Needles City Council
April 14, 2026

HACN Policy
If a student only receives financial assistance under Title IV of the HEA and does not receive any other student financial assistance, the PHA will exclude the full amount of the assistance received under Title IV from the family’s annual income. The PHA will not calculate actual covered costs in this case.

If the student does not receive any assistance under Title IV of the HEA but does receive assistance from another source, the PHA will first calculate the actual covered costs to the student in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609(b)(ii). The PHA will then subtract the total amount of the student’s financial assistance from the student’s actual covered costs. The PHA will include any amount of financial assistance in excess of the student’s actual covered costs in the family’s annual income.

Example 1
• Actual covered costs: $20,000
• Other student financial assistance: $25,000
• Excluded income: $20,000 ($25,000 in financial assistance - $20,000 in actual covered costs)
• Included income: $5,000
When a student receives assistance from both Title IV of the HEA and from other sources, the PHA will first calculate the actual covered costs to the student in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609(b)(ii). The assistance received under Title IV of the HEA will be applied to the student’s actual covered costs first and then the other student financial assistance will be applied to any remaining actual covered costs.

If the amount of assistance excluded under Title IV of the HEA equals or exceeds the actual covered costs, none of the assistance included under other student financial assistance” would be excluded from income.

Example 2
• Actual covered costs: $25,000
• Title IV HEA assistance: $26,000
• Title IV HEA assistance covers the students entire actual covered costs.
• Other Student Financial Assistance: $5,000
• Excluded income: The entire Title IV HEA assistance of $26,000 • Included income: All other financial assistance of $5,000 Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

If the amount of assistance excluded under Title IV of the HEA is less than the actual covered costs, the PHA will exclude the amount of other student financial assistance up to the amount of the remaining actual covered costs.

Example 3
• Actual covered costs: $22,000
• Title IV HEA assistance: $15,000
• The remaining amount not covered by Title IV HEA assistance is $7,000 ($22,000 in actual covered costs - $15,000 in Title IV HEA assistance).
• Other Student Financial Assistance: $5,000
• $7,000 in remaining actual covered costs - $5,000 in other financial assistance
• Excluded income: $15,000 entire amount of the Title IV HEA Assistance + $5,000 in other financial assistance
• Included income: $0
Example 4
• Actual covered costs: $18,000
• Title IV HEA Assistance: $15,000
• The remaining amount not covered by Title IV HEA assistance is $3,000 ($18,000 in actual covered costs - $15,000 in Title IV HEA Assistance)
• Other student Financial Assistance: $5,000
• When other student financial assistance is applied, financial assistance exceeds actual covered costs by $2,000 ($3,000 in actual covered costs - $5,000 in other financial assistance).
• Included income: $2,000 (the amount by which the financial aid exceeds the student's actual covered costs).

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-I.H. PERIODIC PAYMENTS [Notice PIH 2023-27]
Periodic payments are forms of income received on a regular basis.

Income that will not be repeated beyond the coming year (i.e., the 12 months following the effective date of the certification), based on information provided by the family, is considered nonrecurring income and is excluded from annual income. Income that has a discrete end date and will not be repeated beyond the coming year is excluded from a family’s annual income because it is nonrecurring income. For example, a family receives income from a guaranteed income program in their city that has a discrete beginning and end date. While the guaranteed income will be repeated in the coming year, it will end before the family’s next annual reexamination. This income is fully excluded from annual income.

However, this does not include unemployment income and other types of periodic payments that are received at regular intervals (such as weekly, monthly, or yearly). Unemployment income and other types of periodic payments are not considered nonrecurring income, unless explicitly excluded from income under 25 CFR 5.609(b), and thus they are included in annual income Insurance payments and settlements for personal or property losses, including but not limited to payments under health insurance, motor vehicle insurance, and workers’ compensation, are excluded from annual income. Any workers’ compensation is always excluded from annual income, regardless of the frequency or length of the payments.

Lump-Sum Payments for the Delayed Start of a Periodic Payment [24 CFR 5.609(b)(16)] Deferred periodic amounts from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts, or any deferred Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts are excluded from annual income.

The PHA will include in annual income lump sums received as a result of delays in processing periodic payments (other than those specifically excluded by the regulation), such as unemployment or welfare assistance.

When a delayed-start payment is received that is to be included and the family and reports this during the period in which the PHA is processing an annual reexamination, the PHA will adjust the family’s rent retroactively for the period the payment was intended to cover.

If the delayed-start payment is received outside of the time the PHA is processing an annual reexamination, then the PHA will consider whether the amount meets the threshold to conduct an interim reexamination. If so, the PHA will conduct an interim in accordance with PHA policies in Chapter 9. If not, the PHA will consider the amount when processing the family’s next annual recertification.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Retirement Accounts [24 CFR 5.609(b)(26); Notice PIH 2023-27] Income received from any account under a retirement plan recognized as such by the IRS, including individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), employer retirement plans, and retirement plans for self-employed individuals is not considered actual income from assets.

However, any distribution of periodic payments from such accounts is included in annual income at the time they are received by the family.

An asset moved to a retirement account held by a member of the family is not considered to be an asset disposed of for less than fair market value.

Social Security Benefits [Notice PIH 2023-27]
The PHA is required to use the gross benefit amount to calculate annual income from Social Security benefits.

Annually in October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announces the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) by which federal Social Security and SSI benefits are adjusted to reflect the increase, if any, in the cost of living. The federal COLA does not apply to state-paid disability benefits. Effective the day after the SSA has announced the COLA, PHAs are required to factor in the COLA when determining Social Security and SSI annual income for all annual reexaminations and interim reexaminations of family income that have not yet been completed and will be effective January 1 or later of the upcoming year [Notice PIH 2023-27]. When a family member’s benefits are garnished, levied, or withheld to pay restitution, child support, tax debt, student loan debt, or other debts, the PHA must use the gross amount of the income, prior to the reduction, to determine a family’s annual income. When a family member’s benefits are garnished, levied, or withheld to pay restitution, child support, tax debt, student loan debt, or other debts, the PHA must use the gross amount of the income, prior to the reduction, to determine a family’s annual income.

HACN Policy
Annual income includes “all amounts received,” not the amount that a family may be legally entitled to receive but which they do not receive. When the SSA overpays an individual, resulting in a withholding or deduction from their benefit amount until the overpayment is paid in full, the PHA must use the reduced benefit amount after deducting only the amount of the overpayment withholding from the gross benefit amount.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Alimony and Child Support
Annual income includes “all amounts received,” not the amount that a family may be legally entitled to receive but which they do not receive. For example, a family’s child-support or alimony income must be based on payments received, not the amounts to which the family is entitled by court or agency orders [Notice PIH 2023-27].

HACN Policy
The PHA will count all regular payments of alimony or child support awarded as part of a divorce or separation agreement unless the family certifies and the PHA verifies that the payments are not being made.

In order to verify that payments are not being made, the PHA will review child support payments over the last three months. If no payments have been made in the past three months and there are no lump sums, the PHA will not include alimony or child support in annual income.

If payments are being made regularly, the PHA will use the amount received during the last 12 months (excluding any lump sums received). If payments have been made for a period less than 12 months, the PHA will average all payments that have been made.

At new admission or interim recertification, if any lump sum payments were made in the past 12 months, the PHA will determine the likelihood of the family receiving another similar payment within the next 12 months before deciding whether or not this amount will be included in the calculation of annual income.

If the PHA determines and can appropriately verify that the family in all likelihood will not receive a similar payment, then the amount will not be considered when projecting annual income.

If the PHA determines that it is likely that the family will receive a similar payment and can appropriately verify it, the amount will be included when projecting annual income.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-I.I. NONRECURRING INCOME [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24) and Notice PIH 2023-27] Nonrecurring income, which is income that will not be repeated beyond the coming year (e.g., 12 months following the effective date of the certification) based on information provided by the family, is excluded from annual income. The PHA may accept a self-certification from the family stating that the income will not be repeated in the coming year. See Chapter 7 for PHA policies related to verification of nonrecurring income.

Income received as an independent contractor, day laborer, or seasonal worker is not excluded from income as nonrecurring income, even if the source, date, or amount of the income varies.

Income that has a discrete end date and will not be repeated beyond the coming year during the family’s upcoming annual reexamination period will be excluded from a family’s annual income as nonrecurring income. This exclusion does not include unemployment income and other types of periodic payments that are received at regular intervals (such as weekly, monthly, or yearly).

Income amounts excluded under this category may include, but are not limited to:
• Nonrecurring payments made to the family or to a third party on behalf of the family to assist with utilities;
• Payments for eviction prevention;
• Security deposits to secure housing;
• Payments for participation in research studies (depending on the duration); and • General one-time payments received by or on behalf of the family.

Nonrecurring income that is excluded under the regulations includes:
• Payments from the U.S. Census Bureau for employment (relating to decennial census or the American Community Survey) lasting no longer than 180 days and not culminating in permanent employment [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24)(i)].
• Direct federal or state payments intended for economic stimulus or recovery [24 CFR

5.609(b)(24)(ii)].
• Amounts directly received by the family as a result of state refundable tax credits or state or federal tax refunds at the time they are received [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24)(iii) and (iv)]. • Gifts for holidays, birthdays, or other significant life events or milestones (e.g., wedding gifts, baby showers, anniversaries) [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24)(v)]. • Non-monetary, in-kind donations, such as food, clothing, or toiletries, received from a food bank or similar organization [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24)(vi)]. When calculating annual income, PHAs are prohibited from assigning monetary value to non-monetary in-kind donations received by the family [Notice PIH 2023-27]. Non-recurring, non-monetary inkind donations from friends and family are excluded as non-recurring income. However, the value of regular in-kind donations (such as the value of groceries) received by friends and family are included.
• Lump-sum additions to net family assets, including but not limited to lottery or other contest winnings [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24)(vii)].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-I.J. WELFARE ASSISTANCE
Overview
Welfare assistance is counted in annual income. Welfare assistance includes Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and any payments to individuals or families based on need that are made under programs funded separately or jointly by federal, state, or local governments.

Sanctions Resulting in the Reduction of Welfare Benefits [24 CFR 5.615] The PHA must make a special calculation of annual income when the welfare agency imposes certain sanctions on certain families. The full text of the regulation at 24 CFR 5.615 is provided as Exhibit 6-3. The requirements are summarized below. This rule applies only if a family was receiving assistance at the time the sanction was imposed.

Covered Families
The families covered by 24 CFR 5.615 are those “who receive welfare assistance or other public assistance benefits (‘welfare benefits’) from a State or other public agency (’welfare agency’) under a program for which Federal, State or local law requires that a member of the family must participate in an economic self-sufficiency program as a condition for such assistance” [24 CFR

5.615(b)]
Imputed Income
When a welfare agency imposes a sanction that reduces a family’s welfare income because the family commits fraud or fails to comply with the agency’s economic self-sufficiency program or work activities requirement, the PHA must include in annual income “imputed” welfare income.

The PHA must request that the welfare agency provide the reason for the reduction of benefits and the amount of the reduction of benefits. The imputed welfare income is the amount that the benefits were reduced as a result of the sanction.

This requirement does not apply to reductions in welfare benefits: (1) at the expiration of the lifetime or other time limit on the payment of welfare benefits, (2) if a family member is unable to find employment even though the family member has complied with the welfare agency economic self-sufficiency or work activities requirements, or (3) because a family member has not complied with other welfare agency requirements [24 CFR 5.615(b)(2)].

Offsets
The amount of the imputed welfare income is offset by the amount of additional income the family begins to receive after the sanction is imposed. When the additional income equals or exceeds the imputed welfare income, the imputed income is reduced to zero [24 CFR

5.615(c)(4)].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-I.K. STATE PAYMENTS TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO LIVE AT HOME [24 CFR 5.609(b)(19)]
Payments made by or authorized by a state Medicaid agency (including through a managed care entity) or other state or federal agency to an assisted family to enable a member of the assisted family who has a disability to reside in the family’s assisted unit are excluded.

Authorized payments may include payments to a member of the assisted family through state Medicaid-managed care systems, other state agencies, federal agencies or other authorized entities.

The payments must be received for caregiving services a family member provides to enable another member of the assisted family who has a disability to reside in the family’s assisted unit.

Payments to a family member for caregiving services for someone who is not a member of the assisted family (such as for a relative that resides elsewhere) are not excluded from income.

