Subsidised housing in Geneva: eligibility test, income scale and application
Subsidised housing in Geneva is rental housing whose rent is controlled by the State. Access depends on an income scale set by the general law on housing (LGL).
The scale is not a fixed grid. The Cantonal Office for Housing and Land Planning (OCLPF) applies it by dividing the annual rent by a statutory effort rate of 19 to 29%. As a rule, you must show 4 years of continuous residence in Geneva over the last 8 years. The application is free and valid for 1 year. An eligibility test calculates the household's determining income.
This article covers the access conditions, the income scale, the calculation of income and the HBM, HLM and HM categories. It presents the application, the organisations involved, the waiting time, the rent, the surcharge and the tenant's obligations.
Who is entitled to subsidised housing in Geneva?
Entitled to subsidised housing in Geneva is a household that is domiciled and taxed in the canton, has in principle lived there for 4 years, has no manifestly excessive wealth, and whose determining income stays below the access scale of the home concerned.
The eligibility test below checks these conditions and calculates the determining income, the maximum number of rooms and the annual rent above which the household falls under the access scale. It does not replace the decision of the housing office.
Your household
Basic conditions
Target home (optional)
Test for HBM and HLM housing. Scales checked on 12 October 2026. Sources: LGL (rsGE I 4 05) art. 30, 31B, 31C ; RGL (rsGE I 4 05.01) art. 5 al. 1 et art. 8 ; LRDU du 19 mai 2005 (rsGE J 4 06) art. 8 al. 2 ; ge.ch, « S'inscrire pour un logement subventionné HLM ou HBM » (page mise à jour le 29.04.2026). The HM category with personalised subsidy is not covered. Indicative estimate: only the cantonal desk decides, on the basis of the tax assessment and the complete file. Cantonal practice sets the access scale at 90% of the entry scale (art. 5 para. 1 RGL); the law allows a range of 75 to 95% (art. 30 para. 4 LGL).
According to the State of Geneva and the LGL (art. 30, 31B and 31C), these are the cantonal conditions for access to an HBM (habitations bon marché, low-cost housing) or HLM (habitations à loyers modérés, moderate-rent housing) home.
- Residence: 4 continuous years in Geneva during the last 8 years, in principle (art. 31B para. 3).
- Tax domicile: in the canton of Geneva.
- Tax liability: income tax in Geneva (art. 31B para. 3).
- Exemption: no tax exemption on earned income.
- Wealth: not manifestly excessive (art. 31B para. 2).
- Income: determining income below the access scale of the home concerned (art. 5 para. 1 of the LGL implementing regulation, RGL).
- Occupancy rate: at most two rooms more than the number of occupants (art. 31C para. 1 let. e).
Income is not assessed on its own: it is set against the rent of the home sought. The City of Geneva's housing stock follows a different residence condition: 2 years of residence during the last 5 years.
How many rooms can you get in subsidised housing?
A household can obtain subsidised housing with at most two rooms more than the number of occupants (LGL art. 31C para. 1 let. e). Two people qualify for a 4-room home, three people for a 5-room home.
The implementing regulation (RGL art. 1) counts the kitchen as a room and measures a half-room as 6 to less than 9 m². The competent department may grant an exception in special cases (RGL art. 7 para. 2). People registered at the leaseholder's address with the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration (OCPM) count as occupants of the home.
What is the difference between HBM, HLM and HM in Geneva?
The difference between HBM, HLM and HM lies in the target group and the duration of State aid, according to the three categories of buildings in article 16 paragraph 1 of the LGL. In the law's numbering, category 3 is repealed.
| Category | Target group | Duration of State control | What is subsidised | Surcharge applicable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HBM (habitations bon marché) | very modest income | permanent control for buildings held by public entities (LGL, art. 1 para. 3) | the rent of the building | yes |
| HLM (habitations à loyers modérés) | modest income | State aid for 20 years, 25 years at the owner's request (LGL, art. 23) | the rent of the building | yes |
| HM (habitations mixtes) | people likely to receive a personalized subsidy | subsidy for 25 years at most | the tenant, through a personalized subsidy | no |
According to the LGL (art. 23B), the personalized subsidy for HM is at most 1 700 francs per room per year for 20 years. It falls by 100 francs per room per year from the 21st to the 25th year, then ends from the 26th year.
