Affordability Levels | Niveles de asequibilidad

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Defining Affordability

Based on Federal and State definitions, affordable housing means only 30% of your household’s monthly income should go to housing related expenses. When it becomes more than that, it affects a person’s ability to buy food and support other essentials like healthcare. This is true for whether you rent or own a home.

When we use the term ‘affordable housing’, we mean housing that is in some way designed for lasting affordability (like City regulatory restrictions) to ensure households are not paying more than 30% of their monthly income on housing related expenses, such as rent and utilities or a mortgage.

Affordability levels have both Federal and State definitions. There are generally four levels defined as “lower income households”. These levels are based on the Area Median Income (AMI), which is the midpoint of a jurisdiction’s income distribution.

Extremely low-income households are households with an annual income of 30% or less of AMI. Extremely low-income households can include seniors or people on fixed income, such as social security or disability, or working households, families or individuals that that earn lower wages.

Very low-income households are households with annual income of 50% or less of the AMI. Very low-income households include a broad range of household types that can include nonprofit employees, teachers, single parents and other working households that earn lower wages.

Low-income households are households with an annual income of 80% or less of the AMI. Low-income households can include working small and large families, retired persons receiving pensions, public employees and often include two household members that are working full time at lower income levels.

Moderate-income are households with an annual income of 120% or less of the AMI. Moderate-income households have incomes that are slightly higher than the median, but still not high enough to afford market rents or home purchase prices.

Income and Rent Limits

Redwood City Income and Rent Limits Schedules

2025 Income and Rent Limits

Utility Allowance Schedule

County of San Mateo Utility Allowance Schedule