Long Beach Section 8 income limits: 2024-2025 numbers explained

Last updated 2026-07-10

What are the 2024 income limits for Section 8 in Long Beach?

The short answer: a family of four in Long Beach qualifies for a Housing Choice Voucher at $60,950 a year or less, the 50% AMI limit for 2024. A single person qualifies at $37,050 or less. These are HUD's numbers, not the city's.

Long Beach sits inside Los Angeles County, so its income limits come from HUD's annual designation for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metropolitan Division. Two housing authorities serve Long Beach residents: the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (LBHA) and, for people who applied through the county system, the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA). Both use the same HUD-published Los Angeles County income limits. ^[1]

HUD issues three income tiers for every area. The one that decides voucher eligibility is the 50% AMI tier, officially "Very Low Income." A household generally has to fall at or below that line to qualify. The 30% AMI tier ("Extremely Low Income") matters too, because HUD requires that at least 75% of new voucher holders each year come from that group. ^[2]

Here are the 2024 HUD income limits for Long Beach and Los Angeles County:

Household Size	30% AMI (Extremely Low)	50% AMI (Very Low)	80% AMI (Low Income)
1 person	$22,200	$37,050	$59,300
2 people	$25,400	$42,350	$67,750
3 people	$28,550	$47,650	$76,200
4 people	$36,600	$60,950	$92,350
5 people	$39,550	$65,850	$99,750
6 people	$42,500	$70,700	$107,100
7 people	$45,450	$75,600	$114,450
8 people	$48,400	$80,450	$129,100

Source: HUD FY2024 Income Limits for Los Angeles County. ^[1] The 80% column is there for reference. Most voucher applicants need to be below 50% AMI at the time of admission. ^[2]

The 2024 four-person Area Median Income for Los Angeles County is $97,800. Every percentage above is figured off that base. ^[1]

How does HUD calculate the AMI that drives these limits?

HUD publishes income limits every April, built from American Community Survey (ACS) data and run through the agency's own statistical models. It starts with the median family income for each metro area, then adjusts for household size using a formula that gives smaller families less and larger families more, all relative to the four-person base. ^[1]

For Los Angeles County, that four-person base has climbed hard. In 2020 it was $77,300. By 2024 it reached $97,800. That's a 26% jump in four years.

The rise matters to you in two ways. Higher AMI means higher income ceilings, so you can stay eligible even if your own pay went up a bit. It also tends to push up the gross rent HUD will cover through payment standards.

HUD's own documentation admits its income limits "may not reflect local labor market conditions" in fast-moving metros. That's an honest way of saying the numbers lag reality. ^[1] When Long Beach rents outrun the AMI formula, payment standards struggle to catch up, and that gap has been a real strain in this market.

One rule protects you. HUD applies a "hold harmless" policy so income limits for an area never drop year over year, even when the underlying data would suggest a cut. That matters if you're stuck mid-waitlist during a downturn.

Which income is actually counted for the eligibility test?

HUD defines "annual income" in 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart F, and the definition is broader than most people guess. It counts wages, salaries, overtime, tips, commissions, net business income, interest and dividends, Social Security (before Medicare deductions), pensions, child support, alimony, and welfare payments. ^[3]

What gets left out matters just as much. These do not count:

• Earned income of children under 18
• Payments a statute specifically excludes (Supplemental Security Income is excluded under 24 CFR 5.609)
• One-time lump sums like inheritances or insurance settlements
• Student aid used for tuition and educational costs
• Earned income tax credit refunds
• Foster care payments

For working households, HUD allows deductions that shrink the figure used to set your rent share, though not your eligibility line. The main ones: $480 per dependent, $400 for an elderly or disabled family head or spouse, medical expenses above 3% of gross income (for elderly or disabled families), and disability assistance costs that let a member work. ^[3]

The housing authority verifies income at your first certification and at least once a year after. They pull third-party records: employers, IRS tax transcripts, Social Security Administration data, state wage files. Self-employment income gets a harder look and usually needs two years of tax returns.

Does Long Beach have its own waitlist, or does it share with Los Angeles County?

Long Beach runs its own list. The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (LBHA) operates a housing authority waitlist separate from HACoLA's. That matters because LBHA vouchers come out of Long Beach's own HUD allocation, while HACoLA vouchers cover unincorporated county areas and many other cities. ^[4]

Apply to both, and if you land an HACoLA voucher first, you can still use it inside Long Beach. The city sits within the county's jurisdiction. Income limits are identical either way.

Payment standards can differ, though. LBHA sets its own for the City of Long Beach; HACoLA sets its own for county areas. Both start from HUD's Fair Market Rents for the LA metro, and each authority can set standards from 90% to 110% of FMR without HUD sign-off, or up to 120% with Small Area FMR authority. ^[5]

The LBHA waitlist has stayed closed for years at a stretch. As of the most recent published notice, its Housing Choice Voucher list was closed. Check the LBHA site for current status. ^[4] Open Section 8 waiting lists across Southern California cycle on no fixed schedule, so getting on any list while you're still income-eligible is worth the effort even when the wait runs long.