Public-interest housing (logements d'utilité publique, LUP) falls under a different law, the law on the construction of public-interest housing (rsGE I 4 06). It is a qualification of rental housing subject to an effort rate and an occupancy rate, not a fourth category.
What is the income scale for subsidised housing?
The income scale for subsidised housing is not a fixed grid: it is calculated by dividing the actual annual rent of the home by a statutory effort rate.
According to the LGL implementing regulation (RGL, art. 8, which applies art. 30 para. 3 LGL), the effort rate depends on the ratio between the number of rooms and the number of occupants.
| Occupancy of the home | Statutory effort rate |
|---|---|
| Less than one room more than the occupants (at most half a room more) | 19% |
| One room more than the occupants | 21% |
| 1.5 to 2 rooms more | 23% |
| More than 2 rooms more (under-occupancy) | 29% |
| Exit scale reached | 29% |
The resulting quotient is the entry scale. The RGL (art. 5 para. 1) and the State of Geneva specify that the access scale, used to allocate the home, equals 90% of the entry scale. The LGL (art. 30 para. 4) sets a range between 75% and 95%. During the tenancy, the exit scale equals the entry scale multiplied by 1.75 (LGL, art. 30 para. 5).
Official example from the State of Geneva: for an annual rent of 15 400 francs, a 4-room home occupied by 3 people falls under the 21% rate. The entry scale is 73 333 francs (15 400 ÷ 0,21); the access scale is 66 000 francs. With 22 500 francs of flat-rate deductions, household income before deductions remains eligible up to 88 500 francs. In the same calculation, the exit scale for this home is 128 333 francs (73 333 × 1,75).
This bar chart plots the three thresholds of the official example: access at 66 000 francs, entry at 73 333 francs and exit at 128 333 francs, with the surcharge during the tenancy between entry and exit and the lease terminable beyond.
The eligibility test applies these calculations.
How is determining income calculated?
Determining income is calculated by adding the income of all occupants of the home, their social benefits and one fifteenth of net wealth, then subtracting flat-rate deductions.
Determining income = household income + social benefits + (net wealth ÷ 15) - flat-rate deductions
For the State of Geneva, the deductions are 10 000 francs for the first person, 7 500 francs for the second and 5 000 francs per person from the third (LGL, art. 31C para. 1 let. a). The basis of the calculation is the law on unified determining income of 19 May 2005 (LRDU, rsGE J 4 06, art. 8 para. 2).
For a family of 3 people, the deductions total 22 500 francs (10 000 + 7 500 + 5 000). By calculation, a household with no wealth earning 88 500 francs has a determining income of 66 000 francs (88 500 - 22 500), which is the access scale.
How do you apply for subsidised housing in Geneva?
To apply for subsidised housing in Geneva, you must submit, free of charge, a form signed by all future occupants, to the Secrétariat des fondations immobilières de droit public (SFIDP, the secretariat of the public-law real estate foundations) or to the property manager of the building concerned.
- Download the application form from fidp.ch or ask the building's property manager for it.
- Have the form signed by all occupants of the future home.
- Attach the supporting documents for each future tenant: proof of identity, current address, salary, social benefits and the documents listed on the form.
- Submit the file to the SFIDP, which receives and follows up applications, for foundation housing and the State's quota; submit it to the property manager for other buildings.
- Renew the application with the renewal form one month before it expires: it is valid for one year from the confirmation letter, then closed.
This six-step diagram summarizes the application, from the signed form with supporting documents to submission to the SFIDP, registration with property managers, one-year validity, renewal one month before expiry and the housing offer.
The owners' property manager chooses 80% of tenants; the State has a priority right of choice over the remaining 20%. An application to the SFIDP does not cover buildings managed by a property manager.
Refusing a housing offer that matches the application or providing false information leads to the file being closed, with no new application possible.
Which organisations manage subsidised housing in Geneva?
Public-law real estate foundations, property managers and, in the City of Geneva, a municipal management agency and foundation manage subsidised housing in Geneva; the State does not rent out housing itself.
- OCLPF (Office cantonal du logement et de la planification foncière, the Cantonal Office for Housing and Land Planning): sets the scales, the surcharge and the termination, and has a priority of choice over 20% of files.
- SFIDP: receives applications and follows them up since 1 January 2018.