Furthermore, if the agency is making payments for caregiving services to the family member for an assisted family member and for a person outside of the assisted family, only the payments attributable to the caregiving services for the caregiver’s assisted family member would be excluded from income.
6-I.L. CIVIL RIGHTS SETTLEMENTS [24 CFR 5.609(b)(25); FR Notice 2/14/23] Regardless of how the settlement or judgment is structured, civil rights settlements or judgments, including settlements or judgments for back pay, are excluded from annual income. This may include amounts received because of litigation or other actions, such as conciliation agreements, voluntary compliance agreements, consent orders, other forms of settlement agreements, or administrative or judicial orders under the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), the Americans with Disabilities Act, or any other civil rights or fair housing statute or requirement.

While these civil rights settlement or judgment amounts are excluded from income, the settlement or judgment amounts will generally be counted toward the family’s net family assets (e.g., if the funds are deposited into the family’s savings account or a revocable trust under the control of the family or some other asset that is not excluded from the definition of net family assets). Income generated on the settlement or judgment amount after it has become a net family asset is not excluded from income. For example, if the family received a settlement or back pay and deposited the money in an interest-bearing savings account, the interest from that account would be income at the time the interest is received.

Furthermore, if a civil rights settlement or judgment increases the family’s net family assets such that they exceed the HUD-published threshold amount, then income will be imputed on the net family assets pursuant to 24 CFR 5.609(a)(2). If the imputed income, which HUD considers unearned income, increases the family’s annual adjusted income by 10 percent or more, then an interim reexamination of income will be required unless the addition to the family’s net family assets occurs within the last three months of the family’s income certification period and the PHA or owner chooses not to conduct the examination.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-I.M. ADDITIONAL EXCLUSIONS FROM ANNUAL INCOME [24 CFR 5.609(b)]; FR Notice 1/31/2024]
Other exclusions contained in 24 CFR 5.609(b) and FR Notice 1/31/2024 that have not been discussed earlier in this chapter include the following:
• Payments received for the care of foster children or foster adults or state or tribal kinship or guardianship care payments [24 CFR 5.609(b)(4)].
• Insurance payments and settlements for personal or property losses, including but not limited to payments through health insurance, motor vehicle insurance, and workers’ compensation [24 CFR 5.609(b)(5)]. However, periodic payments paid at regular intervals (such as weekly, monthly, or yearly) for a period of greater than one year that are received in lieu of wages are included in annual income [Notice PIH 2023-27].
• Amounts received by the family that are specifically for, or in reimbursement of, the cost of health and medical care expenses for any family member [24 CFR 5.609(b)(6)]. • Any amounts recovered in any civil action or settlement based on a claim of malpractice, negligence, or other breach of duty owed to a family member arising out of law, that resulted in a member of the family becoming disabled [24 CFR 5.609(b)(7)]. • Income and distributions from any Coverdell education savings account under Section 530 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any qualified tuition program under Section 529 of such Code [24 CFR 5.609(b)(10)].
• Income earned by government contributions to, and distributions from, “baby bond” accounts created, authorized, or funded by federal, state, or local government [24 CFR 5.609(b)(10)]. • The special pay to a family member serving in the Armed Forces who is exposed to hostile fire [24 CFR 5.609(b)(11)].
• Payments related to aid and attendance under 38 U.S.C. 1521 to veterans in need of regular aid and attendance [24 CFR 5.609(b)(17)]. This income exclusion applies only to veterans in need of regular aid and attendance and not to other beneficiaries of the payments, such as a surviving spouse [Notice PIH 2023-27].
• Loan proceeds (the net amount disbursed by a lender to or on behalf of a borrower, under the terms of a loan agreement) received by the family or a third party (e.g., proceeds received by the family from a private loan to enable attendance at an educational institution or to finance the purchase of a car) [24 CFR 5.609(b)(20)]. The loan borrower or co-borrower must be a member of the family for this income exclusion to be applicable [Notice PIH 2023-27].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

• Payments received by tribal members as a result of claims relating to the mismanagement of assets held in trust by the United States, to the extent such payments are also excluded from gross income under the Internal Revenue Code or other federal law [24 CFR 5.609(b)(21)].

Generally, payments received by tribal members in excess of the first $2,000 of per capita shares are included in a family’s annual income for purposes of determining eligibility.

However, as explained in Notice PIH 2023-27, payments made under the Cobell Settlement, and certain per capita payments under the recent Tribal Trust Settlements, must be excluded from annual income.
• Replacement housing “gap” payments made in accordance with 49 CFR Part 24 that offset increased out of pocket costs of displaced persons that move from one federally subsidized housing unit to another federally subsidized housing unit. Such replacement housing “gap” payments are not excluded from annual income if the increased cost of rent and utilities is subsequently reduced or eliminated, and the displaced person retains or continues to receive the replacement housing “gap” payments [24 CFR 5.609(b)(23)]. • Income earned on amounts placed in a family’s Family Self-Sufficiency account [24 CFR 5.609(b)(27)].
• Amounts received by participants in other publicly assisted programs which are specifically for or in reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred e.g., special equipment, clothing, transportation, child care, etc.) and which are made solely to allow participation in a specific program [24 CFR 5.609(c)(12)(ii)].
• Amounts received by a person with a disability that are disregarded for a limited time for purposes of Supplemental Security Income eligibility and benefits because they are set aside for use under a Plan to Attain Self-Sufficiency (PASS) [(24 CFR 5.609(b)(12)(i)]. • Amounts received under a resident service stipend not to exceed $200 per month. A resident service stipend is a modest amount received by a resident for performing a service for the PHA or owner, on a part-time basis, that enhances the quality of life in the development [24 CFR 5.600(b)(12)(iii)].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

• Incremental earnings and benefits to any family member resulting from participation in qualifying training program funded by HUD or in qualifying federal, state, tribal, or local employment training programs (including training programs not affiliated with a local government) and training of a family member as resident management staff are excluded from annual income. Amounts excluded by this provision must be received under employment training programs with clearly defined goals and objectives and are excluded only for the period during which the family member participates in the training program unless those amounts are excluded under 24 CFR 5.609(b)(9)(i) [24 CFR 5.609(b)(12)(iv)].

HACN Policy
The PHA defines training program as “a learning process with goals and objectives, generally having a variety of components, and taking place in a series of sessions over a period of time. It is designed to lead to a higher level of proficiency, and it enhances the individual’s ability to obtain employment. It may have performance standards to measure proficiency. Training may include but is not limited to: (1) classroom training in a specific occupational skill, (2) on-the-job training with wages subsidized by the program, or (3) basic education” [expired Notice PIH 98-2, p. 3].

The PHA defines incremental earnings and benefits as the difference between (1) the total amount of welfare assistance and earnings of a family member prior to enrollment in a training program and (2) the total amount of welfare assistance and earnings of the family member after enrollment in the program [expired Notice PIH 98-2, pp. 3-4].

In calculating the incremental difference, the PHA will use as the pre-enrollment income the total annualized amount of the family member’s welfare assistance and earnings reported on the family’s most recently completed HUD-50058.

End of participation in a training program must be reported in accordance with the PHA’s interim reporting requirements (see Chapter 11).
• Reparation payments paid by a foreign government pursuant to claims filed under the laws of that government by persons who were persecuted during the Nazi era [24 CFR 5.609(b)(13)]. • Adoption assistance payments for a child in excess of the amount of the dependent deduction per adopted child [24 CFR 5.609(b)(15)].
• Refunds or rebates on property taxes paid on the dwelling unit [24 CFR 5.609(b)(20)].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

• Amounts that HUD is required by federal statute to exclude from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility or benefits under a category of assistance programs that includes assistance under any program to which the exclusions set forth in 24 CFR 5.609(b) apply. HUD will publish a notice in the Federal Register to identify the benefits that qualify for this exclusion. Updates will be published when necessary [24 CFR 5.609(b)(22)].

HUD publishes an updated list of these exclusions periodically. The most recent list of exclusions was published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2024. It includes:
(a) The value of the allotment provided to an eligible household under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2017 (b)) This exclusion also applies to assets. (b) Benefits under Section 1780 of the Richard B. Russell School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act of 1966, including WIC and reduced-price lunches (c) Payments including for supportive services and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, to volunteers under the Domestic Volunteer Services Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5044(g), 5058) The exclusion also applies to assets.

Except, the exclusion does not apply when the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service determines that the value of all such payments, adjusted to reflect the number of hours such volunteers are serving, is equivalent to or greater than the minimum wage then in effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) or the minimum wage, under the laws of the State where such volunteers are serving, whichever is the greater (42 U.S.C. 5044(f)(1)).
(d) Certain payments received under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1626(c))
(e) Income derived from certain submarginal land of the United States that is held in trust for certain Indian tribes (25 U.S.C. 55064)
(f) Payments or allowances made under the Department of Health and Human Services’ Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (42 U.S.C. 8624(f)) (g) Allowances, earnings, and payments to individuals participating in programs under the t Workforce Investment Act of 1998 which was reauthorized as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (29 U.S.C. 3241(a)(2)).
(h) Deferred disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, whether received as a lump sum or in monthly prospective amounts
(i) Income derived from the disposition of funds to the Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians (Pub. L. 94-540, 90 Section 6)
(j) Payments, funds, or distributions authorized, established, or directed by the Seneca Nation Settlement Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 1774f(b))
(k) A lump sum or periodic payment received by an individual Indian pursuant to the Class Action Settlement Agreement in the United States District Court case entitled Elouise Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Cobell et al. v. Ken Salazar et al., for a period of one year from the time of receipt of that payment as provided in the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (l) The first $2,000 of per capita shares received from judgment funds awarded by the Indian Claims Commission or the U. S. Claims Court, the interests of individual Indians in trust or restricted lands, including the first $2,000 per year of income received by individual Indians from funds derived from interests held in such trust or restricted lands (25 U.S.C. 1407-1408). This exclusion does not include proceeds of gaming operations regulated by the Commission (25 U.S.C. 1407–1408).
(m) Payments received from programs funded under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056(f))
(n) Payments received on or after January 1, 1989, from the Agent Orange Settlement Fund or any other fund established pursuant to the settlement in In Re Agent Orange product liability litigation, M.D.L. No. 381 (E.D.N.Y.) This exclusion also applies to assets. (o) Payments received under 38 U.S.C. 1833(c) to children of Vietnam veterans born with spinal bifida, children of women Vietnam veterans born with certain birth defects, and children of certain Korean and Thailand service veterans born with spinal bifida (42 U.S.C. 12637(d)).
(p) Payments received under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 (25 U.S.C. 1721). This exclusion also applies to assets.
(q) The value of any child care provided or arranged (or any amount received as payment for such care or reimbursement for costs incurred for such care) under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858q) (r) Earned income tax credit (EITC) refund payments received on or after January 1, 1991 (26 U.S.C. 32(j)). This exclusion also applies to assets. (s) Payments by the Indian Claims Commission to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakima Indian Nation or the Apache Tribe of Mescalero Reservation (Pub. L. 95-433).

This exclusion also applies to assets.
(t) Amounts of student financial assistance funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965j, including awards under federal work-study programs or under the Bureau of Indian Affairs student assistance programs (20 U.S.C. 1087uu).

