U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD is the federal agency responsible for housing policy, including setting Fair Market Rents, administering Section 8, and overseeing public housing programs nationwide.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a Cabinet-level federal agency established in 1965. HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable communities and quality affordable housing. The department administers a wide range of housing programs, with an annual budget exceeding $60 billion.

In the context of rental assistance and Fair Market Rent, HUD plays several critical roles. It calculates and publishes FMR rates annually for every metropolitan area and non-metro county in the country. It funds and oversees the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program through approximately 2,200 local Public Housing Authorities. And it sets the rules that govern eligibility, payment calculations, and housing quality standards.

HUD also manages public housing directly (approximately 1 million units), administers the FHA mortgage insurance program, enforces fair housing laws, and funds community development through programs like CDBG and HOME. The agency's data — particularly FMR rates, income limits, and area median income figures — forms the foundation of federal housing policy.

For anyone involved in affordable housing — whether as a tenant, landlord, investor, or policy analyst — HUD data is essential. FMR8.com provides easy access to HUD's Fair Market Rent data organized by ZIP code, city, county, and state.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HUD do?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the federal agency that creates housing policy, sets Fair Market Rent rates, administers Section 8 vouchers through local PHAs, manages public housing, enforces fair housing laws, and funds community development programs.

How does HUD set Fair Market Rents?

HUD calculates FMR using Census American Community Survey data, adjusted by Consumer Price Index trends and local telephone surveys. Rates are set at the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in each area and published annually.

Related Terms

• Fair Market Rent (FMR) — Fair Market Rent is the amount HUD determines is needed to rent a moderately-priced unit in a given area. FMR sets the b...
• Section 8 Housing — Section 8 is a federal housing assistance program that provides rental subsidies to low-income families, the elderly, an...
• Public Housing Authority (PHA) — A Public Housing Authority is a local government agency that administers the Section 8 voucher program, manages waiting ...
• Section 8 Income Limits — Income limits define the maximum household income for Section 8 eligibility. HUD publishes limits annually for each area...
• Housing Quality Standards (HQS) — Housing Quality Standards are the minimum health and safety requirements that a rental unit must meet before a PHA will ...