How do Long Beach income limits compare to the broader Los Angeles Section 8 limits?

They're the same number. Los Angeles and Long Beach both fall inside the HUD-designated Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metropolitan Division, so HUD publishes one income limit table for the whole area. ^[1]

What differs is payment standards, the maximum rent subsidy. HACLA in the City of LA, LBHA, and HACoLA each set their own within HUD's allowed range. So a HACLA voucher might carry a slightly different maximum subsidy than an LBHA voucher for the same unit size, even though the income cutoffs match exactly.

Here's how the 50% AMI four-person limit lines up against nearby jurisdictions:

Area	4-Person AMI Base	50% AMI Limit (4 people)
Long Beach	$97,800 (LA County)	$60,950
City of Los Angeles	$97,800 (LA County)	$60,950
Anaheim (Orange County)	$119,000	$74,400
San Diego City	$112,300	$70,200

Source: HUD FY2024 Income Limits documentation. ^[1] The Orange County and San Diego figures come from the same HUD table set and are shown only to make the point that wealthier metros carry higher AMI and higher eligibility ceilings.

So here's the practical part. If you're borderline in Long Beach or LA, moving to a neighboring county won't make you eligible. That county's AMI is higher, but so are its rents.

What happens to your voucher if your income goes up after you get it?

You don't lose a voucher just because your income grows. What changes is your rent share. HUD requires annual recertifications, and when your income rises, your contribution rises with it while the subsidy shrinks. ^[6]

Here's the math. Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, you pay roughly 30% of your adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The housing authority covers the gap between your share and the payment standard (or the actual rent, whichever is lower). If your income keeps climbing until your 30% share covers the whole rent, the subsidy hits zero. That's a "zero-dollar voucher," and the authority has to give you a reasonable window to transition out. LBHA follows HUD's rules here, which generally require 180 days notice before ending the voucher once a family has stayed above the income limit. ^[6]

There's a nuance around the 80% AMI figure. Admission requires being under 50% AMI, but you can keep the voucher with income up to roughly 80% AMI in some cases, because you'd simply pay a bigger share yourself. The voucher ends by the authority's action when a family no longer needs help, not the instant you cross the 50% line.

Reporting income changes is mandatory. Skipping it counts as program fraud under 24 CFR 5.230 and can trigger repayment demands, termination, and federal debarment. ^[3] Report changes fast, even when you suspect you'll lose some benefit.

Are there special income rules for elderly or disabled households?

Yes, and they carry real weight. HUD's rules at 24 CFR 5.611 let elderly families (head or spouse is 62 or older) and disabled families deduct medical expenses above 3% of annual income, plus certain disability costs for things that let a member work. ^[3]

These deductions don't raise your AMI income ceiling, so they don't make you eligible when you weren't before. What they do is cut your "adjusted income," which lowers your monthly rent. A senior household with heavy prescription, transportation, or home care bills can end up paying well under 30% of gross income.

For low income senior housing beyond vouchers, the $400 elderly or disabled deduction applies automatically. It's small. But for someone living on $18,000 a year, that $400 knocks roughly $10 a month off rent.

Disabled households have one more tool. If a member's disability calls for accessibility features or nearness to medical care, the authority can approve an exception payment standard above the usual 110% cap, case by case, as a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. ^[6]

How do income limits connect to what rent Long Beach Section 8 will actually pay?

Income limits decide whether you get a voucher. Payment standards decide how much rent it covers. Related, but not the same math.

HUD publishes Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for the LA metro each year. For FY2024, the two-bedroom FMR for the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro is about $2,222 a month. ^[7] LBHA treats that as a reference and sets its own payment standard, which it can push as high as 120% of FMR with Small Area FMR authority or an Exception Payment Standard from HUD. ^[5]

The rent calculation runs like this:

1. Your adjusted monthly income x 30% = your expected contribution 2. The payment standard for your unit size (set by LBHA) = the cap on what the authority pays 3. If gross rent (rent plus utilities) beats the payment standard, you pay the difference on top of your 30%

HUD's rule caps your total housing cost at 40% of monthly adjusted income at initial lease-up. Go over that, and you have to find a cheaper unit or the authority can't approve the lease. ^[6]

Here's where the two numbers meet in real life. A family right at the 50% AMI limit for four people ($60,950 a year, about $5,079 a month gross) would have an adjusted income that lands their tenant share somewhere around $1,200 to $1,400 a month, depending on deductions. If a Long Beach three-bedroom runs $2,500 to $3,000, the voucher fills the gap up to the payment standard. Anything above that, the tenant eats.

