Income Limits Overview
The Income Limits API provides access to the income eligibility limits for affordable housing programs at a property. These limits are derived from the property’s set-aside programs and reflect the maximum annual household income allowed under a given AMI (Area Median Income) percentage tier.
Key Concepts
AMI Percentage
Each income limit is tied to an AMI percentage tier (e.g. 50%, 60%, 80%) and program name (e.g. LIHTC-60%, HOME-50%). This represents the fraction of the Area Median Income for the local metro area that defines the income ceiling for that unit set-aside.
Household Size
Income limits vary by the number of people in the household. Each record represents a single combination of AMI percentage tier and household size (1–12 people), with a corresponding dollar amount.
Effective Date
Limits are updated annually (typically in April) as HUD publishes new AMI data. Use the effectiveDate field to identify which year’s limits apply.
Over-Income Threshold
The overIncomeThresholdPercentage field indicates how far above the income limit a household can be and still qualify under program rules. This varies by program — LIHTC allows up to 140% of the limit, while HOME uses 80%. This is critical for evaluating current residents at the end of a compliance period.