For Section 8 programs only, any financial assistance in excess of amounts received by an individual for tuition and any other required fees and charges under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), from private sources, or an institution of higher education (as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), shall be considered income if the individual is over the age of 23 with dependent children (Pub. L. 109–115, section 327 (as amended)).,
(u) Allowances, earnings and payments to AmeriCorps participants under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12637(d))
(v) Any amount of crime victim compensation that provides medical or other assistance (or payment or reimbursement of the cost of such assistance) under the Victims of Crime Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Act of 1984 received through a crime victim assistance program, unless the total amount of assistance that the applicant receives from all such programs is sufficient to fully compensate the applicant for losses suffered as a result of the crime (34 U.S.C. 20102(c)).
(w) Any amounts in an "individual development account" are excluded from assets and any assistance, benefit, or amounts earned by or provided to the individual development account are excluded from income, as provided by the Assets for Independence Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 604(h)(4)).
(x) Major disaster and emergency assistance received under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and comparable disaster assistance provided by states, local governments, and disaster assistance organizations. This exclusion also applies to assets.
(y) Distributions from an ABLE account, distributions from and certain contributions to an ABLE account established under the ABLE Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113–295.), as described in Notice PIH 2019–09 or subsequent or superseding notice is excluded from income and assets
(z) The amount of any refund (or advance payment with respect to a refundable credit) issued under the Internal Revenue Code is excluded from income and assets for a period of 12 months from receipt (26 U.S.C. 6409).
(aa) Assistance received by a household under the Emergency Rental Assistance Program pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116–260, section 501(j)), and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
(ab) Per capita payments made from the proceeds of Indian Tribal Trust Settlements listed in IRS Notice 2013-1 and 2013-55 must be excluded from annual income unless the per capita payments exceed the amount of the original Tribal Trust Settlement proceeds and are made from a Tribe’s private bank account in which the Tribe has deposited the settlement proceeds. Such amounts received in excess of the Tribal Trust Settlement are included in the gross income of the members of the Tribe receiving the per capita payments as described in IRS Notice 2013-1. The first $2,000 of per capita payments are also excluded from assets unless the per capita payments exceed the amount of the original Tribal Trust Settlement proceeds and are made from a Tribe’s private bank account in which the Tribe has deposited the settlement proceeds (25 U.S.C. 117b(a), 25 U.S.C. 1407).
(ac) Any amounts (i) not actually received by the family, (ii) that would be eligible for exclusion under 42 U.S.C. 1382b(a)(7), and (iii) received for service-connected disability under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 11 or dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 13 (25 U.S.C. 4103(9)(C)) as provided by an amendment by the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–269 section 2) to the definition of income applicable to programs under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.).

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART II: ASSETS
6-II.A. OVERVIEW
Annual income includes all actual anticipated income from assets (unless otherwise excluded by the regulations) even if the asset itself is excluded from net family assets [Notice PIH 2023-27].

The regulation at 24 CFR 5.603(b)(3) provides a list of items that are excluded from the calculation of net family assets. Note, unlike previous versions of the regulations, the current regulations do not list types of assets that are included in annual income. Instead, HUD relies on the definition of items excluded from assets to provide the scope of what is included. Exhibit 6-2 provides the regulatory definition of net family assets.

Optional policies for family self-certification of assets are found in Chapter 7. Policies related to the asset limitation may be found in Chapter 3.

Income from assets is always anticipated, irrespective of the income examination type.

HACN Policy
The PHA generally will use current circumstances to determine both the value of an asset and the anticipated income from the asset. The PHA will use other than current circumstances to anticipate income when (1) an imminent change in circumstances is expected, (2) it is not feasible to anticipate a level of income over 12 months, or (3) the PHA believes that past income is the best indicator of anticipated income. For example, if a family member owns real property that typically receives rental income, but the property is currently vacant, the PHA can take into consideration past rental income along with the prospects of obtaining a new tenant.

Any time current circumstances are not used to determine asset income, a clear rationale for the decision will be documented in the file. In such cases, the family may present information and documentation to the PHA to show why the asset income determination does not represent the family’s anticipated asset income.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-II.B. ASSETS DISPOSED OF FOR LESS THAN FAIR MARKET VALUE [24 CFR 5.603(b)(2)]
PHAs must include the value of any business or family assets disposed of by an applicant or participant for less than fair market value (including a disposition in trust, but not in a foreclosure or bankruptcy sale) during the two years preceding the date of application or reexamination, as applicable, in excess of the consideration received for the asset.

An asset moved to a retirement account held by a member of the family is not considered to be an asset disposed of for less than fair market value. [Notice PIH 2023-27].

The family must certify whether any assets have been disposed of for less than fair market value in the preceding two years.

Minimum Threshold
HUD does not specify a minimum threshold for counting assets disposed of for less than fair market value. A PHA may establish a policy to ignore small amounts such as charitable contributions [New PH OCC GB, Income Determinations, p. 24].

HACN Policy
The PHA will not include the value of assets disposed of for less than fair market value unless the cumulative fair market value of all assets disposed of during the past two years exceeds the gross amount received for the assets by more than $5,000.

Separation or Divorce
The regulation also specifies that assets are not considered disposed of for less than fair market value if they are disposed of as part of a separation or divorce settlement and the applicant or tenant receives important consideration not measurable in dollar terms.

HACN Policy
All assets disposed of as part of a separation or divorce settlement will be considered assets for which important consideration not measurable in monetary terms has been received. In order to qualify for this exemption, a family member must be subject to a formal separation or divorce settlement agreement established through arbitration, mediation, or court order.

Foreclosure or Bankruptcy
Assets are not considered disposed of for less than fair market value when the disposition is the result of a foreclosure or bankruptcy sale. Negative equity in real property or other investments does not prohibit the owner from selling the property or other investments, so negative equity alone would not justify excluding the property or other investments from family assets.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Family Declaration
HACN Policy
Families must sign a declaration form at initial certification and each annual recertification identifying all assets that have been disposed of for less than fair market value or declaring that no assets have been disposed of for less than fair market value.

The PHA may verify the value of the assets disposed of if other information available to the PHA does not appear to agree with the information reported by the family.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-II.C. ASSET INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Necessary and Non-Necessary Personal Property [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(i)] All assets are categorized as either real property (e.g., land, a home) or personal property.

Personal property includes tangible items, like boats, as well as intangible items, like bank accounts.

The value of necessary items of personal property is excluded from the calculation of net family assets. Necessary items of personal property include a car used for commuting or medical devices.

HUD defines necessary personal property as items essential to the family for the maintenance, use, and occupancy of the premises as a home; or they are necessary for employment, education, or health and wellness. Necessary personal property includes more than merely items that are indispensable to the bare existence of the family. It may include personal effects (such as items that are ordinarily worn or utilized by the individual), items that are convenient or useful to a reasonable existence, and items that support and facilitate daily life within the family’s home.

Necessary personal property also includes items that assist a household member with a disability, including any items related to disability-related needs, or that may be required for a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability. Necessary personal property does not include bank accounts, other financial investments, or luxury items. Items of personal property that do not qualify as necessary personal property are classified as non-necessary personal property.

The combined value of all non-necessary items of personal property is only included in annual income when the combined total value exceeds the HUD-published threshold amount (adjusted annually and published in HUD’s current year Inflation-Adjusted Values tables). When the combined value of all non-necessary personal property does not exceed the HUD-published threshold amount, all non-necessary personal property is excluded from net family assets.

While not an exhaustive list, the following table from Notice PIH 2023-27 provides examples of necessary and non-necessary personal property.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Car(s)/vehicle(s) that a family relies on for
transportation for personal or business use
(e.g., bike, motorcycle, skateboard, scooter)
Furniture, carpets, linens, kitchenware
Common appliances
Common electronics (e.g., radio, television,
DVD player, gaming system)
Clothing
Personal effects that are not luxury items (e.g.,
toys, books)
Wedding and engagement rings
Jewelry used in religious/cultural celebrations
and ceremonies
Religious and cultural items
Medical equipment and supplies
Health care–related supplies
Musical instruments used by the family
Personal computers, phones, tablets, and
related equipment
Professional tools of trade of the family, for
example professional books
Educational materials and equipment used by
the family, including equipment to
accommodate persons with disabilities
Equipment used for exercising (e.g., treadmill,
stationary bike, kayak, paddleboard, ski
equipment)
Recreational car/vehicle not needed for day-today transportation for personal or business use (campers, motorhomes, traveling trailers, allterrain vehicles (ATVs)) Bank accounts or other financial investments
(e.g., checking account, savings account,
stocks/bonds)
Recreational boat/watercraft
Expensive jewelry without religious or cultural
value, or which does not hold family
significance
Collectibles (e.g., coins/stamps)
Equipment/machinery that is not used to
generate income for a business
Items such as gems/precious metals, antique
cars, artwork, etc.

HACN Policy
In determining the value of non-necessary, non-financial personal property, the PHA will use the family’s estimate of the value. The PHA may obtain an appraisal if there is reason to believe that the family’s estimated value is off by $5000 or more. The family must cooperate with the appraiser but cannot be charged any costs related to the appraisal.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Checking and Savings Accounts [Notice PIH 2023-27]
HUD considers bank accounts as non-necessary items of personal property. Whether or not non-necessary personal property is counted toward net family assets depends on the combined value of all of the family’s assets.
• When the combined value of net family assets is greater than the HUD-published threshold amount, which is adjusted annually and listed in HUD’s current year Inflation Adjusted Values tables ($50,000 for 2024, and $51,600 for 2025), checking and/or savings accounts would be counted toward net family assets.
• When the combined value of all non-necessary personal property does not exceed the HUDpublished threshold amount, all non-necessary personal property is excluded from net family assets. In this case, the value of the family’s checking and/or savings accounts would not be considered when calculating net family assets.

However, actual income from checking and savings accounts is always included in a family’s annual income, regardless of the total value of net family assets or whether the asset itself is included or excluded from net family assets, unless that income is specifically excluded.

ABLE Accounts [24 CFR 5.609(b)(10); Notice PIH 2019-09] An Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account is a type of tax-advantaged savings account that an eligible individual can use to pay for qualified disability expenses. Section 103 of the ABLE Act mandates that an individual’s ABLE account (specifically, its account balance, contributions to the account, and distributions from the account) is excluded when determining the designated beneficiary’s eligibility and continued occupancy under certain federal meanstested programs. The PHA must exclude the entire value of the individual’s ABLE account from the household’s assets. Distributions from the ABLE account are also not considered income.

However, all wage income received, regardless of which account the money is paid to, is included as income.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Investment Accounts Such as Stocks, Bonds, Saving Certificates, and Money Market Funds [24 CFR 5.603(b)(1)]
HUD considers financial investments such as stocks and bonds non-necessary items of personal property. Whether non-necessary personal property is counted toward net family assets depends on the combined value of all of the family’s assets.
• When the combined value of net family assets is greater than the HUD-published threshold amount, which is adjusted annually and listed in HUD’s Inflation Adjusted Values tables, financial investments such as stocks and bonds are considered part of net family assets. In this case, the value of the family’s financial investments such as stocks and bonds would be counted toward net family assets.
• When the combined value of all non-necessary personal property does not exceed the HUDpublished threshold amount, all non-necessary personal property is excluded from net family assets. In this case, the value of the family’s financial investments such as stocks and bonds would not be considered when calculating net family assets.

However, actual income from financial accounts is always included in a family’s annual income, regardless of the total value of net family assets or whether the asset itself is included or excluded from net family assets, unless that income is specifically excluded. When a stock issues dividends in some years but not others (e.g., due to market performance), the dividend is counted as the actual return when it is issued, but when no dividend is issued, the actual return is $0.

When the stock never issues dividends, the actual return is $0.

HACN Policy
The PHA will include interest or dividends earned by investment accounts as actual income from assets even when the earnings are reinvested.

The cash value of such an asset is determined by deducting from the market value any broker fees, penalties for early withdrawal, or other costs of converting the asset to cash.

In determining the market value of an investment account, the PHA will use the value of the account on the most recent investment report.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Necessary Personal Property Non-Necessary Personal Property Car(s)/vehicle(s) that a family relies on for
transportation for personal or business use
(e.g., bike, motorcycle, skateboard, scooter)
Furniture, carpets, linens, kitchenware
Common appliances
Common electronics (e.g., radio, television,
DVD player, gaming system)
Clothing
Personal effects that are not luxury items (e.g.,
toys, books)
Wedding and engagement rings
Jewelry used in religious/cultural celebrations
and ceremonies
Religious and cultural items
Medical equipment and supplies
Health care–related supplies
Musical instruments used by the family
Personal computers, phones, tablets, and
related equipment
Professional tools of trade of the family, for
example professional books
Educational materials and equipment used by
the family, including equipment to
accommodate persons with disabilities
Equipment used for exercising (e.g., treadmill,
stationary bike, kayak, paddleboard, ski
equipment)
Recreational car/vehicle not needed for day-today transportation for personal or business use (campers, motorhomes, traveling trailers, allterrain vehicles (ATVs)) Bank accounts or other financial investments
(e.g., checking account, savings account,
stocks/bonds)
Recreational boat/watercraft
Expensive jewelry without religious or cultural
value, or which does not hold family
significance
Collectibles (e.g., coins/stamps)
Equipment/machinery that is not used to
generate income for a business
Items such as gems/precious metals, antique
cars, artwork, etc.

