What hits you more is HUD's payment standard updates, which run on a separate (but related) schedule tied to Fair Market Rents. Payment standards can move even when income limits hold steady.
To stay current without checking by hand every year, bookmark HUD's income limits query tool at huduser.gov and run your household's scenario each spring.
What happens if you're over the income limit at HACLA?
If your income tops the very low-income limit (50% AMI) for your household size, you generally don't qualify for a new Section 8 voucher through HACLA. The door isn't locked forever, though. Income changes. Job losses happen, family situations shift, and you can reapply when a waitlist opens and your income lands back in range.
A few programs use the higher 80% AMI threshold. Some project-based voucher developments, certain elderly and disabled housing programs, and some HOME-funded properties go by the low-income limit rather than the very low-income limit. Worth investigating separately if you're over the 50% threshold but under 80% AMI.
The low income housing tax credit program is another road. LIHTC properties set rents at levels affordable to households at 50% or 60% AMI, and they don't require a voucher. You pay an income-restricted rent directly. HUD publishes income limits for these properties separately, and they run slightly different from the Section 8 limits because of a different calculation method.
For low income senior housing specifically, both the income limits and the program rules sometimes differ. Programs under the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly framework use HUD's low-income limits and set their own admissions preferences. If you're 62 or older and your income is in the 50 to 80% AMI range, call HACLA about those directly.
How can landlords use HACLA income limits to screen tenants?
If you accept Section 8 vouchers, the income limits tell you something useful: every HACLA voucher holder has already been income-verified by HACLA against HUD's thresholds. They've cleared a documented review of income and household composition. That's a layer of pre-screening private applicants don't come with.
That said, the income limit won't tell you what a specific applicant earns now or what their rent share will be. You get the payment breakdown from the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract and the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). The HAP contract spells out exactly what HACLA pays and what the tenant pays each month.
In California, source-of-income discrimination is illegal under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), amended by SB 329 (2019).[7] Refusing to rent to someone because they hold a Section 8 voucher is against the law in Los Angeles. That doesn't stop you from screening for rental history, creditworthiness beyond the voucher, or other lawful criteria.
Landlords new to the program tend to have questions about inspections, lease terms, and HAP contracts. VoucherReady's landlord kit walks through the full setup in one document, which cuts down the back-and-forth with HACLA's landlord services line. Finding section 8 houses for rent or advertising your property to voucher holders has its own logistics worth learning before you list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for a single person to qualify for HACLA Section 8 in 2025?
For FY 2025, a single-person household must have gross annual income at or below $43,850 to meet HACLA's very low-income (50% AMI) threshold. The extremely low-income (30% AMI) limit for one person is $26,300. At least 75% of new voucher admissions in any year must go to households at or below the 30% AMI threshold, per federal regulation.
What is the HACLA Section 8 income limit for a family of four in 2025?
A four-person household must earn $62,600 or less per year to qualify at the very low-income (50% AMI) level. The extremely low (30% AMI) limit for four people is $37,550. These figures come from HUD's FY 2025 income limits for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area and apply to HACLA, HACoLA, and other LA-area PHAs in the same HUD geography.
How often do HACLA Section 8 income limits change?
HUD updates income limits once per fiscal year, usually releasing new figures in March or April. HACLA then applies the updated numbers to new admissions and recertifications processed after the effective date. From 2020 to 2025, LA metro limits generally trended upward each year, though the pace varies. Check HUD's income limits tool at huduser.gov each spring for the current figures.
Does HACLA use different income limits than the Los Angeles County Housing Authority (HACoLA)?
No. Both HACLA and HACoLA use the same HUD-published income limits for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area. The dollar thresholds are identical. What differs between the two agencies is their payment standards, local preferences, waitlist status, and administrative procedures. Income eligibility thresholds are standardized by HUD geography, not by individual PHA.
Can I still qualify for HACLA Section 8 if I work full time?
Yes, working full time doesn't disqualify you. The only income question is whether your gross annual earnings fall below the applicable limit for your household size. A single person earning $43,000 full-time still qualifies at the 50% AMI threshold for FY 2025. Many voucher holders are employed. If your income rises significantly after you receive a voucher, your rent share increases but your voucher doesn't automatically end.
Does HACLA count Social Security and disability income toward the Section 8 income limit?
Yes. Social Security, SSI, SSDI, and pension income all count as annual income under HUD's definition at 24 CFR 5.609. These add to any wage income to get your total gross annual income for eligibility. There's no special exemption for disability-related income. Some one-time lump-sum disability back-payments may be excluded, but recurring monthly benefit amounts count fully.
What is the income limit for Section 8 in Hawaii compared to Los Angeles?
For FY 2025, Honolulu County's very low-income (50% AMI) limit for a family of four is approximately $73,350, higher than Los Angeles's $62,600. Hawaii's limits vary by county: Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii County each have separate thresholds published by HUD. Hawaii's high cost of living pushes AMI figures up, which sets higher income ceilings but also means much higher rents relative to voucher payment standards.
