24 C.F.R. § 81.18
Affordability—Income level definitions—family size not known (actual or prospective tenants).
Cite as 24 C.F.R. § 81.18 (2026)
In determining whether a rental unit is affordable to very-low, low-, or moderate-income families where family size is not known to the GSE, income will be adjusted using unit size, and affordability determined as follows:
(a)
For moderate-income,
the income of prospective tenants shall not exceed the following percentages of area median income with adjustments, depending on unit size:
Unit size
Percentage of area median income
Efficiency
70
1 bedroom
75
2 bedrooms
90
3 bedrooms or more
(*)
*104% plus (12% multiplied by the number of bedrooms in excess of 3).
(b)
For low-income,
income of prospective tenants shall not exceed the following percentages of area median income with adjustments, depending on unit size:
Unit size
Percentage of area median income
Efficiency
56
1 bedroom
60
2 bedrooms
72
3 bedrooms or more
(*)
*83.2% plus (9.6% multiplied by the number of bedrooms in excess of 3).
(c)
For very-low-income,
income of prospective tenants shall not exceed the following percentages of area median income with adjustments, depending on unit size:
Unit size
Percentage of area median income
Efficiency
42
1 bedroom
45
2 bedrooms
54
3 bedrooms or more
(*)
*62.4% plus (7.2% multiplied by the number of bedrooms in excess of 3).
(d)
For especially-low-income,
income of prospective tenants shall not exceed the following percentages of area median income with adjustments, depending on unit size:
Unit size
Percentage of area median income
Efficiency
35
1 bedroom
37.5
2 bedrooms
45
3 bedrooms or more
(*)
* 52% plus (6.0% multiplied by the number of bedrooms in excess of 3).
[60 FR 61888, Dec. 1, 1995, as amended at 65 FR 65089, Oct. 31, 2000]