Redding Section 8 Calculator — Shasta County Income Limits & Rent Estimate

Housing Authority Serving Redding

• Agency: Shasta County Housing Authority (SCHA)
• Jurisdiction: Shasta County, CA, including Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake City, and unincorporated areas
• Waiting list status: Opens periodically — check co.shasta.ca.us/index/hhsa/housing
• Application portal: co.shasta.ca.us/index/hhsa/housing
• Main office: 2440 Athens Ave, Redding, CA 96001
• Phone: (530) 225-5335

Redding is the largest city in the North State region of California, serving as a commercial and services hub for Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, and surrounding rural counties. The city sits in the northern Sacramento Valley at the base of the Cascade Range, and while it offers a lower cost of living than the Bay Area or Los Angeles, rents have climbed considerably since 2019. The Shasta County Housing Authority — which operates under the county’s Health and Human Services Agency — administers all Section 8 services for Redding residents.

SCHA’s voucher program is smaller than those of major urban counties but is critically important to Redding’s low-income population, which has grown due to wildfires, economic displacement, and housing shortages in surrounding rural areas. In addition to standard tenant-based vouchers, SCHA coordinates with local nonprofits like Shasta Regional Housing Center and Redding’s Community Action Agency to connect households with broader housing support services.

Income Limits & Fair Market Rent in Shasta County

Shasta County’s Area Median Income is notably lower than coastal California counties, which translates into more accessible income limits for program eligibility. For 2026, the Very Low Income limit (50% AMI) for a family of four is approximately $49,700, and single-person households must earn below roughly $34,850. Extremely Low Income households (30% AMI) — earning no more than $29,800 for a family of four — receive federally mandated priority placement.

Fair Market Rents for Shasta County in 2026 are estimated at approximately $840 for a studio, $1,020 for a 1-bedroom, $1,260 for a 2-bedroom, $1,680 for a 3-bedroom, and $2,010 for a 4-bedroom unit. These figures are far below coastal California benchmarks, reflecting Redding’s more moderate rental market. However, Redding has experienced above-average rent growth in recent years — particularly for single-family rentals and newer apartments — and the FMRs do not always keep pace with asking rents for the most desirable units.

California’s SB 329 prohibits landlords from refusing tenants solely because they hold a Section 8 voucher. This protection applies in Redding as it does across the state, though enforcement in smaller markets like Redding can be more challenging than in large urban areas with dedicated fair housing organizations.

Run your Redding rent estimate →

How to Apply for Section 8 in Redding

1. Check the Shasta County HHSA website at co.shasta.ca.us for current waiting list status and application instructions. SCHA posts announcements and may also list openings through local social service agencies.
2. Prepare your documents: photo ID, Social Security cards for all household members, proof of income (pay stubs, Social Security award letters, CalWORKs documents), bank statements, and any documentation of disabilities or veteran status.
3. Apply online or in person at SCHA’s Redding office during the open enrollment period. SCHA may use a first-come, first-served or lottery approach — confirm the method before the opening date.
4. Keep your information current on the applicant waitlist. Update your address, phone, and household size with SCHA any time changes occur to avoid removal from the list.
5. Look into Shasta Regional Housing Center and other local nonprofits for rapid rehousing, emergency assistance, and supportive services while waiting for a voucher.
6. Attend your eligibility screening and briefing when called by SCHA. After approval, you’ll receive a voucher with a search period to find a qualifying unit that passes HQS inspection.

Waiting List Tips for Redding

• Redding area 211 (dial 2-1-1 or visit shastacounty211.org) connects you with emergency rental assistance, utility help, and housing support services while you wait.
• Shasta Regional Housing Center (shrc.org) provides housing counseling, landlord mediation, and rental assistance programs in Shasta County that may bridge the wait for a voucher.
• Community Action Agency of Butte County and Shasta-Trinity Rural Legal Aid can provide legal guidance if you experience housing discrimination or a landlord illegally refuses your voucher.
• Wildfire displacement preference. If you were displaced from housing by a wildfire or disaster, ask SCHA about any emergency preferences or expedited processing available to disaster-affected households.
• Rural housing options. While Redding is the most urbanized part of Shasta County, Anderson, Shasta Lake City, and parts of unincorporated Shasta County also have rental housing within SCHA’s jurisdiction and sometimes lower asking rents.