HUD annually establishes income limits by family size for the area in which the PHA is located. A family's gross annual income is compared to the applicable income limits to determine eligibility for housing assistance and must be within the income limits for the PHA's jurisdiction.

Public Housing Program

To be eligible for Public Housing Assistance, the family's gross annual income may not exceed the current Low-Income Limits.
Income Targeting Requirement. HUD requires that at least 40 percent of families who are admitted to the Public Housing Program during each year must be extremely low-income.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

To be eligible to receive housing assistance under the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, the family's gross annual income, in most cases, may not exceed the current Very-Low Income Limits. In some instances, however, families whose gross annual income is above the current Very-Low Income Limit, but below the current Low-Income Limits, may be considered to be eligible for Section 8 Housing Assistance if they are: (1) Continuously assisted under the Public Housing or Section 8 Programs; (2) Non-purchasing households in HUD homeownership programs (HOPE 1, HOPE 2, or other HUD-assisted multifamily homeownership programs under CFR 284.173); or, (3) Displaced as a result of the prepayment of a mortgage or voluntary termination of a mortgage insurance contract.

Income Targeting Requirement

HUD requires that at least 75 percent of families who are admitted to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program during each year must be Extremely Low-Income.