Section 8 Property Management in Oakland

Section 8, officially the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, helps lower-income households rent homes in the private market. In Oakland, the program is run by the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA). OPM manages apartment buildings in Oakland and the East Bay and works with voucher holders and OHA every day. This page explains how the program works for owners and for renters, and what we handle.

For Owners: How Section 8 Works in Oakland

You don’t need to sign up or apply to OHA to rent to a voucher holder. The basic steps, as OHA describes them, are:

1. Screen and select a tenant. OHA does not screen applicants for you. Apply the same written criteria you use for every applicant.
2. Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA). The voucher holder gives you an RTA packet to complete. Signing it doesn’t commit either side to a lease.
3. Inspection. OHA inspects the unit for basic health and safety under HUD’s NSPIRE standards. The unit must pass before OHA can pay any assistance.
4. Rent approval. OHA reviews the proposed rent for “rent reasonableness” — whether it’s in line with comparable unassisted units nearby.
5. HAP contract and lease. OHA and the owner sign a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract, and the owner and tenant sign a lease with the HUD Tenancy Addendum, which takes priority over conflicting lease terms.
6. Ongoing. OHA pays its share each month, and the unit is re-inspected periodically. The household’s share can change when its income changes.

Sources: OHA — Become an Affordable Housing Provider, OHA — HAP Contracting Process, OHA — Move-In Inspections.

What OPM Handles for Section 8 Owners

• Marketing vacancies to voucher holders and answering their questions
• Screening every applicant with the same written rental criteria, including Oakland’s Fair Chance Housing rules
• Completing the RTA packet, lead-based paint disclosures, and other OHA paperwork
• A pre-inspection walk-through and repairs before OHA arrives, and attending the inspection
• Rent reasonableness documentation and the HAP contract and Tenancy Addendum
• Periodic re-inspections, repair follow-up, and owner-requested rent changes with OHA, alongside Oakland RAP requirements
• Tracking OHA payments and the tenant’s portion, and keeping you informed in your monthly statement

OHA also offers owner benefits. For example, it lets owners have a unit inspected before a tenant is selected (a passing inspection is good for 90 days), and after a HAP contract is signed it may pay up to one month’s rent toward the security deposit for an eligible family. Check OHA’s owner page for current programs and terms.

Oakland Voucher Payment Standards

A payment standard is the maximum amount OHA uses to calculate a family’s assistance for a given unit size. It is not a guaranteed rent: the approved rent must also pass rent reasonableness, and a family’s share depends on its income. OHA’s posted standards, effective October 1, 2026:

Source: OHA — Voucher Payment Standards & Utility Allowances. OHA updates these figures periodically, so confirm them before relying on them.

Source-of-Income Protections in California

Since January 1, 2020 (Senate Bill 329), California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act treats Housing Choice Vouchers and other rental assistance as a protected source of income. In practice, that means:

• A landlord can’t refuse to rent, set different terms, or advertise “no Section 8” because an applicant uses a voucher.
• Neutral screening criteria are still allowed if they’re applied the same way to everyone.
• When there’s a rent subsidy, any income requirement must be based on the portion of the rent the tenant will pay — not the full rent.

Learn more from the California Civil Rights Department’s source-of-income FAQ or the CRD housing page. Our Fair Housing page explains our policy.

For Voucher Holders: Renting with a Section 8 Voucher

We welcome applicants with Housing Choice Vouchers at the properties we manage. Here’s what to expect:

1. Check availability. See Available Rentals, or call or text us at (510) 903-5030.
2. Review our criteria. Our Rental Criteria explain how we review applications. We apply the same standards to everyone, and income requirements are based on your share of the rent.
3. Bring your RTA packet. Once you’re approved, we complete the Request for Tenancy Approval with you so OHA can schedule the inspection.
4. Inspection, then lease. After the unit passes and OHA approves the rent, we sign the lease and OHA signs the HAP contract with us.
5. Pets. We’re pet friendly at all of our properties, with no pet rent. Assistance animals are not pets and are always welcome.

Questions about your voucher, your caseworker, or your portion of the rent should go to OHA: (510) 874-1500, 1619 Harrison Street, Oakland, CA 94612, or oakha.org.

Section 8 FAQ