Affordable Housing In Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County,
California
31 Low Income Apartment Communities In Santa Barbara
Jardin de las Rosas Apartments
Gardens on Hope
Pilgrim Terrace
Section 8 Vouchers, Apartments, and Waiting Lists in Santa Barbara, California
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
Households who qualify for these programs may also qualify for Project-Based Section 8, which contributes rental assistance payments directly to private landlords on behalf of low-income tenants. Eligibility for the project-based program is similar to the voucher programs, but waiting list and application policies will vary depending on the landlord.
Public Housing Agencies Serving Santa Barbara, California
| Housing Authority | Programs |
|---|---|
| Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing; Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH); Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV); Family Unification Program (FUP) |
| Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
Guide To Affordable Housing in Santa Barbara, California
There are 31 low income housing apartment communities offering 1,503 affordable apartments for rent in Santa Barbara, California.
Income Based Apartments in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara features 509 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Santa Barbara, California
There are 994 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Santa Barbara.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Santa Barbara, California
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Santa Barbara landlords $1,200 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $500 towards rent in Santa Barbara.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Santa Barbara, California for a two-bedroom apartment is between $2,264 and $2,768.
2022 Santa Barbara, California Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards
Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
| Studio | One BR | Two BR | Three BR | Four BR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara, California Fair Market Rent | $1,875 | $2,157 | $2,516 | $3,316 | $3,790 |
| Santa Barbara, California Payment Standard Range | $1,688 to $2,063 | $1,941 to $2,373 | $2,264 to $2,768 | $2,984 to $3,648 | $3,411 to $4,169 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Santa Barbara, CA Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 31 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 1,503 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 509 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 60.1% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 2.54 |
| Average Household Size | 2.54 |
| Median Household Income | $66,107 ±$2,502 |
| Median Rent | $1,514 ±$51 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 54.21% ± 3.03pp |
| Total Population | 90,401 |
Population and Household Demographics
Santa Barbara is a city in Santa Barbara County, California with a population of 90,401. There are 34,973 households in the city with an average household size of 2.54 persons. 60.1% of households in Santa Barbara are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Santa Barbara
The median gross income for households in Santa Barbara is $66,107 a year, or $5,509 a month. The median rent for the city is $1,514 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Santa Barbara, a household making less than $5,047 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 54.21% of households who rent are overburdened in Santa Barbara.
Area Median Income In Santa Barbara
Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.
HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Santa Barbara, the AMI is calculated from all households within Santa Barbara County.
In Santa Barbara, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $100,100
Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.
Rental Assistance in Santa Barbara
Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.
Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Santa Barbara
| 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 30% of the Santa Barbara AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households. |
$29,350 | $33,550 | $37,750 | $41,900 | $45,300 | $48,650 | $52,000 | $55,350 |
| 50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Santa Barbara AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households. |
$48,900 | $55,900 | $62,900 | $69,850 | $75,450 | $81,050 | $86,650 | $92,250 |
| 80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Santa Barbara AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$78,350 | $89,550 | $100,750 | $111,900 | $120,900 | $129,850 | $138,800 | $147,750 |
