Santa Clara County Housing Authority, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Santa Clara County Housing Authority administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, CA, with 12,606 authorized HCV units (HUD Substandard Physical size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · Santa Clara County HA vs nearby CA agencies
- Oakland HA
Oakland Housing Authority
14,426 units
- County of Sacramento HA
County of Sacramento Housing Authority
13,790 units
- This PHA
Santa Clara County Housing Authority (this PHA)
12,606 units
- HA County of San Diego
Housing Authority of the County of San Diego
12,507 units
- HA County of San Bernardino
Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino
11,881 units
- Orange County HA
Orange County Housing Authority
11,686 units
The verdict
Santa Clara County Housing Authority administers 12,606 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 94% of CA agencies.
- 12,606
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 99th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 94th
- percentile in CA
Santa Clara County Housing Authority is a Public Housing Authority in CA administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with 12,606 authorized Section 8 units (Substandard Physical size bracket). Contact this PHA directly to check waitlist status and request an application.
- 94th percentile by unit count in CA
- HUD size bracket: Substandard Physical
Section 8 / HCV units
12,606
Substandard Physical bracket
Total authorized units
4
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
94 th
Among CA PHAs
2-BR standard range · CA
$1,054–$4,223 /mo
Median $1,505/mo · 2-BR
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 Santa Clara County 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.
12,606 Top 1% higher than 99% of 2,129 voucher-running PHAs
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
Santa Clara County Housing Authority: What the HUD Directory Shows
This agency's HUD authorization runs to 12,606 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 4 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted. That count sits inside HUD's national PIH roster of 3,780 Section 8 agencies, CA's share of the total, where Santa Clara County Housing Authority is listed as an active administering entity. HUD's PHAS system places it in the "Substandard Physical" size bracket, which shapes reporting cadence and oversight intensity.
HUD's directory categorizes it under the "Combined" program type, the classification that governs which voucher streams -- regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions -- it is eligible to run. By Section 8 unit count among CA agencies, it lands at the 94th percentile, larger than 94% of its in-state peers. 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); Santa Clara County 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. its main line is 4082758770. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state.
Contact this PHA
- Phone
- 4082758770
- federalprograms@scchousingauthority.org
- Executive Director
- Preston.Prince@scchousingauthority.org · 4089932903
How to apply at Santa Clara County 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 "Santa Clara County 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). Santa Clara County 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
If this PHA's waitlist is closed, applying to additional PHAs in the same region is a recommended strategy. Other PHAs nearby:
- Housing Authority of the County of San Diego · 12,507 units
- Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino · 11,881 units
- Orange County Housing Authority · 11,686 units
- County of Sacramento Housing Authority · 13,790 units
- Oakland Housing Authority · 14,426 units
Related guides
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 Santa Clara County 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.