Fair Market Rents: Santa Cruz County, CA (FY2026)
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for Santa Cruz County set the ceiling for what Housing Choice Vouchers pay locally. FMR equals the estimated 40th-percentile gross rent — shelter plus utilities — for modest, non-luxury units.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR |
|---|---|
| Studio (0-BR) | — |
| 1 Bedroom | — |
| 2 Bedrooms | — |
| 3 Bedrooms | — |
| 4+ Bedrooms | — |
*Median across all FMR-publishing counties in CA. Source: HUD FY2026 FMR schedule.
Using FMR as a voucher holder in Santa Cruz County
- Your housing authority sets payment standards per bedroom, typically 90–110% of these figures. How payment standards work →
- You may rent above the standard by paying the difference, subject to a 40%-of-income cap at lease-up.
- In high-cost pockets, ask about exception standards or Small Area FMRs by ZIP code.
Subsidized housing in Santa Cruz County
We track 67 assisted properties countywide:
| City | Properties | Assisted units |
|---|---|---|
| Aptos | 5 | 242 |
| Freedom | 6 | 604 |
| Santa Cruz | 33 | 2,031 |
| Watsonville | 18 | 1,003 |