PHA Directory / Harris County Housing Authority

Harris County Housing Authority Payment Standards 2026–27

Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA) runs the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program for Harris County outside the City of Houston. It sets its own payment standards — the most it will pay toward rent for each unit size — and federal rules normally require those 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) unless HUD approves an exception. Below are HUD's FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026) figures for the 53 ZIP codes in its area, the benchmark Harris County Housing Authority's schedule is built from.

HUD rent figures for Harris County outside the City of Houston

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs), FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), across 53 ZIP codes. The 90–110% column is the basic range for the median ZIP.

Unit sizeLowest ZIPMedian ZIPHighest ZIP90–110% of median
Studio$950$1,210$1,850$1,089–$1,331
1 bedroom$970$1,240$1,900$1,116–$1,364
2 bedrooms$1,150$1,470$2,250$1,323–$1,617
3 bedrooms$1,550$1,980$3,030$1,782–$2,178
4 bedrooms$1,920$2,460$3,760$2,214–$2,706

Sources: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs); payment standard rules from 24 CFR 982 Subpart K and HUD's HCV Guidebook: Payment Standards. These are not Harris County Housing Authority's published amounts — confirm yours with Harris County Housing Authority.

Contact Harris County Housing Authority

Official website

HUD rents by ZIP code

2-bedroom HUD figure for each ZIP. Open a ZIP for every unit size.

77315 North Houston
$1,47077325 Kingwood
$1,47077336 Huffman
$1,56077338 Humble
$1,47077339 Kingwood
$1,72077345 Kingwood
$2,20077346 Humble
$1,88077347 Humble
$1,47077373 Spring
$1,80077375 Tomball
$1,69077377 Tomball
$1,79077379 Spring
$1,76077382 Spring
$2,04077383 Spring
$1,47077388 Spring
$1,96077389 Spring
$1,94077391 Spring
$1,47077396 Humble
$1,59077401 Bellaire
$2,25077402 Bellaire
$1,47077410 Cypress
$1,47077411 Alief
$1,47077413 Barker
$1,47077429 Cypress
$1,82077433 Cypress
$2,05077447 Hockley
$1,72077449 Katy
$1,92077450 Katy
$1,85077491 Katy
$1,47077492 Katy
$1,47077493 Katy
$1,92077494 Katy
$2,25077501 Pasadena
$1,47077502 Pasadena
$1,30077503 Pasadena
$1,29077504 Pasadena
$1,29077505 Pasadena
$1,65077506 Pasadena
$1,15077507 Pasadena
$1,88077508 Pasadena
$1,47077520 Baytown
$1,27077521 Baytown
$1,47077522 Baytown
$1,47077530 Channelview
$1,20077532 Crosby
$1,35077536 Deer Park
$1,46077547 Galena Park
$1,23077562 Highlands
$1,25077571 La Porte
$1,48077572 La Porte
$1,47077586 Seabrook
$1,56077587 South Houston
$1,29077598 Webster
$1,620

Rent limits for Pasadena

Other housing authorities in Texas: Houston Housing Authority, Dallas Housing Authority, Opportunity Home San Antonio, Fort Worth Housing Solutions, Dallas County Housing Agency, Denton Housing Authority, McKinney Housing Authority, Housing Authority of Bexar County

Not sure which authority covers an address? Use the PHA directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Harris County Housing Authority payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount Harris County Housing Authority uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. Harris County 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.

Why might Harris County 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. Harris County 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 Harris County Housing Authority's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

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

On Harris County Housing Authority's website (https://hchatexas.org/housing-choice-voucher-program/) 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 Harris County 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 Harris County Housing Authority's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.