PHA Directory / Houston Housing Authority
Houston Housing Authority Payment Standards 2026–27
Houston Housing Authority runs the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program for 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. Houston 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 169 ZIP codes in its area, the benchmark Houston Housing Authority's schedule is built from.
Houston 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: Housing Alliance HTX (Houston Housing Authority) utility allowance schedules (PDF, effective January 1, 2026) (read October 22, 2026).
| Utility | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 5 BR | 6 BR | 7 BR | 8 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Heating | |||||||||
| Heating – natural gas | $10 | $11 | $12 | $13 | $14 | $15 | $16 | $17 | $18 |
| Heating – electric | $13 | $15 | $18 | $21 | $23 | $26 | $28 | $30 | $32 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Cooking | |||||||||
| Cooking – natural gas | $3 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $10 | $11 |
| Cooking – electric | $8 | $9 | $13 | $17 | $21 | $25 | $27 | $29 | $31 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Other electric | |||||||||
| Other electric (lighting, base) | $29 | $34 | $48 | $61 | $75 | $88 | $95 | $102 | $108 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Air conditioning | |||||||||
| Air conditioning | $26 | $31 | $43 | $55 | $67 | $79 | $85 | $91 | $97 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Water heating | |||||||||
| Water heating – natural gas | $5 | $6 | $9 | $12 | $14 | $17 | $19 | $20 | $21 |
| Water heating – electric | $17 | $20 | $26 | $32 | $37 | $43 | $46 | $49 | $52 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Water | |||||||||
| Water | $37 | $39 | $51 | $63 | $75 | $88 | $96 | $104 | $112 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Sewer | |||||||||
| Sewer | $56 | $57 | $74 | $91 | $107 | $124 | $135 | $146 | $157 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Range/microwave | |||||||||
| Range/microwave (tenant-supplied) | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Refrigerator | |||||||||
| Refrigerator (tenant-supplied) | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Monthly electric fee | |||||||||
| Monthly electric fee | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 |
| Apartment (5+ units per building) — Monthly gas fee | |||||||||
| Monthly gas fee | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Heating | |||||||||
| Heating – natural gas | $13 | $16 | $17 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $21 | $23 | $25 |
| Heating – electric | $19 | $22 | $26 | $29 | $33 | $36 | $39 | $42 | $44 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Cooking | |||||||||
| Cooking – natural gas | $3 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $10 | $11 |
| Cooking – electric | $8 | $9 | $13 | $17 | $21 | $25 | $27 | $29 | $31 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Other electric | |||||||||
| Other electric (lighting, base) | $37 | $43 | $60 | $77 | $94 | $111 | $120 | $129 | $136 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Air conditioning | |||||||||
| Air conditioning | $26 | $31 | $52 | $74 | $96 | $118 | $127 | $136 | $144 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Water heating | |||||||||
| Water heating – natural gas | $6 | $8 | $11 | $14 | $18 | $21 | $23 | $25 | $27 |
| Water heating – electric | $22 | $25 | $32 | $39 | $46 | $53 | $58 | $62 | $65 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Water | |||||||||
| Water | $37 | $39 | $51 | $63 | $75 | $88 | $96 | $104 | $112 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Sewer | |||||||||
| Sewer | $56 | $57 | $74 | $91 | $107 | $124 | $135 | $146 | $157 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Range/microwave | |||||||||
| Range/microwave (tenant-supplied) | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Refrigerator | |||||||||
| Refrigerator (tenant-supplied) | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Monthly electric fee | |||||||||
| Monthly electric fee | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 |
| Row house/townhouse & semi-detached/duplex (up to 4 units) — Monthly gas fee | |||||||||
| Monthly gas fee | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 |
| Detached house — Heating | |||||||||
| Heating – natural gas | $13 | $16 | $17 | $19 | $20 | $21 | $23 | $25 | $27 |
| Heating – electric | $24 | $28 | $31 | $34 | $38 | $41 | $44 | $47 | $50 |
| Detached house — Cooking | |||||||||
| Cooking – natural gas | $3 | $3 | $4 | $5 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $10 | $11 |
| Cooking – electric | $8 | $9 | $13 | $17 | $21 | $25 | $27 | $29 | $31 |
| Detached house — Other electric | |||||||||
| Other electric (lighting, base) | $43 | $50 | $70 | $90 | $110 | $129 | $140 | $150 | $159 |
| Detached house — Air conditioning | |||||||||
| Air conditioning | $20 | $24 | $54 | $84 | $114 | $144 | $155 | $166 | $176 |
| Detached house — Water heating | |||||||||
| Water heating – natural gas | $6 | $8 | $11 | $14 | $18 | $21 | $23 | $25 | $27 |
| Water heating – electric | $22 | $25 | $32 | $39 | $46 | $53 | $58 | $62 | $65 |
| Detached house — Water | |||||||||
| Water | $31 | $35 | $65 | $68 | $85 | $103 | $115 | $126 | $140 |
| Detached house — Sewer | |||||||||
| Sewer | $46 | $49 | $70 | $91 | $113 | $134 | $149 | $163 | $177 |
| Detached house — Range/microwave | |||||||||
| Range/microwave (tenant-supplied) | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 | $11 |
| Detached house — Refrigerator | |||||||||
| Refrigerator (tenant-supplied) | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 |
| Detached house — Monthly electric fee | |||||||||
| Monthly electric fee | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 |
| Detached house — Monthly gas fee | |||||||||
| Monthly gas fee | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 | $24 |
- Housing Alliance HTX also publishes a mobile-home schedule, not shown here.
- Trash collection is listed on the schedule without an amount.
Contact Houston Housing Authority
Phone: (713) 260-0500
Email: info@housingforhouston.com
Address: 2640 Fountain View Drive, Houston, TX 77057
HUD rents by ZIP code
2-bedroom HUD figure for each ZIP. Open a ZIP for every unit size.
