Affordable Housing Resources

Apply for affordable housing in Berkeley and the region.

The City of Berkeley partners with non-profit and for-profit developers to create affordable housing units. Apply to available units through the Doorway Bay Area Affordable Housing Portal or other resources, listed below.

Find affordable housing opportunities

Sign up for email alerts from the City of Berkeley and Doorway Bay Area Affordable Housing Portal to get notified of affordable housing opportunities in Berkeley and the region.

Berkeley affordable housing newsletter

Browse open listings on the county’s websites: 

While most opportunities get posted to the County’s websites, you may want to contact individual housing providers as well. Find available opportunities and sign up to receive notifications from local non-profit housing providers: 

Some privately owned buildings in Berkeley have units set aside for low-income households, with rents set at an affordable, below-market rate. Contact the Below Market Rate housing providers to find out about availability. 

You can typically use Section 8 vouchers at most affordable housing rental buildings. Sign up for the City's Affordable Housing newsletter to get notified of new affordable housing opportunities.

Check eligibility and apply

Check each property's listing to see if you meet the income requirements.

Affordable housing properties use Area Median Income (AMI) to set maximum incomes to qualify. The Area Median Income is the middle of all incomes in the region. Maximum incomes depend on household size. For example:

Maximum incomes for the 0-30% AMI category are $33,600 for a single person, $47,950 for a family of four
Maximum incomes for the 30-50% AMI category are $55,950 for a single person, $79,900 for a family of four
Maximum incomes for the 50-80% AMI category are $87,550 for a single person, $125,050 for a family of four

See the full income limits chart to understand what kind of unit you may qualify for based on household size and income.

Some properties reserve units for specific populations, such as seniors, families, foster youth, or people with disabilities.  

Submit your application before the deadline. The application process varies by property, but generally, you will need to provide: 

Your name, date of birth, and contact information 
Information about others in your household 
Your estimated pre-tax income

The next steps and timeline after applying will vary depending on the type of property you applied to:

Initial lease-up of a new building: If selected for a unit, you will need to provide proof of income and other information to determine your eligibility. If not selected, you may be placed on a waitlist for future vacancies.
Reopening a waitlist of an existing affordable property: You will be placed on a waitlist for future vacancies. When units become available, you may be contacted to provide proof of income and other information.

Most new affordable housing in Berkeley gives priority to people who have lost or are at risk of losing housing in the city. Learn more about these affordable housing preferences. 

Emergency housing and homeless resources 

Call 211 or visit the 211 Alameda County website for housing, healthcare, disaster relief, and more. The 211 Alameda County service is a free resource for Alameda County residents and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn about Housing Resource Centers to access homeless services in Berkeley. 