Landlords thinking about the program can run this exact math in VoucherReady's landlord kit, which has a worksheet for it before you settle on a rent price.

Can you use a Long Beach voucher to move to another city or state?

Yes. It's called portability, and it's one of the most overlooked features of the Section 8 program. Under 24 CFR 982.353, a voucher holder can move anywhere in the country as long as the receiving authority runs an open program and a unit is available. ^[8]

There's a timing rule. You generally have to live in the issuing authority's jurisdiction for 12 months before porting out. One exception: if your family lived in the receiving area before applying, you can port right away. ^[8]

When you port from Long Beach, the income limits change with you. The receiving authority uses its own local limits, not Long Beach's. Move to a higher-cost market with a higher AMI, and your income looks proportionally smaller, so you stay solidly eligible. Move somewhere with a lower AMI, like a rural area, and you keep the voucher but the payment standard drops, so the authority covers less and your share can jump.

If you're weighing rental assistance options across Southern California, remember the numbers hold steady within the LA metro. The moment you cross into a different HUD-designated area, everything resets.

How often do Long Beach Section 8 income limits change, and where do you find the current numbers?

HUD updates income limits every April and posts them at huduser.gov. New limits usually take effect in late April of the same year. Authorities then load them into their systems, and any certification or recertification after the effective date uses the new figures. ^[1]

The official source is HUD's Income Limits page. Pick the state (California), then the county (Los Angeles), and HUD returns the full table for every household size and income tier. The page also has a downloadable Excel file and a national lookup tool. ^[1]

A few tips for staying current:

• Bookmark HUD's income limits dataset hub at huduser.gov. The exact deep URL for the lookup tool shifts a little year to year, so the dataset hub is steadier than any direct PDF link.
• LBHA posts updated payment standards on its own site when it changes them, and that timing may not match the April HUD release. Check both.
• The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) and LA County publish AMI tables for their own programs, but those can use a slightly different base AMI than HUD's. For Section 8 eligibility, always confirm you're reading HUD data.

The housing section 8 program page on VoucherReady tracks HUD's annual releases and flags when Long Beach-area numbers move, which keeps you off the outdated figures floating around forum posts and cached PDFs.

What if you're over the income limit? Are there other programs in Long Beach?

Being over the Section 8 line doesn't mean no help exists. It means you're shopping a different tier, some of it with longer waits or narrower targeting.

The main alternatives:

Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA). These units attach to specific buildings, so they aren't portable. Some units inside a project target up to 60% or 80% AMI. HUD's program office at hud.gov helps you find buildings near Long Beach. ^[9]

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties. Low income housing tax credit buildings set rents at 50% or 60% of AMI rent levels. A family at 65% AMI might sit over the Section 8 cutoff but under a LIHTC unit's rent threshold, so those buildings are worth a look. California runs a large LIHTC inventory through TCAC. ^[10]

State and local emergency rent programs. These open and close with funding. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has periodically run emergency rental assistance with different income bands, sometimes up to 100% AMI. ^[11]

Section 8 Homeownership option. If you already hold a voucher and have kept it long enough, LBHA may let you put the subsidy toward a mortgage. It's rare and needs stable employment income, but it's a real HUD program under 24 CFR 982.625. ^[8]

For listings, section 8 houses for rent in Long Beach show up on several platforms. Always confirm the landlord finished the authority's approval process before you sign anything.

What do landlords need to know about Long Beach Section 8 income limits?

If you're a landlord weighing vouchers, income limits aren't yours to verify. That's the authority's job. Your side is the payment: HUD inspection standards, the lease addendum, and the rent reasonableness check.

Still, knowing the limits sets realistic expectations. A household with a Long Beach voucher has already been income-verified by LBHA. They're at or below 50% AMI, which for a family of four means $60,950 or less a year. That tells you the tenant's share stays modest, usually 30% of adjusted income. The bulk of the rent comes from the authority, paid straight into your bank account on a set schedule.

California law (Government Code Section 12955) bans source-of-income discrimination in housing. A Long Beach landlord cannot legally refuse to rent to someone only because they hold a voucher. ^[12] So screen the applicant on the usual criteria (rental history, references, whether the unit meets condition rules) and treat the voucher like any direct-deposit paycheck.

One myth worth killing: landlords think the authority sets the rent. It doesn't. You propose a rent, the authority checks it against comparable unassisted units for reasonableness, then approves or negotiates. Pass the HUD inspection and clear rent reasonableness, and you get a reliable payer covering most of the rent. The hud housing inspection standards are more accessible than most landlords expect.

Frequently asked questions

What is the income limit for a single person to get Section 8 in Long Beach in 2024?