$1,47077002 Houston
$2,25077003 Houston
$1,76077004 Houston
$1,48077005 Houston
$2,23077006 Houston
$2,25077007 Houston
$2,25077008 Houston
$1,81077009 Houston
$1,34077010 Houston
$2,25077011 Houston
$1,13077012 Houston
$1,02077013 Houston
$1,23077014 Houston
$1,32077015 Houston
$1,33077016 Houston
$1,27077017 Houston
$1,16077018 Houston
$1,42077019 Houston
$2,25077020 Houston
$1,05077021 Houston
$1,35077022 Houston
$1,18077023 Houston
$1,17077024 Houston
$2,05077025 Houston
$1,69077026 Houston
$1,02077027 Houston
$2,23077028 Houston
$1,26077029 Houston
$1,24077030 Houston
$2,04077031 Houston
$1,16077032 Houston
$1,32077033 Houston
$1,38077034 Houston
$1,29077035 Houston
$1,22077036 Houston
$1,31077037 Houston
$1,14077038 Houston
$1,38077039 Houston
$1,30077040 Houston
$1,44077041 Houston
$1,77077042 Houston
$1,59077043 Houston
$1,58077044 Houston
$1,81077045 Houston
$1,45077046 Houston
$1,92077047 Houston
$1,85077048 Houston
$1,46077049 Houston
$1,63077050 Houston
$1,29077051 Houston
$1,46077052 Houston
$1,47077053 Houston
$1,70077054 Houston
$1,77077055 Houston
$1,36077056 Houston
$2,21077057 Houston
$1,71077058 Houston
$1,54077059 Houston
$1,99077060 Houston
$1,27077061 Houston
$1,04077062 Houston
$1,46077063 Houston
$1,61077064 Houston
$1,64077065 Houston
$1,59077066 Houston
$1,55077067 Houston
$1,23077068 Houston
$1,43077069 Houston
$1,64077070 Houston
$1,74077071 Houston
$1,16077072 Houston
$1,38077073 Houston
$1,43077074 Houston
$1,26077075 Houston
$1,31077076 Houston
$1,26077077 Houston
$1,77077078 Houston
$1,47077079 Houston
$1,86077080 Houston
$1,38077081 Houston
$1,26077082 Houston
$1,57077083 Houston
$1,53077084 Houston
$1,70077085 Houston
$1,47077086 Houston
$1,32077087 Houston
$1,13077088 Houston
$1,30077089 Houston
$1,56077090 Houston
$1,48077091 Houston
$1,19077092 Houston
$1,32077093 Houston
$1,21077094 Houston
$1,81077095 Houston
$1,74077096 Houston
$1,43077098 Houston
$2,25077099 Houston
$1,42077201 Houston
$1,49777204 Houston
$1,47077205 Houston
$1,47077206 Houston
$1,47077207 Houston
$1,47077208 Houston
$1,47077210 Houston
$1,47077215 Houston
$1,47077217 Houston
$1,47077218 Houston
$1,47077219 Houston
$1,47077220 Houston
$1,47077221 Houston
$1,47077222 Houston
$1,47077223 Houston
$1,47077224 Houston
$1,47077225 Houston
$1,47077226 Houston
$1,47077227 Houston
$1,47077228 Houston
$1,47077230 Houston
$1,47077231 Houston
$1,47077233 Houston
$1,47077234 Houston
$1,47077235 Houston
$1,47077236 Houston
$1,47077237 Houston
$1,47077238 Houston
$1,47077240 Houston
$1,47077241 Houston
$1,47077242 Houston
$1,47077243 Houston
$1,47077244 Houston
$1,47077245 Houston
$1,47077248 Houston
$1,47077249 Houston
$1,47077251 Houston
$1,47077252 Houston
$1,47077253 Houston
$1,47077254 Houston
$1,47077255 Houston
$1,47077256 Houston
$1,47077257 Houston
$1,47077258 Houston
$1,47077259 Houston
$1,47077261 Houston
$1,47077262 Houston
$1,47077263 Houston
$1,47077265 Houston
$1,47077266 Houston
$1,47077267 Houston
$1,47077268 Houston
$1,47077269 Houston
$1,47077270 Houston
$1,47077271 Houston
$1,47077272 Houston
$1,47077273 Houston
$1,47077274 Houston
$1,47077275 Houston
$1,47077277 Houston
$1,47077279 Houston
$1,47077280 Houston
$1,47077282 Houston
$1,47077284 Houston
$1,47077287 Houston
$1,47077288 Houston
$1,47077289 Houston
$1,47077290 Houston
$1,47077291 Houston
$1,47077292 Houston
$1,47077293 Houston
$1,470
Rent limits for Houston
Other housing authorities in Texas: Dallas Housing Authority, Opportunity Home San Antonio, Harris County Housing Authority, 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 Houston Housing Authority payment standard?
A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount Houston Housing Authority uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. Houston 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. Houston Housing Authority is a HUD Moving to Work (MTW) agency, so it can use MTW flexibility to set payment standards outside that usual range.
What are Houston Housing Authority's utility allowances for 2026?
Houston Housing Authority's current utility allowances took effect on January 1, 2026 (source: Housing Alliance HTX (Houston Housing Authority) utility allowance schedules (PDF, effective January 1, 2026)). For a 2-bedroom, the allowance for a single utility ranges from $4 to $74 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 Houston 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. Houston 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, Houston Housing Authority may also use local payment standards that differ from the basic range. Always use Houston Housing Authority's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.
Where can I find Houston Housing Authority's official payment standard schedule?
On Houston Housing Authority's website (https://www.housingforhouston.com) 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 Houston 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 Houston Housing Authority's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.