HACN Policy
In determining the value of non-necessary personal property, the PHA will use the family’s estimate of the value. The PHA may obtain an appraisal if there is reason to believe that the family’s estimated value is off by $50 or more. The family must cooperate with the appraiser but cannot be charged any costs related to the appraisal.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Lump-Sum Additions to Net Family Assets [24 CFR 5.609(b)(24(viii); Notice PIH 2023-27] The regulations exclude income from lump-sum additions to family assets, including lottery or other contest winnings as a type of nonrecurring income.

In addition, lump sums from insurance payments, settlements for personal or property losses, and recoveries from civil actions or settlements based on claims of malpractice, negligence, or other breach of duty owed to a family member arising out of law that resulted in a member of the family becoming a family member with a disability are excluded from income.

Further, deferred periodic amounts from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts, or any deferred Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits that are received in a lump sum amount or in prospective monthly amounts are also excluded from income.

However, these amounts may count toward net family assets. The PHA must consider any actual or imputed returns from assets as income at the next applicable income examination. In the case where the lump sum addition to assets would lead to imputed income, which is unearned income, that increases the family’s annual adjusted income by 10 percent or more, then the addition of the lump sum to the family’s assets will trigger an immediate interim reexamination of income in accordance with Chapter 9. This reexamination of income must take place as soon as the lump sum is added to the family’s net family assets unless the addition takes place in the last three months of family’s income certification period and the PHA chooses not to conduct the examination.

For a discussion of lump-sum payments that represent the delayed start of a periodic payment, most of which are counted as income, see sections 6-I.H and 6-I.I.

HACN Policy
Any lump-sum receipts are only counted as assets if they are retained by a family in a form recognizable as an asset. [RHIIP FAQs]. For example, if the family receives a $1,000 lump sum for lottery winnings, and the family immediately spends the entire amount, the lump sum will not be counted toward net family assets.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Jointly Owned Assets [Notice PIH 2023-27]
For assets owned jointly by the family and one or more individuals outside of the assisted family, the PHA must include the total value of the asset in the calculation of net family assets, unless:
• The asset is otherwise excluded;
• The family can demonstrate that the asset is inaccessible to them; or • The family cannot dispose of any portion of the asset without the consent of another owner who refuses to comply.

If the family demonstrates that they can only access a portion of an asset, then only that portion’s value is included in the calculation of net family assets for the family.

Any income from a jointly owned asset must be included in annual income, unless:
• The income is specifically excluded;
• The family demonstrates that they do not have access to the income from that asset; or • The family only has access to a portion of the income from that asset.

If the family demonstrates that they can only access a portion of the income from an asset, then only that portion’s value is included in the calculation of income from assets.

If an individual is a beneficiary who is entitled to access the account’s funds only upon the death of the account’s owner, and may not otherwise withdraw funds from an account, then the account is not an asset to the assisted family, and the family should provide proper documentation demonstrating that they are only a beneficiary on the account.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Trusts [24 CFR 5.609(b)(2) and 5.603(b)(4)]
A trust is a legal arrangement generally regulated by state law in which one party (the creator or grantor) transfers property to a second party (the trustee) who holds the property for the benefit of one or more third parties (the beneficiaries).

The following types of trust distributions are excluded from annual income:

The basis for determining how to treat trusts relies on information about who has access to either the principal in the account or the income from the account. There are two types of trusts, revocable and irrevocable.

When the creator sets up an irrevocable trust, the creator has no access to the funds in the account. Typically, special needs trusts are considered irrevocable. Irrevocable trusts not under the control of any member of the family are excluded from net family assets The value of the trust continues to be excluded in net family assets, so long as the fund continues to be held in a trust that is not revocable by, or under the control of, any member of the family or household [24 CFR 5.603(b)(4)]. Further, where an irrevocable trust is excluded from net family assets, the PHA must not consider actual income earned by the trust (e.g., interest earned, rental income if property is held in the trust) for so long as the income from the trust is not distributed A revocable trust is a trust that the creator of the trust may amend or end (revoke). When there is a revocable trust, the creator has access to the funds in the trust account.

The value of revocable trusts that are not under the control of the family are excluded from net family assets. This happens when a member of the assisted family is the beneficiary of a revocable trust, but the grantor is not a member of the assisted family. In this case the beneficiary does not “own” the revocable trust, and the value of the trust is excluded from net family assets.

For the revocable trust to be considered excluded from net family assets, no family or household member may be the account’s trustee. If this is the case, then distributions from the trust are treated as follows:
• A revocable trust that is under the control of the family is included in net family assets when the grantor is a member of the assisted family. If a revocable trust is included in the calculation of net family assets, then the actual income earned by the revocable trust is also included in the family’s income. For example, interest earned or rental income if the property is held in the trust. The PHA must calculate imputed income on the revocable trust if net family assets are more than the HUD-published threshold amount, which is adjusted annually and listed in HUD’s Inflation Adjusted Values tables ($50,000 for 2024, and $51,600 for 2025), and actual income from the trust cannot be calculated (e.g., if the trust is comprised of farmland that is not in use).
• A revocable trusts that is not under the control of the family is excluded from net family assets. This happens when a member of the assisted family is the beneficiary of a revocable trust, but the grantor is not a member of the assisted family. In this case the beneficiary does not “own” the revocable trust, and the value of the trust is excluded from net family assets.

For the revocable trust to be considered excluded from net family assets, no family or household member may be the account’s trustee.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

For both irrevocable and revocable trusts, if the value of the trust is not considered part of net family assets, then distributions from the trust are treated as follows:
• All distributions from the trust’s principal are excluded from income. • Distributions of income earned by the trust (i.e., interest, dividends, realized gains, or other earnings on the trust’s principal), are included as income unless the distribution is used to pay for the health and medical expenses for a minor.

Life Insurance [FR Notice 2/14/23 and Notice PIH 2023-27] Net family assets do not include the value of term life insurance, which has no cash value to the individual before death.

The cash value of a life insurance policy available to a family member before death, such as a whole life or universal life policy, is included in the calculation of the value of the family’s assets. The cash value is the surrender value. While the cash value of an insurance policy is considered an asset, the face value of any policy is not. If such a policy earns dividends or interest that the family could elect to receive, the amount of dividends or interest is counted as income from the asset whether or not the family actually receives it.

Tax Refunds [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(xi) and Notice PIH 2023-27] All amounts received by a family in the form of federal tax refunds or refundable tax credits are excluded from a family’s net family assets for a period of 12 months after receipt by the family.

At the time of an annual or interim reexamination of income, if the federal tax refund was received during the 12 months preceding the effective date of the reexamination, then the amount of the refund that was received by the family is subtracted from the total value of net family assets. When the subtraction results in a negative number, then net family assets are considered $0.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Asset Exclusions [24 CFR 5.603(b)]
The following are excluded from the calculations of net family assets:
• The value of any account under a retirement plan recognized as such by the IRS, including individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), employer retirement plans, and retirement plans for self-employed individuals [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(iii)]. • The value of real property that the family does not have the effective legal authority to sell in the jurisdiction in which the property is located [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(iv)]. - Real property as used in this part has the same meaning as that provided under the law of the state in which the property is located [24 CFR 5.100]. - Examples of this include but are not limited to co-ownership situations (including situations where one owner is a victim of domestic violence), where one party cannot unilaterally sell the real property; property that is tied up in litigation; and inherited property in dispute [Notice PIH 2023-27].
• Any amounts recovered in any civil action or settlement based on a claim of malpractice, negligence, or other breach of duty owed to a family member arising out of law, that resulted in a family member being a person with a disability [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(v)]; • The value of any Coverdell education savings account under section 530 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(vi)];
• The value of any qualified tuition program under Section 529 of such Code [24 CFR

5.603(b)(3)(vi)];
• The value of any “baby bond” account created, authorized, or funded by federal, state, or local government [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(vi)];
• Interests in Indian trust land [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(vii)]; • Equity in a manufactured home where the family receives assistance under 24 CFR part 982 [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(viii)];
• Equity in property under the Homeownership Option for which a family receives assistance under 24 CFR part 982 [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(ix)];
• Family Self-Sufficiency accounts [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(x)]; • Federal tax refunds or refundable tax credits for a period of 12 months after receipt by the family [24 CFR 5.603(b)(3)(xi)].
• The full amount of assets held in an irrevocable trust [Notice PIH 2023-27]; and • The full amount of assets held in a revocable trust where a member of the family is the beneficiary, but the grantor/owner and trustee of the trust is not a member of the participant family or household [Notice PIH 2023-27].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-II.D. DETERMINING INCOME FROM ASSETS
In some cases, amounts that are excluded from net family assets may be included as annual income when disbursements are made to a family from an asset. In other cases, amounts are excluded from annual income as a lump-sum addition to net family assets, but those funds are then considered a net family asset if held in an account or other investment that is considered part of net family assets [Notice PIH 2023-27].

Net Family Assets
Net family assets are defined as the net cash value of all assets owned by the family, after deducting reasonable costs that would be incurred in disposing real property, savings, stocks, bonds, and other forms of capital investment.

HACN Policy
Reasonable costs that would be incurred when disposing of an asset include, but are not limited to, penalties for premature withdrawal, broker and legal fees, and settlement costs incurred in real estate transactions such as settlement costs and transfer taxes [New PH OCC GB, Income Determinations, p. 24].

The calculation of asset income sometimes requires the PHA to make a distinction between an asset’s market value and its cash value.
• The market value of an asset is its worth in the market (e.g., the amount a buyer would pay for real estate or the total value of an investment account). • The cash value of an asset is its market value less all reasonable amounts that would be incurred when converting the asset to cash.

The cash value of real property or other assets with negative equity would be considered $0 for the purposes of calculating net family assets. Negative equity in real property or other investments does not prohibit the family from selling the property or other investments, so negative equity alone would not justify excluding the property or other investments from family assets [Notice PIH 2023-27].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Actual Income from Assets
Income from assets must be included on the Form HUD-50058 regardless of the amount of income. Actual income from assets is always included in a family’s annual income, regardless of the total value of net family assets or whether the asset itself is included or excluded from net family assets, unless that income is specifically excluded by 24 CFR 5.609(b).

Income or returns from assets are generally considered to be interest, dividend payments, and other actual income earned on the asset, and not the increase in market value of the asset. The increase in market value is relevant to the cash value of the asset for the purpose of determining total net family assets and imputing income.

The PHA may determine the net assets of a family based on a self-certification by the family that the net family assets do not exceed the HUD-published threshold amount, which is adjusted annually and listed in HUD’s Inflation Adjusted Values tables without taking additional steps to verify the accuracy of the declaration [24 CFR 5.618(b)]. Policies related to verification of assets are found in Chapter 7 of this policy.

The PHA may not calculate or include any imputed income from assets when net family assets are less than or equal to the HUD-published threshold [24 CFR 5.609(b)(1)]. The actual income from assets must be included on the Form HUD-50058.

Imputed Income from Assets
When net family assets exceed the HUD-published threshold amount, which is adjusted annually and listed in HUD’s Inflation Adjusted Values tables, the PHA may not rely on self-certification.

If actual returns can be calculated, the PHA must include actual income from the asset on the Form HUD-50058 (for example, a savings account or CD where the rate of return is known). If actual returns cannot be calculated, the PHA must calculate imputed returns using the HUDdetermined passbook rate (for example, real property or a non-necessary item of personal property such as a recreational boat). Imputed income is calculated by multiplying the net cash value of the asset (found by deducting reasonable costs that would be incurred in disposing of the asset from the market value) by the HUD-published passbook rate If the PHA can compute actual income from some but not all assets, the PHA must compute actual returns where possible and use the HUD-determined passbook rate for assets where actual income cannot be calculated [24 CFR 5.609(a)(2)].

An asset with an actual return of $0 (such as a non-interest-bearing checking account), is not the same as an asset for which an actual return cannot be computed (such as non-necessary personal property). If the asset is a financial asset and there is no income generated (for example, a bank account with a zero percent interest rate or a stock that does not issue cash dividends), then the asset generates zero actual asset income, and imputed income is not calculated. When a stock issues dividends in some years but not others (e.g., due to market performance), the dividend is counted as the actual return when it is issued, and when no dividend is issued, the actual return is $0. When the stock never issues dividends, the actual return is consistently $0.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART III: ADJUSTED INCOME
6-III.A. INTRODUCTION
Overview
HUD regulations require PHAs to deduct from annual income any of five mandatory deductions for which a family qualifies and allow the PHA to deduct other permissive deductions in accordance with PHA policy. The resulting amount is the family’s adjusted income. Mandatory deductions are found in 24 CFR 5.611.