Is HACLA's Section 8 waitlist open in 2025?
HACLA's Housing Choice Voucher waitlist has historically opened only briefly and sporadically due to overwhelming demand. As of mid-2025, confirm directly with HACLA at hacla.org whether the waitlist is accepting applications. HACLA typically uses a lottery when the list opens. Being income-eligible is necessary but doesn't guarantee a spot. Other LA-area PHAs may have different waitlist statuses worth checking at the same time.
Can I use a HACLA voucher to rent anywhere in Los Angeles, or only in the city?
A HACLA-issued voucher can be used anywhere in Los Angeles County after an initial period of using it within HACLA's jurisdiction (the City of LA), and can be ported to other metro areas after 12 months of voucher use. HACLA's payment standards apply to rents in the city. Renting outside HACLA's area through portability means the receiving PHA's payment standards apply instead.
How does HACLA verify income when you apply for Section 8?
HACLA uses a combination of self-reported income on the application and third-party verification. They routinely check with employers, the Social Security Administration, and state income databases. For self-employment, they may ask for tax returns, bank statements, or business records. HACLA may also use HUD's Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system, which cross-references Social Security and wage data, to catch discrepancies.
What income limits apply to HACLA's Project-Based Voucher (PBV) units?
Project-Based Voucher units generally follow the same HUD income limits as the Housing Choice Voucher program, with very low income (50% AMI) as the standard admission threshold. Some PBV properties may have additional owner-set preferences or serve extremely low-income households exclusively. The specific income requirements for a given PBV development are disclosed in that property's regulatory agreement with HACLA.
Are there local HACLA preferences that affect who gets a Section 8 voucher first?
Yes. HACLA's Administrative Plan lists local preferences that set waitlist ranking. Preferences typically include current HACLA residents being displaced, homeless individuals (especially veterans), and people displaced by government action. Income eligibility is still required, but among qualified applicants, those with preferences get offered vouchers first. HACLA's published Administrative Plan is the authoritative source for current local preferences.
Can a college student qualify for HACLA Section 8 on their own?
Full-time college students who aren't elderly, disabled, or living with their family face significant restrictions under HUD rules. Under 24 CFR 5.612, full-time students between 18 and 24 who aren't the head or co-head of household have their income counted differently, and certain student categories are categorically ineligible for Section 8. The rules here are complex. If you're a student, ask HACLA directly before applying.
What is the income limit for elderly or disabled households at HACLA?
Elderly (62+) and disabled households use the same HUD income limits as any other household of their size. There's no special higher threshold. These households may qualify for extra deductions when calculating adjusted income for rent: a $400 deduction for elderly or disabled families, and deductions for unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding 3% of annual income, which reduces their effective rent share under 24 CFR 5.611.
Sources
- HUD User, FY 2025 Income Limits Documentation: FY 2025 income limits for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale HUD Metro FMR Area, including all AMI tiers and household sizes, and the area median family income of $125,200.
- HUD, 24 CFR Part 982 (Housing Choice Vouchers: Eligibility and Targeting): 24 CFR 982.201 requires that at least 75% of new voucher admissions each year go to families at or below 30% AMI (extremely low income).
- HUD, 24 CFR Part 5 Subpart F (Section 5.609, Annual Income): Definition of annual income for HUD programs, including what sources count and what is excluded for Section 8 eligibility purposes.
- HACLA, Housing Choice Voucher Program Overview: HACLA administers the Housing Choice Voucher program in the City of Los Angeles; occupancy standards and local preferences are set in the HACLA Administrative Plan.
- HUD, 24 CFR 982.552 (PHA Denial or Termination of Assistance): 24 CFR 982.552 outlines PHA discretionary authority to terminate voucher assistance, including in cases where income rises substantially above program thresholds.
- HUD, 24 CFR 982.353 (Portability: Move with Continued Assistance): Voucher holders may port their assistance to another jurisdiction under 24 CFR 982.353; the receiving PHA applies its own payment standards and administrative rules.
- California Civil Rights Department, SB 329 (2019) Source of Income Protections: California SB 329 (2019) expanded FEHA protections to make source-of-income discrimination, including refusal to rent to Section 8 voucher holders, illegal statewide.
- HUD, Income Limits Briefing Materials FY 2025: HUD applies a hold-harmless policy so that area income limits generally do not decrease year-over-year, documented in annual briefing materials released with each income limits data set.
- HUD, 24 CFR Part 5.611 (Deductions from Annual Income): Elderly and disabled families qualify for a $400 deduction from annual income and may deduct unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding 3% of annual income when calculating adjusted income for rent.
- HUD, 24 CFR 5.612 (Full-Time Student Restrictions): Full-time students who are not elderly, disabled, or the head/co-head of household face restrictions on Section 8 eligibility and income counting rules.
- HUD User, Hawaii FY 2025 Income Limits: Honolulu County FY 2025 very low-income (50% AMI) limit for a family of four is approximately $73,350, higher than the Los Angeles metro limit of $62,600.