For a one-person household, the 50% AMI (Very Low Income) limit in Long Beach is $37,050 for 2024. The 30% AMI (Extremely Low Income) limit is $22,200. Most new vouchers go to households below 30% AMI, because HUD requires authorities to serve that group first. Source: HUD FY2024 Income Limits for Los Angeles County.

Are Long Beach and Los Angeles Section 8 income limits the same?

Yes. Both cities sit in the HUD-designated Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metropolitan Division, so they share one income limit table. A four-person household's 50% AMI limit is $60,950 in both cities. What differs is each authority's payment standard and waitlist. The income eligibility cutoffs are identical.

Does Social Security income count toward the Section 8 income limit in Long Beach?

Yes. Social Security retirement and disability benefits (SSDI) count as annual income under HUD's definition at 24 CFR Part 5. Supplemental Security Income (SSI), though, is excluded from the calculation. If you get both, only the SSDI portion counts. Check with LBHA directly if you have a mix of benefit types.

Can I qualify for Section 8 in Long Beach if I have assets but low income?

Possibly. HUD counts income from assets (interest, dividends), not the asset value itself, with one exception: if your total assets top $5,000, HUD imputes income at the HUD passbook savings rate and counts whichever is greater, actual income from assets or the imputed amount. A modest savings account won't disqualify you if your actual annual income falls below the limit.

How long is the Section 8 waitlist in Long Beach?

LBHA's Housing Choice Voucher waitlist has stayed closed for long stretches. When open, waits have historically run from several years to over a decade given the demand. No public agency has current reliable average wait data for Long Beach specifically. Check lbhousing.com for official waitlist status and opening announcements.

What is the income limit for a family of 3 for Section 8 in Long Beach?

For a three-person household, the 50% AMI (Very Low Income) limit is $47,650 in 2024. The 30% AMI limit is $28,550. These figures apply to both the City of Long Beach authority (LBHA) and the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles, since both use HUD's Los Angeles County income limits.

What happens at the annual recertification if my income went up?

LBHA recalculates your tenant rent contribution. Your share rises to roughly 30% of your new adjusted income, and the subsidy shrinks to match. You don't automatically lose the voucher unless your income reaches a point where the subsidy hits zero and stays there long enough for the authority to start termination proceedings, which requires advance notice under HUD rules.

Does child support count as income for the Long Beach Section 8 income test?

Yes. Child support paid to the household counts as annual income under 24 CFR Part 5. Child support a household member pays out is not a deduction for eligibility, though it may factor into adjusted income under some authority administrative plans. The LBHA administrative plan spells out how it handles this.

Can I use a Long Beach Section 8 voucher outside the city?

Yes. After 12 months of occupancy in LBHA's jurisdiction, you can port your voucher to another city, county, or state under 24 CFR 982.353. If you lived in the receiving jurisdiction before applying to LBHA, you can port immediately. The receiving authority's income limits and payment standards apply once you move.

Are income limits different for disabled households in Long Beach?

The income eligibility threshold (50% AMI) is the same for all household types. Disabled households get extra deductions that lower their adjusted income, which cuts the rent they pay. Disability-related work expenses and costs for attendant care or medical equipment used to enable employment can be deducted under 24 CFR 5.611.

Where is the official place to look up current Long Beach Section 8 income limits?

HUD publishes income limits every year at huduser.gov. Select California and Los Angeles County to pull the full table. LBHA's site (lbhousing.com) links to these figures and posts its administrative plan, which explains how the numbers apply locally. Always use the HUD source for eligibility questions; third-party tables run outdated.

Do income limits apply to project-based Section 8 in Long Beach differently than tenant-based vouchers?

Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) properties set income targeting in their HUD contracts. Many target households at 50% AMI, same as vouchers. Some projects target units at 60% or even 80% AMI under mixed-income financing. Check the specific property's regulatory agreement or ask the property manager to confirm the income limit for available units.

Sources

1. HUD USER, FY2024 Income Limits Documentation: HUD FY2024 income limits for Los Angeles County: 4-person AMI $97,800, 50% limit $60,950, 30% limit $36,600
2. Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR Part 5 Subpart F: HUD definition of annual income, exclusions including SSI, and income deductions for elderly and disabled families
3. HUD USER, FY2024 Fair Market Rents for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metro Division: FY2024 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro is approximately $2,222 per month
4. Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR Part 982: Voucher portability rules under 24 CFR 982.353; homeownership option under 24 CFR 982.625; 12-month residency requirement before porting
5. HUD, Office of Housing (Multifamily): Project-Based Section 8 properties and their income targeting can be located through HUD's multifamily housing program office
6. California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC): California LIHTC properties set rents at 50% or 60% of AMI rent levels
7. California Department of Housing and Community Development: California periodically opens emergency rental assistance programs with income eligibility up to 100% AMI
8. California Government Code Section 12955: California law prohibits source-of-income discrimination, preventing landlords from refusing to rent to voucher holders