HUD PIH FY25 directory CA · Section 8 / HCV 4,524 HCV units High Performer bracket 76th percentile in CA

Housing Authority of the County of Kern, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile

Housing Authority of the County of Kern administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, CA, with 4,524 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 · HA vs nearby CA agencies

units
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory As of FY2025

The verdict

Housing Authority of the County of Kern administers 4,524 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 76% of CA agencies.

4,524
authorized Section 8 vouchers
97th
percentile by size, nationally
76th
percentile in CA
4,524 Section 8 units

Housing Authority of the County of Kern is a Public Housing Authority in CA administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with 4,524 authorized Section 8 units (High Performer size bracket). Contact this PHA directly to check waitlist status and request an application.

  • 76th percentile by unit count in CA
  • HUD size bracket: High Performer
Compiled from official public sources by the Plainvoucher team.

Section 8 / HCV units

4,524

High Performer bracket

Total authorized units

231

All programs combined

State-rank percentile

76 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 Housing Authority of the County of Kern authorized units 100.0%
HUD nationwide median

The nationwide HUD median sits at 62%; agencies running a higher HCV share than that tend to lean toward tenant-based vouchers rather than project-based public housing stock.

Where Housing Authority of the County of Kern 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.

4,524 Top 6% higher than 94% 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 Housing Authority of the County of Kern Tells You

Housing Authority of the County of Kern appears in HUD's Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Open Data set, one of 3,780 Public Housing Authorities nationwide running the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program alongside every other agency in CA. This agency's HUD authorization runs to 4,524 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 231 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "High Performer" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.

By Section 8 unit count among CA agencies, it lands at the 76th percentile, larger than 76% of its in-state peers. 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.

Across CA's 51 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,054-$4,223/month (median $1,505); Housing Authority of the County of Kern 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. its main line is 6616318500. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.

Contact this PHA

Phone
6616318500
Fax
6616319500
Email
JMaldonado@kernha.org
Executive Director
spelz@kernha.org · 6616318500
How to apply at Housing Authority of the County of Kern

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 "Housing Authority of the County of Kern 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). Housing Authority of the County of Kern 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 Housing Authority of the County of Kern. 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 →