Section 8 Bedroom Requirements: Can 2 Kids Share a Room?
July 15, 2024 • Compliance Team
The "Two Heartbeats" Rule
Generally, HUD standards allow for two persons per bedroom/sleeping room. However, voucher size is determined by specific rules:
- Head of household (and spouse) get one bedroom.
- Two children of the same sex usually share a room.
- Children of opposite sexes may be allocated separate rooms (depending on age and local PHA rules).
Important: A family can choose to rent a smaller unit than their voucher size (e.g., a 3-bedroom voucher family renting a 2-bedroom unit) as long as it doesn't violate local overcrowding codes (usually 2 people + 1 per living room).
Income Limits
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Inspection Checklist
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VoucherRents - Section 8 Compliance Platform
Instant lookup for Section 8 Fair Market Rents (FMR), Small Area FMR (SAFMR), Income Limits, and Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection checklists.
Key Features
- Section 8 Rent Limits by ZIP Code - Find Fair Market Rents and Payment Standards
- Income Eligibility Checker - Verify tenant qualification for Housing Choice Voucher program
- HQS Inspection Checklist - Prepare your property for Housing Quality Standards inspection
- Rent Reasonableness Tool - Compare your rent against market rates
- City Directory - Browse rent limits by city and state
All data is sourced from official HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) databases and updated regularly.