OCHA Payment Standards 2026–27

OCHA Utility Allowances 2026

Monthly allowances for utilities the tenant pays, effective October 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: Orange County Housing Authority utility allowance schedule (PDF, effective October 1, 2026) (read October 22, 2026).

HUD rent figures for Orange County, California

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

90620 Buena Park
$2,97090621 Buena Park
$2,92090622 Buena Park
$3,06090623 La Palma
$2,79090624 Buena Park
$3,06090630 Cypress
$3,10090631 La Habra
$2,69090632 La Habra
$3,06090633 La Habra
$3,06090680 Stanton
$2,92090720 Los Alamitos
$3,07090721 Los Alamitos
$3,06090740 Seal Beach
$3,15090742 Sunset Beach
$3,19090743 Surfside
$3,07092602 Irvine
$3,72092603 Irvine
$4,35092604 Irvine
$3,61092605 Huntington Beach
$3,06092606 Irvine
$3,65092607 Laguna Niguel
$3,06092609 El Toro
$3,06092610 Foothill Ranch
$3,79092612 Irvine
$3,97092614 Irvine
$3,75092615 Huntington Beach
$3,06092616 Irvine
$3,06092617 Irvine
$2,92092618 Irvine
$4,34092619 Irvine
$3,06092620 Irvine
$4,08092623 Irvine
$3,06092624 Capistrano Beach
$3,57092625 Corona Del Mar
$4,29092626 Costa Mesa
$3,44092627 Costa Mesa
$3,08092628 Costa Mesa
$3,06092629 Dana Point
$3,72092630 Lake Forest
$3,45092637 Laguna Woods
$2,92092646 Huntington Beach
$3,24092647 Huntington Beach
$3,09092648 Huntington Beach
$3,21092649 Huntington Beach
$3,22092650 East Irvine
$3,06092651 Laguna Beach
$3,75092652 Laguna Beach
$3,06092653 Laguna Hills
$3,37092654 Laguna Hills
$3,06092655 Midway City
$2,92092656 Aliso Viejo
$3,75092657 Newport Coast
$4,17092658 Newport Beach
$3,06092659 Newport Beach
$3,06092660 Newport Beach
$4,59092661 Newport Beach
$3,59092662 Newport Beach
$3,40092663 Newport Beach
$3,54092672 San Clemente
$3,14092673 San Clemente
$4,28092674 San Clemente
$3,06092675 San Juan Capistrano
$3,17092676 Silverado
$2,92092677 Laguna Niguel
$3,69092678 Trabuco Canyon
$3,51092679 Trabuco Canyon
$4,14092683 Westminster
$2,92092684 Westminster
$3,06092685 Westminster
$3,06092688 Rancho Santa Margarita
$3,34092690 Mission Viejo
$3,06092691 Mission Viejo
$3,34092692 Mission Viejo
$3,64092693 San Juan Capistrano
$3,06092694 Ladera Ranch
$4,06092697 Irvine
$3,06092708 Fountain Valley
$3,28092728 Fountain Valley
$3,06092780 Tustin
$3,00092781 Tustin
$3,06092782 Tustin
$3,57092811 Atwood
$3,06092821 Brea
$3,21092822 Brea
$3,06092823 Brea
$4,38092831 Fullerton
$3,03092832 Fullerton
$2,92092833 Fullerton
$2,92092834 Fullerton
$3,06092835 Fullerton
$3,00092836 Fullerton
$3,06092837 Fullerton
$3,06092838 Fullerton
$3,06092856 Orange
$3,06092857 Orange
$3,06092859 Orange
$3,06092861 Villa Park
$2,92092862 Orange
$3,06092863 Orange
$3,06092864 Orange
$3,06092865 Orange
$3,09092866 Orange
$2,92092867 Orange
$2,92092868 Orange
$3,24092869 Orange
$2,99092870 Placentia
$2,92092871 Placentia
$3,06092885 Yorba Linda
$3,06092886 Yorba Linda
$3,98092887 Yorba Linda
$3,300

What is the OCHA payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount OCHA uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. OCHA 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 OCHA's utility allowances for 2026?

OCHA's current utility allowances took effect on October 1, 2026 (source: Orange County Housing Authority utility allowance schedule (PDF, effective October 1, 2026)). For a 2-bedroom, the allowance for a single utility ranges from $4 to $71 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 OCHA'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. OCHA 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 OCHA's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

Where can I find OCHA's official payment standard schedule?

OCHA publishes its schedule on its website: OCHA 2026 Payment Standards (PDF, effective November 1, 2025). 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 OCHA'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 OCHA's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.