- FIDP (fondations immobilières de droit public): five foundations manage more than 7 500 HBM homes and present their housing stock on fidp.ch, under Logements.
- Property managers: manage the other buildings and receive registrations on behalf of the owner.
- City of Geneva: the Gérance immobilière municipale and the Fondation de la Ville de Genève pour le logement social (more than 6 000 homes) have handled a joint application since April 2026.
How long do you have to wait for subsidised housing?
According to the State of Geneva, waiting times for subsidised housing often exceed several months, as demand outstrips supply.
The age of the application is not the only criterion, because housing is allocated first to the people who need it most.
Who has priority for subsidised housing?
The people who most need subsidised housing have priority, according to the State of Geneva's administrative practice PA_DLOC_101.01 « Règles de priorisation » (prioritisation rules).
For its municipal stock, the City of Geneva gives priority to four situations.
- people without housing;
- people to be rehoused after a demolition or a termination;
- people in unsuitable or unfit housing;
- people whose health requires it.
How much does subsidised housing rent cost?
The rent of subsidised housing is the amount set by the State in the approved rent schedule of the building (LGL art. 42), unrelated to the reference mortgage rate.
According to the Cantonal Statistics Office (OCSTAT, « Loyers dans le canton de Genève en 2024 »), the rent per square metre of subsidised housing differs from that of free-market 3 to 6 room homes built since 2014. The gap reaches -47% in HBM, -35% in HLM and -31% in HM.
In HM, the State's personalized subsidy reduces the share of rent paid according to the household's income and composition (LGL art. 23B).
When do you pay a surcharge in subsidised housing?
You pay a surcharge in subsidised housing when the household's LGL determining income exceeds the entry scale of its HBM or HLM home.
For the State of Geneva, the surcharge is the difference between the theoretical rent and the actual rent and is due only if it reaches 50 francs per month. HM homes are not affected. The application period runs from 1 April to 31 March of the following year.
Official example: 3 people occupy a 4-room home with an annual rent of 12 000 francs and an income of 100 000 francs. The determining income is 77 500 francs, the theoretical rent 16 275 francs and the surcharge 356,25 francs per month.
Beyond the exit scale, the effort rate rises to 29% and the lease can be terminated (LGL art. 30 para. 3 let. e and art. 31B; RGL art. 8).
What obligations does a subsidised housing tenant have?
A subsidised housing tenant has four obligations.
- Domicile: the home is the tenant's civil and tax domicile, on pain of termination (LGL art. 31B).
- Single lease: no other lease in the canton, on pain of immediate termination.
- Subletting: any subletting, whole or partial, is prohibited and results in termination of the lease (RGL art. 5 para. 3).
- Information: the tenant immediately reports to the OCLPF any change in income, wealth, household or tax domicile.
Next come the grounds for refusal, personal housing aid, buying and temporary housing.
Why is a subsidised housing application refused?
A subsidised housing application is refused when an access condition is not met, for example when the household cannot show 4 years of residence in Geneva over the last 8 years.
According to the State of Geneva, refusing an offer that matches the application, failing to cooperate, leaving a request for information unanswered or providing false information leads to the file being closed and a ban on submitting a new application.
Subsidised housing or housing allowance: what is the difference?
The difference lies in what the aid targets: HBM or HLM housing helps the building, since the State controls its rent, whereas the allowance helps the person by easing a rent that is too heavy for their income.
According to the LGL (art. 39A), the housing allowance is granted to a tenant whose rent is a manifestly excessive burden given their income and wealth.
Non-subsidised housing qualifies for it after State approval (LGL art. 39B).
Can you buy a subsidised apartment in Geneva?
No, you cannot buy a subsidised apartment in Geneva: HBM, HLM and HM homes under the LGL are intended for rent.
Sale listings at « controlled prices » concern condominium units located in a development zone. Under the general law on development zones (art. 5), the State controls their price for 10 years from the average date of occupancy of the units. Their owner must live in them, except for justified reasons approved by the department.
How can you find housing while waiting for subsidised housing?
To find housing while waiting for subsidised housing, look for a home on the free market without giving up your registration.
The search on the Geneva rental market goes through the listings and property managers of renting property in Geneva. Renew the subsidised housing application in time to keep the registration active. Register in parallel with the property managers of subsidised buildings, which allocate 80% of the homes.