5.611 Adjusted income means annual income (as determined under § 5.609) of the members of the family residing or intending to reside in the dwelling unit, after making the following deductions:
(a) Mandatory deductions
(1) $480 for each dependent (adjusted annually by HUD, rounded to the next lowest multiple of $25);
(2) $525 for any elderly family or disabled family (adjusted annually by HUD, rounded to the next lowest multiple of $25);
(3) The sum of the following, to the extent the sum exceeds ten percent of annual income:
(i) Unreimbursed health and medical care expenses of any elderly family or disabled family; (ii) Unreimbursed reasonable attendant care and auxiliary apparatus expenses for each member of the family who is a person with disabilities, to the extent necessary to enable any member of the family (including the member who is a person with disabilities) to be employed; and (4) Any reasonable child care expenses necessary to enable a member of the family to be employed or to further his or her education.

This part covers policies related to these mandatory deductions. Verification requirements related to these deductions are found in Chapter 7.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Anticipating Expenses
HACN Policy
Generally, the PHA will use current circumstances to anticipate expenses. When possible, for costs that are expected to fluctuate during the year (e.g., child care during school and non-school periods and cyclical medical expenses), the PHA will estimate costs based on historic data and known future costs.

If a family has an accumulated debt for medical or disability assistance expenses, the PHA will include as an eligible expense the portion of the debt that the family expects to pay during the period for which the income determination is being made. However, amounts previously deducted will not be allowed even if the amounts were not paid as expected in a preceding period. The PHA may require t he family to provide documentation of payments made in the preceding year.

When calculating health and medical care expenses, the PHA will include those expenses anticipated to be incurred during the 12 months following the certification date which are not covered by an outside source, such as insurance.

The allowance is not intended to give a family an allowance equal to last year’s expenses, but to anticipate regular ongoing and anticipated expenses during the coming year. Since these expenses are anticipated, the PH Occupancy Guidebook states “it is likely that actual expenses will not match what was anticipated.

Typically, this would not be considered an underpayment as long as at the time of the annual reexamination, the expenses were calculated based on the appropriate verification” [New PH OCC GB, Income Determinations, p. 30]. For annual reexaminations, the PHA will use information for the previous 12-month period. 6-III.B. DEPENDENT DEDUCTION
An allowance of $480 is deducted from annual income for each dependent (which amount will be adjusted by HUD annually in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, rounded to the next lowest multiple of $25) [24 CFR 5.611(a)(1)].

Dependent is defined as any family member other than the head, spouse, or cohead who is under the age of 18 or who is 18 or older and is a person with disabilities or a full-time student. Foster children, foster adults, and live-in aides are never considered dependents [24 CFR 5.603(b)]. 6-III.C. ELDERLY OR DISABLED FAMILY DEDUCTION
A single deduction of $525 is taken for any elderly or disabled family (which amount will be adjusted by HUD annually in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, rounded to the next lowest multiple of $25) [24 CFR 5.611(a)(2)].

An elderly family is a family whose head, spouse, cohead, or sole member is 62 years of age or older, and a disabled family is a family whose head, spouse, cohead, or sole member is a person with disabilities [24 CFR 5.403].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-III.D. HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE EXPENSES DEDUCTION
[24 CFR 5.611(a)(3)(i)]
Unreimbursed health and medical care expenses may be deducted to the extent that, in combination with any disability assistance expenses, they exceed ten percent of annual income.

This deduction is permitted only for families in which the head, spouse, or cohead is at least 62 or is a person with disabilities. If a family is eligible for a health and medical care expense deduction, the unreimbursed health and medical care expenses of all family members are included. The PHA calculates health and medical care expenses based on the family’s past expenses, but accounting for any anticipated changes in expenses during the certification period.

Definition of Medical Expenses
HUD regulations define health and medical care expenses at 24 CFR 5.603(b) to mean “any costs incurred in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or payments for treatments affecting any structure or function of the body. Health and medical care expenses include medical insurance premiums and long-term care premiums that are paid or anticipated during the period for which annual income is computed.” Health and medical care expenses may be deducted from annual income only if they are eligible under definition and not otherwise reimbursed..

Although HUD revised the definition of health and medical care expenses to reflect the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) general definition of medical expenses, HUD is not permitting PHAs to specifically align their policies to IRS Publication 502. PHAs must review each expense to determine whether it is eligible in accordance with HUD’s definition. While PHA policies may not specifically align with IRS Publication 502, HUD recommends PHAs use it as a standard for determining allowable expenses, and the PHA may list examples of allowable expenses in their policy provided they comply with HUD’s definition at 24 CFR 5.603. The PHA may not define health and medical care expenses more narrowly than the regulation.

PHA Policy
The PHA will use the most current IRS Publication 502 as a standard for determining if expenses claimed by eligible families qualify as health and medical care expenses. However, under no circumstances will the PHA deduct any expenses listed in IRS Publication 502 that do not conform with HUD’s definition of health and medical care expenses.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

• Summary of Typical Allowable Health and Medical Care Expenses • Services of medical professionals
• Surgery and medical procedures that
are necessary, legal, and noncosmetic
• Services of medical facilities
• Hospitalization, long-term care, and
in-home nursing services
• Prescription medicines and insulin,
but not nonprescription medicines
even if recommended by a doctor
• Improvements to housing directly
related to medical needs (e.g., ramps
for a wheelchair, handrails)
• Medical insurance premiums or the
cost of a health maintenance
organization (HMO)
• Medicare Part B and Part D
premiums
• Substance abuse treatment programs
• Psychiatric treatment
• Ambulance services and some costs
of transportation related to medical
expenses. The PHA will use the
most current medical mileage rate
listed in IRS Publication 502.
• The cost and care of necessary
equipment related to a medical
condition (e.g., eyeglasses/lenses,
hearing aids, crutches, and artificial
teeth)
• The costs of buying, training, and
maintaining a guide dog or other
service animal to assist a visually
impaired or hearing disabled person,
or a person with other physical
disabilities. In general, this includes
any costs, such as food, grooming,
and veterinary care, incurred in
maintaining the health and vitality of
the service animal so that it may
perform its duties.
• Note: This chart provides a summary of eligible health and medical care expenses only. In all cases, the PHA will consider whether health and medical expenses care expenses claimed by the family are eligible under HUD’s definition.

Families That Qualify for Both Health and Medical and Disability Assistance Expenses HACN Policy
This policy applies only to families in which the head, spouse, or cohead is 62 or older or is a person with disabilities.

When expenses anticipated by a family could be defined as either a health and medical care or disability assistance expenses, the PHA will consider them health and medical care expenses unless it is clear that the expenses are incurred exclusively to enable a person with disabilities to work.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-III.E. DISABILITY ASSISTANCE EXPENSES DEDUCTION [24 CFR 5.603(b) and 24 CFR 5.611(a)(3)(ii)]
Unreimbursed reasonable expenses for attendant care and auxiliary apparatus for each member of the family who is a person with disabilities may be deducted if they: (1) are necessary to enable a family member 18 years or older to work, (2) are not paid to a family member or reimbursed by an outside source, (3) in combination with any medical expenses, exceed ten percent of annual income, and (4) do not exceed the earned income received by the family member who is enabled to work.

Earned Income Limit on the Disability Assistance Expense Deduction A family can qualify for the disability assistance expense deduction only if at least one family member (who may be the person with disabilities) is enabled to work [24 CFR 5.603(b)].

The disability expense deduction is capped by the amount of “earned income received by family members who are 18 years of age or older and who are able to work” because of the expense [24 CFR 5.611(a)(3)(ii)]. The earned income used for this purpose is the amount verified before any earned income disallowances or income exclusions are applied.

HACN Policy
The family must identify the family members enabled to work as a result of the disability assistance expenses. In evaluating the family’s request, the PHA will consider factors such as how the work schedule of the relevant family members relates to the hours of care provided, the time required for transportation, the relationship of the family members to the person with disabilities, and any special needs of the person with disabilities that might determine which family members are enabled to work.

When the PHA determines that the disability assistance expenses enable more than one family member to work, the expenses will be capped by the sum of the family members’ incomes. [New PH OCC GB, Income Determination, p. 28].

Eligible Auxiliary Apparatus [Notice PIH 2023-27]
Auxiliary apparatus items may include expenses for wheelchairs, ramps, adaptations to vehicles, guide dogs, assistance animals, or special equipment to enable a person who is blind or has low vision to read or type, or special equipment to assist a person who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Eligible Attendant Care [Notice PIH 2023-27]
Examples of attendant care expenses can include teaching a person with disabilities how to perform day-to-day tasks independently like cleaning, bathing, doing laundry, and cooking.

Attendant care can be 24-hour care, or care during sporadic periods throughout the day. The family determines the type of attendant care that is appropriate for the person with disabilities.

HACN Policy
Attendant care expenses will be included for the period that the person enabled to work is employed plus reasonable transportation time. The cost of general housekeeping and personal services is not an eligible attendant care expense. However, if the person enabled to work is the person with disabilities, personal services necessary to enable the person with disabilities to work are eligible.

If the care attendant also provides other services to the family, the PHA will prorate the cost and allow only that portion of the expenses attributable to attendant care that enables a family member to work. For example, if the care provider also cares for a child who is not the person with disabilities, the cost of care must be prorated. Unless otherwise specified by the care provider, the calculation will be based upon the number of hours spent in each activity and/or the number of persons under care.

Payments to Family Members
No disability assistance expenses may be deducted for payments to a member of an assisted family [24 CFR 5.603(b)]. However, expenses paid to a relative who is not a member of the assisted family may be deducted if they are not reimbursed by an outside source.

Necessary and Reasonable Expenses
The family determines the type of care or auxiliary apparatus to be provided and must describe how the expenses enable a family member to work. The family must certify that the disability assistance expenses are necessary and are not paid or reimbursed by any other source.

HACN Policy
The PHA determines the reasonableness of the expenses based on typical costs of care or apparatus in the locality. To establish typical costs, the PHA will collect information from organizations that provide services and support to persons with disabilities. A family may present, and the PHA will consider, the family’s justification for costs that exceed typical costs in the area.

Families That Qualify for Both Health and Medical and Disability Assistance Expenses HACN Policy
This policy applies only to families in which the head or spouse is 62 or older or is a person with disabilities.

When expenses anticipated by a family could be defined as either health and medical care or disability assistance expenses, the PHA will consider them health and medical care expenses unless it is clear that the expenses are incurred exclusively to enable a person with disabilities to work.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-III.F. CHILD CARE EXPENSE DEDUCTION
HUD defines childcare expenses at 24 CFR 5.603(b) as “amounts anticipated to be paid by the family for the care of children under 13 years of age (age 12 and younger) (including foster children) during the period for which annual income is computed, but only where such care is necessary to enable a family member to actively seek employment, be gainfully employed, or to further his or her education and only to the extent such amounts are not reimbursed. The amount deducted shall reflect reasonable charges for child care. In the case of child care necessary to permit employment, the amount deducted shall not exceed the amount of employment income that is included in annual income.”
Clarifying the Meaning of Child for This Deduction
Child care expenses do not include child support payments made to another on behalf of a minor who is not living in an assisted family’s household [VG, p. 26]. However, child care expenses for foster children that are living in the assisted family’s household are included when determining the family’s child care expenses [HCV GB, p. 5-29].

Qualifying for the Deduction
Determining Who Is Enabled to Pursue an Eligible Activity HACN Policy
The family must identify the family member(s) enabled to pursue an eligible activity. The term eligible activity in this section means any of the activities that may make the family eligible for a child care deduction (seeking work, pursuing an education, or being gainfully employed).

In evaluating the family’s request, the PHA will consider factors such as how the schedule for the claimed activity relates to the hours of care provided, the time required for transportation, the relationship of the family member(s) to the child, and any special needs of the child that might help determine which family member is enabled to pursue an eligible activity.

Seeking Work
HACN Policy
If the child care expense being claimed is to enable a family member to seek employment, the family must provide evidence of the family member’s efforts to obtain employment at each reexamination. The deduction may be reduced or denied if the family member’s job search efforts are not commensurate with the child care expense being allowed by the PHA.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Furthering Education
HACN Policy
If the childcare expense being claimed is to enable a family member to further their education, the member must be enrolled in school (academic or vocational) or participating in a formal training program. The family member is not required to be a full-time student, but the time spent in educational activities must be commensurate with the childcare claimed.

