Section 8 in Washington, DC: FMR & Landlord Guide
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (CBSA 47900). 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) | $1,953 | $1,758 – $2,148 |
| 1-bedroom | $2,015 | $1,814 – $2,217 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,246 | $2,021 – $2,471 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,835 | $2,552 – $3,119 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,332 | $2,999 – $3,665 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Washington, DC covers up to $2,246 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $2,021–$2,471.
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 Washington, DC
15 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Wait-list CLOSED
D.C Housing Authority
Washington, DC · DC001 · 16,525 HCV units
DCHA HCV wait list is closed. Last large opening was 2022; no announced new openings. Check DCHA site for status.
- Status unknown
HOUSING OPPRTY COM OF MONTGOMERY CO
Kensington, MD · MD004 · 8,021 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of Prince Georges County
Largo, MD · MD015 · 5,986 HCV units
- Status unknown
Fairfax County Redevelopment & Hsg Authority
Fairfax, VA · VA019 · 5,329 HCV units
- Status unknown
MD Dept. Of Housing and Community Development
Lanham, MD · MD901 · 2,868 HCV units
- Status unknown
Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority
Alexandria, VA · VA004 · 2,482 HCV units
- Status unknown
Prince William County Office of HCD
Woodbridge, VA · VA046 · 2,223 HCV units
- Status unknown
Arlington County Dept of Human Services
Arlington, VA · VA028 · 1,827 HCV units
- Status unknown
Frederick Housing Authority
Frederick, MD · MD003 · 957 HCV units
- Status unknown
County Commissioners Charles County
Port Tobacco, MD · MD024 · 934 HCV units
- Status unknown
Loudoun County DHCD
Leesburg, VA · VA035 · 817 HCV units
- Status unknown
Rockville Housing Enterprises
Rockville, MD · MD007 · 568 HCV units
- Status unknown
Community Connections
Washington, DC · DC880 · 298 HCV units
- Status unknown
College Park Housing Authority
College Park, MD · MD017 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Glenarden Housing Authority
Glenarden, MD · MD011 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in DC
DC state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
DC Human Rights Act · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Washington, DC 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.