HUD Proposes Eligibility and Participation Changes to Housing Voucher and Other Assisted Housing Programs
Issue Date: March 04, 2026
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently published two notices of proposed rulemaking that would alter eligibility and participation requirements for federally assisted housing programs.
Work Requirements and Term Limits
On March 1, 2026, HUD published a proposed rule that would authorize public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners of HUD-assisted multifamily properties to voluntarily impose term limits and work requirements on families receiving federal housing assistance. The policies would apply to non-elderly, non-disabled households receiving assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program, Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), or residing in public housing.
The rule would permit PHAs and owners to establish limits of at least two years on the duration of assistance, with flexibility to set different limits across program types to reflect local conditions. PHAs and owners that adopt term limits would be required to offer supportive services—such as referrals to workforce development programs—to help families prepare for the end of their assistance. PHA and owners could also require eligible adults to engage in qualifying work activities for up to 40 hours per week, including employment, job training, and work-related education. The public comment period for this rule closes May 1, 2026.
Mixed Immigration Status Households
HUD also published a proposed rule that would prohibit mixed-status households—families that include both members with and without eligible immigration status—from receiving HUD rental assistance, including HCVs and project-based assistance. Under current policy, mixed-status families are not barred from receiving housing assistance but receive a reduced amount to only cover eligible household members. The proposed rule would eliminate this policy and expand the use of immigration status verification. PHAs and owners of HUD-assisted multifamily properties are solely responsible for verifying household members' status—not private housing providers who accept HCVs. The public comment period closes April 21, 2026.