HUD PIH FY25 directory CA · Section 8 / HCV 2,891 HCV units High Performer bracket 70th percentile in CA

County of Merced Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile

County of Merced Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, CA, with 2,891 authorized HCV units (HUD High Performer size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.

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How this PHA compares nearby

Authorized HCV units · County of Merced HA vs nearby CA agencies

units
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory As of FY2025

The verdict

County of Merced Housing Authority administers 2,891 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 70% of CA agencies.

2,891
authorized Section 8 vouchers
95th
percentile by size, nationally
70th
percentile in CA
2,891 Section 8 units

As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in CA, County of Merced Housing Authority runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 2,891 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.

  • 70th percentile by unit count in CA
  • HUD size bracket: High Performer
Compiled from official public sources by the Plainvoucher team.

Section 8 / HCV units

2,891

High Performer bracket

Total authorized units

421

All programs combined

State-rank percentile

70 th

Among CA PHAs

2-BR standard range · CA

$1,054–$4,223 /mo

Median $1,505/mo · 2-BR

Section 8 / HCV share of County of Merced Housing Authority authorized units 100.0%
HUD nationwide median

Compared to nationwide HUD median of 62%, PHAs with high HCV share typically focus on tenant-based assistance over project-based public housing.

Where County of Merced Housing Authority sits among U.S. PHAs

By authorized Housing Choice Vouchers, across every PHA that runs them. Most are small; a handful of big-city authorities run the long right tail.

2,891 Top 9% higher than 91% of 2,129 voucher-running PHAs

0–10,000: 2,086 voucher-running PHAs (98%). This entry sits in this band. 10,000–20,000: 29 voucher-running PHAs (1%). Above this entry. 20,000–30,000: 8 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 30,000–40,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 40,000–50,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 50,000–60,000: 3 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 60,000–70,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 70,000–80,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 80,000–90,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 90,000–100,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 100,000–110,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 110,000–120,000: 0 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. 120,000–130,000: 1 voucher-running PHAs (0%). Above this entry. This PHA 0 130,000 every voucher-running PHA, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more voucher-running PHAs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory · FY2025

What HUD's PIH Record for County of Merced Housing Authority Tells You

HUD authorizes 2,891 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency, against 421 total authorized units across every HUD program combined. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, CA's share of the total, where County of Merced Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "High Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.

Ranked by Section 8 unit count within CA, it sits at the 70th percentile there, ahead of 70% of CA PHAs by that measure. HUD logs its program type as "Combined," which determines which voucher streams (regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions) it can run. Every PHA in the directory runs its own waitlist, publishes its own admissions plan, and sets its own local preferences within the federal Section 8 rulebook, so this authorized-unit figure is a ceiling, not a promise of current availability.

its main line is 2093864139. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state. Across CA's 51 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,054-$4,223/month (median $1,505); County of Merced Housing Authority sets its own figure within 90-110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves, so confirm the exact number for your metro before signing anything.

Contact this PHA

Phone
2093864139
Fax
2097220106
Email
rosav@merced-pha.com
Executive Director
rosav@merced-pha.com · 2093864108
How to apply at County of Merced Housing Authority

How to apply at this PHA

Before applying, confirm whether this PHA's waitlist is currently open. Waitlist status can change without much notice, some PHAs open for as little as 72 hours at a time. Application channels typically include:

  • The PHA's own website (search "County of Merced Housing Authority Section 8 application")
  • A public notice posted at the PHA office or in the legal notices of the local newspaper
  • HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in the area
  • Local legal-aid and tenant-advocacy groups

See our step-by-step How to Apply for Section 8 guide for the full federal application process.

What to expect, typical waitlist

HUD does not publish current waitlist open/closed status centrally, and waitlist lengths vary sharply by local demand. In high-cost metros, waits can exceed 5–10 years and many waitlists are closed. In smaller cities and rural counties, waits of 6 months to 3 years are more typical. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come-first-served. This site does not predict your individual wait time. Contact the PHA directly to confirm the current list status and whether local preferences apply to your household. Our waitlist strategy guide explains how to maximize your odds by applying to multiple PHAs.

Payment standard reference

Payment standards are set per HUD FMR area, not per agency. Across CA's 51 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $1,054–$4,223/month (median $1,505). County of Merced Housing Authority sets its own figure within 90–110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves.

Find your exact number: look up the 2-, 1-, and 3-bedroom payment standards for your metro with the payment-standard lookup tool, then confirm the current figure with the PHA before signing a lease. See our Payment Standards vs. FMR guide.

Nearby PHAs in CA

A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:

Compare PHAs in CA side by side →

Source: HUD PIH Open Data (FY25). Last compiled April 2026. Payment-standard figures: Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2025. If any contact detail has changed, please email corrections@plainvoucher.com. See our methodology for how we compile and cross-reference this data.

⚠ Disclaimer. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or with County of Merced Housing Authority. Data here is compiled from HUD public sources for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for consulting the PHA directly about eligibility, waitlist status, or application procedures.

Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Verify with HUD →