Being Gainfully Employed
HACN Policy
If the childcare expense being claimed is to enable a family member to be gainfully employed, the family must provide evidence of the family member’s employment during the time that childcare is being provided. Gainful employment is any legal work activity (full- or part-time) for which a family member is compensated.

Earned Income Limit on Childcare Expense Deduction
When a family member looks for work or furthers their education, there is no cap on the amount that may be deducted for childcare – although the care must still be necessary and reasonable.

However, when childcare enables a family member to work, the deduction is capped by “the amount of employment income that is included in annual income” [24 CFR 5.603(b)].

The earned income used for this purpose is the amount of earned income verified after any earned income disallowances or income exclusions are applied.

The PHA must not limit the deduction to the least expensive type of childcare. If the care allows the family to pursue more than one eligible activity, including work, the cap is calculated in proportion to the amount of time spent working [HCV GB, p. 5-30].

HACN Policy
When the childcare expense being claimed is to enable a family member to work, only one family member’s income will be considered for a given period of time. When more than one family member works during a given period, the PHA generally will limit allowable childcare expenses to the earned income of the lowest-paid member. The family may provide information that supports a request to designate another family member as the person enabled to work.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Eligible Childcare Expenses
The type of care to be provided is determined by the assisted family. The PHA may not refuse to give a family the childcare expense deduction because there is an adult family member in the household that may be available to provide childcare [VG, p. 26].

Allowable Childcare Activities
HACN Policy
For school-age children, costs attributable to public or private school activities during standard school hours are not considered. Expenses incurred for supervised activities after school or during school holidays (e.g., summer day camp, after-school sports league) are allowable forms of childcare.

The costs of general housekeeping and personal services are not eligible. Likewise, childcare expenses paid to a family member who lives in the family’s unit are not eligible; however, payments for childcare to relatives who do not live in the unit are eligible.

If a childcare provider also renders other services to a family or childcare is used to enable a family member to conduct activities that are not eligible for consideration, the PHA will prorate the costs and allow only that portion of the expenses that is attributable to childcare for eligible activities. For example, if the care provider also cares for a child with disabilities who is 13 or older, the cost of care will be prorated. Unless otherwise specified by the childcare provider, the calculation will be based upon the number of hours spent in each activity and/or the number of persons under care.

Necessary and Reasonable Costs
Childcare expenses will be considered necessary if: (1) a family adequately explains how the care enables a family member to work, actively seek employment, or further their education, and (2) the family certifies, and the childcare provider verifies, that the expenses are not paid or reimbursed by any other source.

HACN Policy
Childcare expenses will be considered for the time required for the eligible activity plus reasonable transportation time. For childcare that enables a family member to go to school, the time allowed may include not more than one study hour for each hour spent in class.

To establish the reasonableness of childcare costs, the PHA will use the schedule of childcare costs from a qualified local entity that either subsidizes childcare costs or licenses childcare providers. Families may present, and the PHA will consider justification for costs that exceed typical costs in the area.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-III.G. HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS [24 CFR 5.611(c), (d), and (e)] Health and Medical Care and Disability Assistance Expenses [24 CFR 5.611(c); Notice PIH 2023-27]
The regulations provide for two types of hardship exemption categories for families that qualify for unreimbursed health and medical care expenses and/or disability assistance expenses. A family will benefit from this hardship exemption only if the family has eligible expenses that can be deducted in excess of five percent of annual income. In order to claim unreimbursed health and medical care expenses, the family must have a head, cohead, or spouse that is elderly or a person with a disability. In order to claim unreimbursed reasonable attendant care and auxiliary apparatus expenses, the family must include a person with a disability, and the expenses must enable any member of the family (including the member who is a person with a disability) to be employed.

Families may be eligible for relief under one of two categories; phased-in relief or general relief, as defined below.

Phased-In Relief
The first category is applicable to all families who received a deduction for unreimbursed health and medical care and/or reasonable attendant care or auxiliary apparatus expenses based on their most recent income review. The family must receive phased-in relief if they are determined to be eligible. These families will begin receiving a 24-month phased-in relief at their next annual or interim reexamination, whichever occurs first after the date on which the PHA implements phased-in relief.

For these families, the threshold amount is phased-in as follows:
• The family is eligible for a deduction totaling the sum of expenses that exceeds 5 percent of annual income for the first 12 months.
• At the conclusion of 12 months, the family is eligible for a deduction totaling the sum of their expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of annual income for another 12 months. • At the conclusion of 24 months, the standard threshold amount of 10 percent would be used, unless the family qualifies for relief under the general hardship relief category. - When an eligible family’s phased-in relief begins at an interim reexamination, the PHA will need to process another transaction one year later to move the family along to the next phase. The transaction can be either an interim reexamination if triggered, or a noninterim reexamination transaction.

When an eligible family’s phased-in relief begins at an interim reexamination, the PHA must process another transaction (either an interim reexamination or non-interim transaction, as applicable) one year later to move the family to the next phase.

Prior to the end of the 24-month period, the family may request a hardship exemption under the second category as described below. If the family is found eligible under the second category, the hardship exemption under the first category ends, and the family’s hardship is administered Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

in accordance with the requirements listed below. Once a family requests general relief, the family may no longer receive phased-in relief.

PHAs must track the 24-month phase-period for each eligible family, even if a family’s expenses go below the appropriate phase-in percentage, during the first or second 12-month phase-in period. The phase-in must continue for families who move to another public housing unit at the same PHA. When the family is treated as a new admission under a different property/program (e.g., the family moves from public housing to the HCV program), unless the PHA has a written policy to continue the phased-in relief upon admission, the family’s expense deduction will be calculated using the 10-percent threshold unless request for general relief is approved by the PHA.

HACN Policy
The PHA will not continue the phased-in relief for families who move from the HCV program to public housing. These families will be treated as new admissions and the sum of expenses that exceeds 10 percent of annual income will be used to calculate their adjusted income.

General Relief
The second category is for families that can demonstrate:
• Their health and medical and/or disability assistance expenses increased (other than the transition to the higher threshold); or
• The family’s financial hardship is a result of a change in circumstances (as defined in PHA policy) that would not otherwise trigger an interim reexamination.

The family may request a hardship exemption under the second category regardless of whether the family previously received the health and medical and/or disability assistance deductions or are currently or were previously receiving relief under the phased-in relief category above. HUD requires that PHAs develop policies defining what constitutes a hardship for purposes of this exemption.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

The PHA must obtain third-party verification of the hardship or must document in the file the reason third-party verification was not available. PHAs must attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period.

HACN Policy
To qualify for a hardship exemption, a family must submit a request in writing. The request must show that the family’s health and medical and/or disability assistance expenses have increased (other than the transition to the higher threshold) or that the family’s financial hardship is a result of a change in circumstances. The PHA defines a change in circumstances as a decrease in income or increase in other expenses that has resulted in the family’s financial hardship but does not, on its own, trigger an interim reexamination in accordance with PHA policies.

Examples of circumstances constituting a financial hardship may include the following situations:

The family is awaiting an eligibility determination for a federal, state, or local assistance program, such as a determination for unemployment compensation or disability benefits;
The family’s income decreased because of a loss of employment, death of a family member, or due to a natural or federal/state declared disaster; or Other circumstances as determined by the PHA.

The family must provide third-party verification of the hardship with the request. If thirdparty verification is not available, the PHA will document the file with the reason and will attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period.

The PHA must promptly notify the family in writing of the change in the determination of adjusted income and the family’s rent resulting from hardship exemptions. The notice must inform the family of when the hardship exemption will begin and expire [24 CFR 5.611(e)(2)].

HACN Policy
The PHA will make a determination of whether the family qualifies within 30 calendar days and will notify the family in writing of the result within 10 business days of the determination.

If the PHA denies the hardship exemption request, the PHA notice will also state that if the family does not agree with the PHA determination, the family may request a hearing.

If the family qualifies for an exemption, the PHA will include the date the hardship exemption will begin and the date it will expire as well as information on how to request a 90-day extension based on family circumstances.

If the family qualifies, the family will receive a deduction for the sum of eligible expenses that exceed five percent of annual income.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

The family’s hardship relief ends when the circumstances that made the family eligible for the relief are no longer applicable or after 90 days, whichever is earlier. However, the PHA may, at its discretion, extend the relief for one or more additional 90-day periods while the family’s hardship condition continues. PHAs are not limited to a maximum number of 90-day extensions.

PHAs are not limited to a maximum number of 90-day extensions.

PHAs must establish written policies regarding the types of circumstances that will allow a family to qualify for a financial hardship and when such deductions may be eligible for additional 90-day extensions. PHAs must develop policies requiring families to report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable.

HACN Policy
The family may request an extension either orally or in writing prior to the end of the hardship exemption period. The PHA will extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family demonstrates to the PHA’s satisfaction that the family continues to qualify for the hardship exemption based on circumstances described above. The PHA will require updated verification based on the family’s current circumstances. Additional extension(s) may be granted on a case-by-case basis provided the family continues to request extensions prior to the end of each hardship exemption period. Families must report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable. At any time, the PHA may terminate the hardship exemption if the PHA determines that the family no longer qualifies for the exemption.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Child care Expense Hardship Exemption [24 CFR 5.611(d) and Notice PIH 2023-27] A family whose eligibility for the childcare expense deduction is ending may request a financial hardship exemption to continue receiving the deduction. If the family demonstrates to the PHA’s satisfaction that the family is unable to pay their rent because of the loss of the child care expense deduction, and that the child care expense is still necessary even though the family member is not working, looking for work, or seeking to further their education, the PHA must recalculate the family’s adjusted income and continue the childcare deduction.

The PHA must develop a policy to define what constitutes a hardship, which includes the family’s inability to pay rent. The PHA must obtain third-party verification of the hardship or must document in the file the reason third-party verification was not available. PHAs must attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period.

HACN Policy
For a family to qualify, they must demonstrate that their inability to pay rent would be as a result of the loss of this deduction. The PHA defines this hardship as a potential decrease in income or increase in other expenses that would result from the loss of the childcare expense and such loss would impact the family’s ability to pay their rent.

Some factors to consider when determining if the family is unable to pay rent may include determining that the rent, utility payment, and applicable expenses (child care expenses or health and medical expenses) are more than 40 percent of the family’s adjusted income, or verifying whether the family has experienced unanticipated expenses, such as large medical bills, that have affected their ability to pay their rent.

The family must also demonstrate that the childcare expense is still necessary even though the family member is no longer employed or furthering their education. The PHA will consider qualification under this criterion on a case-by case basis (for example, if the family member who was employed has left their job in order to provide uncompensated care to an elderly friend or family member who is severely ill and lives across town).

The family must provide third-party verification of the hardship with the request. If thirdparty verification is not available, the PHA will document the file with the reason and will attempt to obtain third-party verification prior to the end of the 90-day hardship exemption period.

The PHA must promptly notify the family in writing of the change in the determination of adjusted income and the family’s rent resulting from hardship exemptions.

If the PHA denies the request, the notice must specifically state the reason for the denial. PHAs must provide families 30 days’ notice of any increase in rent.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

If the PHA approves the request, the notice must inform the family of when the hardship exemption will begin and expire [24 CFR 5.611(e)(2)]. The notice must also state the requirement for the family to report to the PHA if the circumstances that made the family eligible for relief are no longer applicable and that the family’s adjusted income and tenant rent will be recalculated upon expiration of the hardship exemption [Notice PIH 2023-27].

HACN Policy
The PHA will make a determination of whether the family qualifies within 30 calendar days and will notify the family in writing of the result within 10 business days of the determination.

If the PHA denies the hardship exemption request, the PHA notice will also state that if the family does not agree with the PHA determination, the family may request a grievance hearing.

If the family qualifies for an exemption, the PHA will include all required information listed above as well as information on how to request a 90-day extension based on family circumstances.

If the family qualifies, the hardship exemption and the resulting alternative adjusted income calculation must remain in place for a period of up to 90 days.

The PHA may, at its discretion, extend the hardship exemptions for additional 90-day periods based on family circumstances and as stated in PHA policies. PHAs are not limited to a maximum number of 90-day extensions. . PHAs must develop policies requiring families to report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable.

PHAs must promptly notify families in writing if they are denied either an initial hardship exemption or an additional 90-day extension of the exemption. If the PHA denies the request, the notice must specifically state the reason for the denial.

