Section 8 in Salinas, CA: FMR & Landlord Guide
Salinas, CA metro area (CBSA 41500). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $2,173 | $1,956 – $2,390 |
| 1-bedroom | $2,232 | $2,009 – $2,455 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,684 | $2,416 – $2,952 |
| 3-bedroom | $3,623 | $3,261 – $3,985 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,945 | $3,551 – $4,340 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Salinas, CA covers up to $2,684 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $2,416–$2,952.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Salinas, CA
1 PHA administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Monterey
Salinas, CA · CA033 · 4,852 HCV units
Source-of-income law in CA
CA state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
FEHA (SB 329) · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Salinas, CA property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.