Section 8 in Santa Maria, CA: FMR & Landlord Guide
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area (CBSA 42200). 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) | $2,459 | $2,213 – $2,705 |
| 1-bedroom | $2,746 | $2,471 – $3,021 |
| 2-bedroom | $3,124 | $2,812 – $3,436 |
| 3-bedroom | $4,075 | $3,668 – $4,483 |
| 4-bedroom | $4,647 | $4,182 – $5,112 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Santa Maria, CA covers up to $3,124 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $2,812–$3,436.
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 Santa Maria, CA
2 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara
Lompoc, CA · CA021 · 4,316 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · CA076 · 2,931 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 Santa Maria, 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.