PHAs must notify the family if the hardship exemption is no longer necessary and the hardship exemption will be terminated because the circumstances that made the family eligible for the exemption are no longer applicable. The notice must state the termination date and provide 30 days’ notice of rent increase, if applicable.

HACN Policy
The family may request an extension in writing prior to the end of the hardship exemption period. The PHA will extend relief for an additional 90-days if the family demonstrates to the PHA’s satisfaction that the family continues to qualify for the hardship exemption. The PHA will require updated verification based on the family’s current circumstances. Additional extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis provided the family continues to request extensions prior to the end of each hardship exemption period. Families must report if the circumstances that made the family eligible for the hardship exemption are no longer applicable. At any time, the PHA may terminate the hardship exemption if the PHA determines that the family no longer qualifies for the exemption.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-III.H. PERMISSIVE DEDUCTIONS [24 CFR 5.611(b)(1)(i)]
The PHA may adopt additional permissive deductions from annual income if they establish a policy in the ACOP. Permissive deductions are additional, optional deductions that may be applied to annual income. As with mandatory deductions, permissive deductions must be based on need or family circumstance and deductions must be designed to encourage self-sufficiency or other economic purpose. If the PHA offers permissive deductions, they must be granted to all families that qualify for them and should complement existing income exclusions and deductions [PH Occ GB, p. 128]. Permissive deductions may be used to incentivize or encourage selfsufficiency and economic mobility.

If the PHA chooses to adopt permissive deductions, the PHA is not eligible for an increase in Capital Fund and Operating Fund formula grants based on the application of those deductions.

The PHA must establish a written policy for such deductions.

The Form HUD-50058 Instruction Booklet states that the maximum allowable amount for total permissive deductions is less than $90,000 per year.

HACN Policy
The PHA has opted not to use permissive deductions.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART IV: CALCULATING RENT
6-IV.A. OVERVIEW OF INCOME-BASED RENT CALCULATIONS
The first step in calculating income-based rent is to determine each family’s total tenant payment (TTP). Then, if the family is occupying a unit that has tenant-paid utilities, the utility allowance is subtracted from the TTP. The result of this calculation, if a positive number, is the tenant rent.

If the TTP is less than the utility allowance, the result of this calculation is a negative number, and is called the utility reimbursement, which may be paid to the family or directly to the utility company by the PHA.

TTP Formula [24 CFR 5.628]
HUD regulations specify the formula for calculating the total tenant payment (TTP) for an assisted family. TTP is the highest of the following amounts, rounded to the nearest dollar:
• 30 percent of the family’s monthly adjusted income (adjusted income is defined in Part II) • 10 percent of the family’s monthly gross income (annual income, as defined in Part I, divided by 12)
• The welfare rent (in as-paid states only)
• A minimum rent between $0 and $50 that is established by the PHA The PHA has authority to suspend and exempt families from minimum rent when a financial hardship exists, as defined in section 6-IV.B.

Welfare Rent [24 CFR 5.628]
HACN Policy
Welfare rent does not apply in this locality.

Minimum Rent [24 CFR 5.630]
HACN Policy
The minimum rent for this locality is $0.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Optional Changes to Income-Based Rents [24 CFR 960.253(c)(2) and PH Occ GB, pp. 131-134]
PHAs have been given very broad flexibility to establish their own, unique rent calculation systems as long as the rent produced is not higher than that calculated using the TTP and mandatory deductions. At the discretion of the PHA, rent policies may structure a system that uses combinations of permissive deductions, escrow accounts, income-based rents, and the required flat and minimum rents.

The PHA’s minimum rent and rent choice policies still apply to affected families. Utility allowances are applied to PHA designed income-based rents in the same manner as they are applied to the regulatory income-based rents.

The choices are limited only by the requirement that the method used not produce a TTP or tenant rent greater than the TTP or tenant rent produced under the regulatory formula.

HACN Policy
The PHA chooses not to adopt optional changes to income-based rents.

Ceiling Rents [24 CFR 960.253 (c)(2) and (d)]
Ceiling rents are used to cap income-based rents. They are part of the income-based formula. If the calculated TTP exceeds the ceiling rent for the unit, the ceiling rent is used to calculate tenant rent (ceiling rent/TTP minus utility allowance). Increases in income do not affect the family since the rent is capped. The use of ceiling rents fosters upward mobility and income mixing.

Because of the mandatory use of flat rents, the primary function of ceiling rents now is to assist families who cannot switch back to flat rent between annual reexaminations and would otherwise be paying an income-based tenant rent that is higher than the flat rent.

Ceiling rents must be set to the level required for flat rents (which will require the addition of the utility allowance to the flat rent for properties with tenant-paid utilities) [PH Occ GB, p. 135].

HACN Policy
The PHA chooses not to use ceiling rents.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Utility Reimbursement [24 CFR 982.514(b); 982.514]
Utility reimbursement occurs when any applicable utility allowance for tenant-paid utilities exceeds the TTP. HUD permits the PHA to pay the reimbursement to the family or directly to the utility provider.

HACN Policy
The PHA will make utility reimbursements to the family. Utility reimbursements are applied as credit to the family’s tenant account.

The PHA may make all utility reimbursement payments to qualifying families on a monthly basis or may make quarterly payments when the monthly reimbursement amount is $15.00 or less. Reimbursements must be made once per calendar-year quarter, either prospectively or retroactively, and must be prorated if the family leaves the program in advance of its next quarterly reimbursement. The PHA must also adopt hardship policies for families for whom receiving quarterly reimbursement would create a financial hardship. The PHA must issue reimbursements that exceed $15.00 per month on a monthly basis.

HACN Policy
The PHA will issue all utility reimbursements monthly.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-IV.B. FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS AFFECTING MINIMUM RENT [24 CFR 5.630] HACN Policy
The financial hardship rules do not apply in this jurisdiction because the PHA has established a minimum rent of $0.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-IV.C. UTILITY ALLOWANCES [24 CFR 965, Subpart E]
Overview
Utility allowances are provided to families paying income-based rents when the cost of utilities is not included in the rent. When determining a family’s income-based rent, the PHA must use the utility allowance applicable to the type of dwelling unit leased by the family.

For policies on establishing and updating utility allowances, see Chapter 16.

Reasonable Accommodation and Individual Relief
On request from a family, PHAs must approve a utility allowance that is higher than the applicable amount for the dwelling unit if a higher utility allowance is needed as a reasonable accommodation to make the program accessible to and usable by the family with a disability [24 CFR 8 and 100, PH Occ GB, p. 172].

Likewise, residents with disabilities may not be charged for the use of certain resident-supplied appliances if there is a verified need for special equipment because of the disability [PH Occ GB, p. 172].

See Chapter 2 for policies related to reasonable accommodations.

Further, the PHA may grant requests for relief from charges in excess of the utility allowance on reasonable grounds, such as special needs of the elderly, ill, or residents with disabilities, or special factors not within control of the resident, as the PHA deems appropriate. The family must request the higher allowance and provide the PHA with an explanation about the additional allowance required.

PHAs should develop criteria for granting individual relief, notify residents about the availability of individual relief, and notify participants about the availability of individual relief programs (sometimes referred to as “Medical Baseline discounts”) offered by the local utility company [Utility Allowance GB, p. 19; 24 CFR 965.508].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

HACN Policy
The family must request the higher allowance and provide the PHA with information about the amount of additional allowance required.

The PHA will consider the following criteria as valid reasons for granting individual relief:

The family’s consumption was mistakenly portrayed as excessive due to defects in the meter or errors in the meter reading.

The excessive consumption is caused by a characteristic of the unit or ownersupplied equipment that is beyond the family’s control, such as a particularly inefficient refrigerator or inadequate insulation. The allowance should be adjusted to reflect the higher consumption needs associated with the unit until the situation is remedied. The resident should be granted individual relief until the allowance is adjusted.

The excessive consumption is due to special needs of the family that are beyond their control, such as the need for specialized equipment in the case of a family member who is ill, elderly, or who has a disability.

In determining the amount of the reasonable accommodation or individual relief, the PHA will allow a reasonable measure of additional usage as necessary. To arrive at the amount of additional utility cost of specific equipment, the family may provide information from the manufacturer of the equipment, or the family or PHA may conduct an internet search for an estimate of usage or additional monthly cost.

Information on reasonable accommodation and individual relief for charges in excess of the utility allowance will be provided to all residents at move-in and with any notice of proposed allowances, schedule surcharges, and revisions. The PHA will also provide information on utility relief programs or medical discounts (sometimes referred to as “Medical Baseline discounts”) that may be available through local utility providers.

The family must request the higher allowance, in writing, and provide the PHA with information about the amount of additional allowance required.

At its discretion, the PHA may reevaluate the need for the increased utility allowance as a reasonable accommodation at any interim or annual reexamination.

If the excessive consumption is caused by a characteristic of the unit or PHA-supplied equipment that is beyond the family’s control, such as a particularly inefficient refrigerator or inadequate insulation, the individual relief to the resident will cease when the situation is remedied.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Utility Allowance Revisions [24 CFR 965.507]
The PHA must review at least annually the basis on which utility allowances have been established and, if reasonably required in order to continue adherence to standards described in 24 CFR 965.505, must establish revised allowances.

The PHA must revise the utility allowance schedule if there is a rate change that by itself or together with prior rate changes not adjusted for, results in a change of 10 percent or more from the rates on which such allowances were based.

Adjustments to resident payments as a result of such changes must be retroactive to the first day of the month following the month in which the last rate change taken into account in such revision became effective. Such rate changes are not subject to the 60-day notice [24 CFR 965.507(b)].

The tenant rent calculations must reflect any changes in the PHA’s utility allowance schedule [24 CFR 960.253(c)(3)].

HACN Policy
Between annual reviews of utility allowances, the PHA will only revise its utility allowances due to a rate change, when required to by the regulation.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-IV.D. PRORATED RENT FOR MIXED FAMILIES [24 CFR 5.520] HUD regulations prohibit assistance to ineligible family members. A mixed family is one that includes at least one U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant and any number of ineligible family members. Except for non-public housing over income families, the PHA must prorate the assistance provided to a mixed family. The PHA will first determine TTP as if all family members were eligible and then prorate the rent based upon the number of family members that actually are eligible. To do this, the PHA must:
(1) Subtract the TTP from the flat rent applicable to the unit. The result is the maximum subsidy for which the family could qualify if all members were eligible. (2) Divide the family maximum subsidy by the number of persons in the family to determine the maximum subsidy per each family member who is eligible (member maximum subsidy). (3) Multiply the member maximum subsidy by the number of eligible family members. (4) Subtract the subsidy calculated in the last step from the flat rent. This is the prorated TTP. (5) Subtract the utility allowance for the unit from the prorated TTP. This is the prorated rent for the mixed family.

HACN Policy
Revised public housing flat rents will be applied to a mixed family’s rent calculation at the first annual reexamination after the revision is adopted. (6) When the mixed family’s TTP is greater than the applicable flat rent, use the TTP as the prorated TTP. The prorated TTP minus the utility allowance is the prorated rent for the mixed family.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

6-IV.E. FLAT RENTS AND FAMILY CHOICE IN RENTS [24 CFR 960.253] Flat Rents [24 CFR 960.253(b)]
The flat rent is designed to encourage self-sufficiency and to avoid creating disincentives for continued residency by families who are attempting to become economically self-sufficient.

Changes in family income, expenses, or composition will not affect the flat rent amount because it is outside the income-based formula.

Policies related to the reexamination of families paying flat rent are contained in Chapter 9, and policies related to the establishment and review of flat rents are contained in Chapter 16.

Family Choice in Rents [24 CFR 960.253(a) and (e)]
With the exception of non-public housing over income families, once each year, the PHA must offer families the choice between a flat rent and an income-based rent. The family may not be offered this choice more than once a year. The PHA must document that flat rents were offered to families under the methods used to determine flat rents for the PHA.

HACN Policy
The annual PHA offer to a family of the choice between flat and income-based rent will be conducted upon admission and upon each subsequent annual reexamination.

The PHA will require families to submit their choice of flat or income-based rent in writing and will maintain such requests in the tenant file as part of the admission or annual reexamination process.

