2026 MOHCD Income and Rent Limit Information
The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) is announcing the publication of the 2026 MOHCD Income and Rent Limit Information, which includes income limits, maximum rents and allowable annual rent increases applicable to affordable multifamily rental housing projects governed by this office, as well as units subject to the Inclusionary Housing Program (BMR units) and the Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program Monitoring and Procedures Manual (Procedures Manual). This information has an effective date of June 1, 2026 and will remain in effect until MOHCD publishes an update in 2027.Ensuring Stability in Affordable Housing
As the City addresses the challenges created by the increasing volatility of the housing market, we are working closely with community developers and property managers to support residents and maintain the integrity of existing affordable housing programs. The priorities of the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development continue to be focused on ensuring that the City’s affordable housing is well maintained and well managed and minimizing the displacement of residents living in affordable housing.
2026 MOHCD AMI Increased by 4%
For 2026, MOHCD Area Median Income (AMI) increased 4% from 2025. For projects whose maximum rents and allowable annual rent increases are limited by AMI, the impact of the increase in AMI is twofold:
- For occupied units that are in compliance with all program rules, owners may increase rents up to the lesser of a) 4%, or b) an amount that would increase the rent for a unit up to the maximum rent for the 2026-2027 AMI Term.
- For vacant units, owners may charge up to the applicable maximum rent for the 2026-2027 AMI Term.
If a project’s tenants pay directly for any housing-related utility expenses, please factor in the current applicable utility allowances when calculating the new net rent to charge the tenant. Owners and managers must comply with rent increase notice requirements. MOHCD’s restrictions typically allow for only one rent increase per year. For units subject to the Procedures Manual, rents can be increased only once per year following the completion of a tenant’s annual recertification.
Charts detailing the Maximum Incomes by Household Size and Maximum Monthly Rent by Unit Type (including allowable rent increases) and providing more specific guidance by program are posted on the MOHCD website.
Background on MOHCD AMI Charts
The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development of the City and County of San Francisco uses the unadjusted Area Median Income published annually by HUD to establish the income limits and maximum rents in a given year. Each year MOHCD publishes a chart of Maximum Incomes by Household Size that show these income limits as percentages of unadjusted AMI for households from 1 to 9 persons. MOHCD also publishes a chart of Maximum Monthly Rent by Unit Type that shows the maximum rents that may be charged, depending on the applicable income limit.
The following sources were used to create the 2026 MOHCD Income & Rent Limit Information:
- Unadjusted Area Median Income limits for the San Francisco HMFA, as published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) effective May 1, 2026
- Utility Allowances published by the San Francisco Housing Authority effective January 1, 2026
- MOHCD AMI Hold Harmless Policy, updated May 3, 2019
Projects Governed by HOME Rent Limits or Rent Stabilization Board
A small number of projects financed by MOHCD have financing or regulatory agreements that set the maximum rents and/or the allowable annual rent increase based on maximum rents published by HUD for the HOME program or based on the allowable annual rent increase published by the San Francisco Rent Stabilization Board.
The chart titled “Maximum Monthly Rent by Unit Type” contains both High HOME and Low HOME rents.
The chart titled “Maximum Monthly Rent by Unit Type” also contains the SF Rent Board’s allowable annual rent increase (1.6%).
Owners and managers of MOHCD-funded or regulated affordable housing projects and BMR units must rent their units in accordance with the affordability restrictions contained in the City contract(s) that govern their projects or the Procedures Manual. They must always consult MOHCD’s web site to determine specific income limits and maximum rents in effect at any given time. The income and rent limits published by MOHCD are the sole source of information for income limits and maximum rents. MOHCD Asset Management staff evaluates compliance with these income and rent limits.
Owners should fully review the requirements of all funders and other regulatory documents for each project to determine the most restrictive covenants that apply to Income and Rents. The impacts may be different for households that are “over-income” and households that are supported by a rent or operating subsidy.