PHA Directory / Santa Cruz County Housing Authority

Santa Cruz County Housing Authority Payment Standards 2026–27

Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz (HACSC) runs the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program for Santa Cruz County. 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. Santa Cruz County Housing Authority is a HUD Moving to Work (MTW) agency, so it can use MTW flexibility to set payment standards outside that usual range. Below are HUD's FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026) figures for the 21 ZIP codes in its area, the benchmark Santa Cruz County Housing Authority's schedule is built from. The authority also runs a separate voucher program for the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, which the figures below don't include.

HACSC payment standards for Santa Cruz County, Hollister and San Juan Bautista (PDF, effective January 1, 2026)

HUD rent figures for Santa Cruz County

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs), FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), across 21 ZIP codes. The 90–110% column is the basic range for the median ZIP. As a Moving to Work agency, Santa Cruz County Housing Authority can set payment standards outside it.

Unit sizeLowest ZIPMedian ZIPHighest ZIP90–110% of median
Studio$2,510$3,230$3,990$2,907–$3,553
1 bedroom$2,640$3,390$4,190$3,051–$3,729
2 bedrooms$3,300$4,250$5,260$3,825–$4,675
3 bedrooms$4,280$5,530$6,840$4,977–$6,083
4 bedrooms$4,460$5,740$7,110$5,166–$6,314

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 Santa Cruz County Housing Authority's published amounts — confirm yours with Santa Cruz County Housing Authority.

Contact Santa Cruz County Housing Authority

Official website

HUD rents by ZIP code

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

95001 Aptos
$4,25095003 Aptos
$4,92095005 Ben Lomond
$4,45095006 Boulder Creek
$3,98095007 Brookdale
$3,94095010 Capitola
$4,48095017 Davenport
$4,70095018 Felton
$4,31095019 Freedom
$3,80095041 Mount Hermon
$4,07095060 Santa Cruz
$5,26095061 Santa Cruz
$4,25095062 Santa Cruz
$5,10095063 Santa Cruz
$4,25095064 Santa Cruz
$3,80095065 Santa Cruz
$4,98095066 Scotts Valley
$4,49095067 Scotts Valley
$4,25095073 Soquel
$4,07095076 Watsonville
$3,30095077 Watsonville
$4,250

Rent limits for Santa Cruz

Other housing authorities in California: HACLA, SDHC, San Diego County Housing Authority, SFHA, SHRA, Santa Clara County Housing Authority, Anaheim Housing Authority, LACDA, OCHA, HACLB, HACSB, Fresno Housing, Riverside County Housing Authority, Oakland Housing Authority, Santa Ana Housing Authority, Garden Grove Housing Authority

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Santa Cruz County Housing Authority payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount Santa Cruz County Housing Authority uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. Santa Cruz 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. Santa Cruz County Housing Authority is a HUD Moving to Work (MTW) agency, so it can use MTW flexibility to set payment standards outside that usual range.

Why might Santa Cruz 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. Santa Cruz 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. As a Moving to Work agency, Santa Cruz County Housing Authority may also use local payment standards that differ from the basic range. Always use Santa Cruz County Housing Authority's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

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

Santa Cruz County Housing Authority publishes its schedule on its website: HACSC payment standards for Santa Cruz County, Hollister and San Juan Bautista (PDF, effective January 1, 2026). If you have a voucher, your briefing packet or caseworker can also confirm the amount for your unit size and ZIP code.

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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz County Housing Authority's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.