Denver Housing Authority Payment Standards 2026–27

Denver Housing Authority Utility Allowances 2026

Monthly allowances for utilities the tenant pays, effective January 1, 2026. Add the allowance for each utility you pay yourself; the total is added to the rent to get the gross rent compared with the payment standard. Source: Denver Housing Authority Section 8 utility allowance schedule (PDF, effective January 1, 2026) (read October 17, 2026).

HUD rent figures for Denver

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs), FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), across 28 ZIP codes. The 90–110% column is the basic range for the median ZIP.

80202 Denver
$3,06080203 Denver
$2,48080204 Denver
$2,26080205 Denver
$2,36080206 Denver
$2,33080207 Denver
$2,21080209 Denver
$2,43080210 Denver
$2,42080211 Denver
$2,67080212 Denver
$2,19080216 Denver
$2,29080218 Denver
$2,03080219 Denver
$1,89080220 Denver
$1,89080222 Denver
$2,09080223 Denver
$2,12080224 Denver
$1,98080230 Denver
$2,48080231 Denver
$2,17080236 Denver
$2,06080237 Denver
$2,41080239 Denver
$2,31080246 Denver
$2,21080249 Denver
$2,54080264 Denver
$2,15080290 Denver
$2,72080293 Denver
$2,15080294 Denver
$2,150

What is the Denver Housing Authority payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount Denver Housing Authority uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. Denver Housing Authority chooses its payment standards, and HUD rules (24 CFR 982.503) normally require them to fall between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the area (the metro-wide FMR, or ZIP-level Small Area FMRs where the authority uses them) — the "basic range". An authority can go above 110% only with an exception payment standard approved by HUD or allowed by HUD notice.

What are Denver Housing Authority's utility allowances for 2026?

Denver Housing Authority's current utility allowances took effect on January 1, 2026 (source: Denver Housing Authority Section 8 utility allowance schedule (PDF, effective January 1, 2026)). For a 2-bedroom, the allowance for a single utility ranges from $4 to $85 a month. Add the allowance for each utility you pay yourself. The total is added to the contract rent, and that gross rent is what is compared with the payment standard, so a unit with tenant-paid utilities needs a lower rent to fit.

Why might Denver Housing Authority's published amounts differ from the HUD figures on this page?

The figures here are HUD's FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026) Small Area FMRs. Denver Housing Authority sets its own amounts as a percentage of these (anywhere in the 90–110% basic range), and it adopts new amounts on its own schedule. When new HUD figures would put its payment standards outside the basic range, HUD rules require the authority to revise them within three months of the new figures taking effect. Always use Denver Housing Authority's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

Where can I find Denver Housing Authority's official payment standard schedule?

On Denver Housing Authority's website (https://www.denverhousing.org) or from your caseworker. Voucher holders also receive the amount for their unit size in their briefing packet.

Does a higher payment standard mean the voucher pays more of my rent?

It raises the ceiling. The housing assistance payment is the lower of the payment standard or the unit's gross rent (rent plus tenant-paid utilities), minus your total tenant payment — usually about 30% of adjusted monthly income (24 CFR 982.505). If a unit's gross rent is above the payment standard, you pay the difference, and at initial lease-up your share can't exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income.

Why do the amounts change by ZIP code?

HUD publishes Small Area FMRs for each ZIP code in Denver Housing Authority's area rather than one figure for the whole metro area. Some authorities are required to use them and others may choose to; where an authority uses them, its payment standards vary by ZIP too, so higher-rent neighborhoods get higher ceilings. Check Denver Housing Authority's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.