Philadelphia Housing Authority Payment Standards 2026–27

Philadelphia Housing Authority Utility Allowances 2023

Monthly allowances for utilities the tenant pays, effective October 1, 2023. 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: PHA HCV Utility Allowance Schedule (PDF, effective October 1, 2023) (read October 17, 2026).

HUD rent figures for the City of Philadelphia

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs), FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), across 58 ZIP codes. The 90–110% column is the basic range for the median ZIP. As a Moving to Work agency, Philadelphia Housing Authority can set payment standards outside it.

19019 Philadelphia
$1,86019101 Philadelphia
$1,78019102 Philadelphia
$2,79019103 Philadelphia
$2,79019104 Philadelphia
$1,93019105 Philadelphia
$1,78019106 Philadelphia
$2,79019107 Philadelphia
$2,62019108 Philadelphia
$2,46019109 Philadelphia
$1,78019110 Philadelphia
$1,78019111 Philadelphia
$1,66019112 Philadelphia
$1,78019113 Philadelphia
$1,69019114 Philadelphia
$1,76019115 Philadelphia
$1,60019116 Philadelphia
$1,59019118 Philadelphia
$2,29019119 Philadelphia
$1,68019120 Philadelphia
$1,61019121 Philadelphia
$1,61019122 Philadelphia
$1,81019123 Philadelphia
$2,31019124 Philadelphia
$1,45019125 Philadelphia
$2,31019126 Philadelphia
$1,45019127 Philadelphia
$2,27019128 Philadelphia
$2,13019129 Philadelphia
$1,99019130 Philadelphia
$2,60019131 Philadelphia
$1,93019132 Philadelphia
$1,46019133 Philadelphia
$1,35019134 Philadelphia
$1,53019135 Philadelphia
$1,65019136 Philadelphia
$1,60019137 Philadelphia
$1,60019138 Philadelphia
$1,59019139 Philadelphia
$1,56019140 Philadelphia
$1,51019141 Philadelphia
$1,40019142 Philadelphia
$1,68019143 Philadelphia
$1,72019144 Philadelphia
$1,67019145 Philadelphia
$1,83019146 Philadelphia
$2,41019147 Philadelphia
$2,42019148 Philadelphia
$1,95019149 Philadelphia
$1,90019150 Philadelphia
$1,64019151 Philadelphia
$1,49019152 Philadelphia
$1,70019153 Philadelphia
$1,79019154 Philadelphia
$1,84019160 Philadelphia
$1,78019176 Philadelphia
$1,78019190 Philadelphia
$1,78019192 Philadelphia
$1,780

What is the Philadelphia Housing Authority payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount Philadelphia Housing Authority uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. Philadelphia 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. Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Housing Authority's utility allowances for 2023?

Philadelphia Housing Authority's current utility allowances took effect on October 1, 2023 (source: PHA HCV Utility Allowance Schedule (PDF, effective October 1, 2023)). For a 2-bedroom, the allowance for a single utility ranges from $8 to $138 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 Philadelphia 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. Philadelphia 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, Philadelphia Housing Authority may also use local payment standards that differ from the basic range. Always use Philadelphia Housing Authority's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

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

On Philadelphia Housing Authority's website (https://www.pha.phila.gov) 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Housing Authority's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.