The PHA must provide sufficient information for families to make an informed choice. This information must include the PHA’s policy on switching from flat rent to income-based rent due to financial hardship and the dollar amount of the rent under each option. However, if the family chose the flat rent for the previous year the PHA is required to provide an income-based rent amount only in the year that a reexamination of income is conducted or if the family specifically requests it and submits updated income information.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Switching from Flat Rent to Income-Based Rent Due to Hardship [24 CFR 960.253(f)] With the exception of non-public housing over-income families, a family can opt to switch from flat rent to income-based rent at any time if they are unable to pay the flat rent due to financial hardship. If the PHA determines that a financial hardship exists, the PHA must immediately allow the family to switch from flat rent to the income-based rent.

HACN Policy
Upon determination by the PHA that a financial hardship exists, the PHA will allow a family to switch from flat rent to income-based rent effective the first of the month following the family’s request.

Reasons for financial hardship include:
• The family has experienced a decrease in income because of changed circumstances, including loss or reduction of employment, death in the family, or reduction in or loss of earnings or other assistance
• The family has experienced an increase in expenses, because of changed circumstances, for medical costs, child care, transportation, education, or similar items • Such other situations determined by the PHA to be appropriate HACN Policy
The PHA considers payment of flat rent to be a financial hardship whenever the switch to income-based rent would be lower than the flat rent [PH Occ GB, p. 137].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

EXHIBIT 6-1: ANNUAL INCOME FULL DEFINITION
24 CFR 5.609
(a) Annual income includes, with respect to
the family:
(1) All amounts, not specifically excluded in
paragraph (b) of this section, received from all
sources by each member of the family who is
18 years of age or older or is the head of
household or spouse of the head of household,
plus unearned income by or on behalf of each
dependent who is under 18 years of age, and
(2) When the value of net family assets
exceeds the HUD-published threshold amount
(which amount HUD will adjust annually in
accordance with the Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers)
and the actual returns from a given asset
cannot be calculated, imputed returns on the
asset based on the current passbook savings
rate, as determined by HUD.
(b)Annual income does not include the following:
(1) Any imputed return on an asset when net
family assets are less than or equal to the
HUD-published threshold amount less (which
amount HUD will adjust annually in
accordance with the Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers)
and no actual income from the net family
assets can be determined.
(2) The following types of trust distributions:
(i) For an irrevocable trust or a revocable trust
outside the control of the family or household
excluded from the definition of net family
assets under § 5.603(b):
(A) Distributions of the principal or corpus of
the trust; and
(B) Distributions of income from the trust
when the distributions are used to pay the costs
of health and medical care expenses for a
minor.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

(ii) For a revocable trust under the control of
the family or household, any distributions
from the trust; except that any actual income
earned by the trust, regardless of whether it is
distributed, shall be considered income to the
family at the time it is received by the trust.
(3) Earned income of children under the 18
years of age.
(4) Payments received for the care of foster
children or foster adults, or State or Tribal
kinship or guardianship care payments.
(5) Insurance payments and settlements for
personal or property losses, including but not
limited to payments through health insurance,
motor vehicle insurance, and workers’
compensation.
(6) Amounts received by the family that are
specifically for, or in reimbursement of, the
cost of health and medical care expenses for
any family member.
(7) Any amounts recovered in any civil action
or settlement based on a claim of malpractice,
negligence, or other breach of duty owed to a
family member arising out of law, that resulted
in a member of the family becoming disabled.
(8) Income of a live-in aide, foster child, or
foster adult as defined in §§ 5.403 and 5.603,
respectively.
(9)
(i) Any assistance that section 479B of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20
U.S.C. 1087uu), requires be excluded from a
family’s income; and
(ii) Student financial assistance for tuition,
books, and supplies (including supplies and
equipment to support students with learning
disabilities or other disabilities), room and
board, and other fees required and charged to a
student by an institution of higher education
(as defined under Section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) and,
for a student who is not the head of household
or spouse, the reasonable and actual costs of
housing while attending the institution of
higher education and not residing in an
assisted unit.
(A) Student financial assistance, for purposes
of this paragraph (9)(ii), means a grant or
scholarship received from— (
1) The Federal government;
(2) A State, Tribe, or local government;
(3) A private foundation registered as a
nonprofit under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3);
(4) A business entity (such as corporation,
general partnership, limited liability company,
limited partnership, joint venture, business
trust, public benefit corporation, or nonprofit
entity); or
(5) An institution of higher education.
(B) Student financial assistance, for purposes
of this paragraph (9)(ii), does not include—
(1) Any assistance that is excluded pursuant to
paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this section;
(2) Financial support provided to the student in
the form of a fee for services performed (e.g.,
a work study or teaching fellowship that is not
excluded pursuant to paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this
section); (
3) Gifts, including gifts from family or friends;
or
(4) Any amount of the scholarship or grant
that, either by itself or in combination with
assistance excluded under this paragraph or
paragraph (b)(9)(i), exceeds the actual covered
costs of the student. The actual covered costs
of the student are the actual costs of tuition,
books and supplies (including supplies and
equipment to support students with learning
disabilities or other disabilities), room and
board, or other fees required and charged to a
student by the education institution, and, for a
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

student who is not the head of household or
spouse, the reasonable and actual costs of
housing while attending the institution of
higher education and not residing in an
assisted unit. This calculation is described
further in paragraph (b)(9)(ii)€ of this section.
(C) Student financial assistance, for purposes
of this paragraph (b)(9)(ii) must be:
(1) Expressly for tuition, books, room and
board, or other fees required and charged to a
student by the education institution;
(2) Expressly to assist a student with the costs
of higher education; or
(3) Expressly to assist a student who is not the
head of household or spouse with the
reasonable and actual costs of housing while
attending the education institution and not
residing in an assisted unit.
(D) Student financial assistance, for purposes
of this paragraph (b)(9)(ii), may be paid
directly to the student or to the educational
institution on the student’s behalf. Student
financial assistance paid to the student must be
verified by the responsible entity as student
financial assistance consistent with this
paragraph (b)(9)(ii).
(E) When the student is also receiving
assistance excluded under paragraph (b)(9)(i)
of this section, the amount of student financial
assistance under this paragraph (b)(9)(ii) is
determined as follows:
(1) If the amount of assistance excluded under
paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this section is equal to or
exceeds the actual covered costs under
paragraph (b)(9)(ii)(B)(4) of this section, none
of the assistance described in this paragraph
(b)(9)(ii) of this section is considered student
financial assistance excluded from income
under this paragraph (b)(9)(ii)(E).
(2) If the amount of assistance excluded under
paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this section is less than
the actual covered costs under paragraph
(b)(9)(ii)(B)(4) of this section, the amount of
assistance described in paragraph (b)(9)(ii) of
this section that is considered student financial
assistance excluded under this paragraph is the
lower of:
(i) the total amount of student financial
assistance received under this paragraph
(b)(9)(ii) of this section, or
(ii) the amount by which the actual covered
costs under paragraph (b)(9)(ii)(B)(4) of this
section exceeds the assistance excluded under
paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this section.
(10) Income and distributions from any
Coverdell education savings account under
section 530 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 or any qualified tuition program under
section 529 of such Code; and income earned
by government contributions to, and
distributions from, “baby bond” accounts
created, authorized, or funded by Federal,
State, or local government.
(11) The special pay to a family member
serving in the Armed Forces who is exposed to
hostile fire.
(12)
(i) Amounts received by a person with a
disability that are disregarded for a limited
time for purposes of Supplemental Security
Income eligibility and benefits because they
are set aside for use under a Plan to Attain
Self-Sufficiency (PASS);
(ii) Amounts received by a participant in other
publicly assisted programs which are
specifically for or in reimbursement of out-ofpocket expenses incurred (e.g., special equipment, clothing, transportation, childcare,
etc.) and which are made solely to allow
participation in a specific program;
(iii) Amounts received under a resident service
stipend not to exceed $200 per month. A
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

resident service stipend is a modest amount
received by a resident for performing a service
for the PHA or owner, on a part-time basis,
that enhances the quality of life in the
development.
(iv) Incremental earnings and benefits
resulting to any family member from
participation in training programs funded by
HUD or in qualifying Federal, State, Tribal, or
local employment training programs
(including training programs not affiliated
with a local government) and training of a
family member as resident management staff.

Amounts excluded by this provision must be
received under employment training programs
with clearly defined goals and objectives and
are excluded only for the period during which
the family member participates in the
employment training program unless those
amounts are excluded under paragraph
(b)(9)(i) of this section.
(13) Reparation payments paid by a foreign
government pursuant to claims filed under the
laws of that government by persons who were
persecuted during the Nazi era.
(14) Earned income of dependent fulltime
students in excess of the amount of the
deduction for a dependent in § 5.611.
(15) Adoption assistance payments for a child
in excess of the amount of the deduction for a
dependent in § 5.611.
(16) Deferred periodic amounts from
Supplemental Security Income and Social
Security benefits that are received in a lump
sum amount or in prospective monthly
amounts, or any deferred Department of
Veterans Affairs disability benefits that are
received in a lump sum amount or in
prospective monthly amounts.
(17) Payments related to aid and attendance
under 38 U.S.C. 1521 to veterans in need of
regular aid and attendance.
(18) Amounts received by the family in the
form of refunds or rebates under State or local
law for property taxes paid on the dwelling
unit.
(19) Payments made by or authorized by a
State Medicaid agency (including through a
managed care entity) or other State or Federal
agency to a family to enable a family member
who has a disability to reside in the family’s
assisted unit. Authorized payments may
include payments to a member of the assisted
family through the State Medicaid agency
(including through a managed care entity) or
other State or Federal agency for caregiving
services the family member provides to enable
a family member who has a disability to reside
in the family’s assisted unit.
(20) Loan proceeds (the net amount disbursed
by a lender to or on behalf of a borrower,
under the terms of a loan agreement) received
by the family or a third party (e.g., proceeds
received by the family from a private loan to
enable attendance at an educational institution
or to finance the purchase of a car).
(21) Payments received by Tribal members as
a result of claims relating to the
mismanagement of assets held in trust by the
United States, to the extent such payments are
also excluded from gross income under the
Internal Revenue Code or other Federal law.
(22) Amounts that HUD is required by Federal
statute to exclude from consideration as
income for purposes of determining eligibility
or benefits under a category of assistance
programs that includes assistance under any
program to which the exclusions set forth in
paragraph (b) of this section apply. HUD will
publish a notice in the Federal Register to
identify the benefits that qualify for this
exclusion. Updates will be published when
necessary.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

(23) Replacement housing “gap” payments
made in accordance with 49 CFR part 24 that
offset increased out of pocket costs of
displaced persons that move from one
federally subsidized housing unit to another
Federally subsidized housing unit. Such
replacement housing “gap” payments are not
excluded from annual income if the increased
cost of rent and utilities is subsequently
reduced or eliminated, and the displaced
person retains or continues to receive the
replacement housing “gap” payments.
(24) Nonrecurring income, which is income
that will not be repeated in the coming year
based on information provided by the family.

Income received as an independent contractor,
day laborer, or seasonal worker is not excluded
from income under this paragraph, even if the
source, date, or amount of the income varies.

Nonrecurring income includes:
(i) Payments from the U.S. Census Bureau for
employment (relating to decennial census or
the American Community Survey) lasting no
longer than 180 days and not culminating in
permanent employment.
(ii) Direct Federal or State payments intended
for economic stimulus or recovery.
(iii) Amounts directly received by the family
as a result of State refundable tax credits or
State tax refunds at the time they are received.
(iv) Amounts directly received by the family
as a result of Federal refundable tax credits
and Federal tax refunds at the time they are
received.
(v) Gifts for holidays, birthdays, or other
significant life events or milestones (e.g.,
wedding gifts, baby showers, anniversaries).
(vi) Non-monetary, in-kind donations, such as
food, clothing, or toiletries, received from a
food bank or similar organization.
(vii) Lump-sum additions to net family assets,
including but not limited to lottery or other
contest winnings.
(25) Civil rights settlements or judgments,
including settlements or judgments for back
pay.
(26) Income received from any account under
a retirement plan recognized as such by the
Internal Revenue Service, including individual
retirement arrangements (IRAs), employer
retirement plans, and retirement plans for selfemployed individuals; except that any distribution of periodic payments from such
accounts shall be income at the time they are
received by the family.
(27) Income earned on amounts placed in a
family’s Family Self Sufficiency Account.
(28) Gross income a family member receives
through self-employment or operation of a
business; except that the following shall be
considered income to a family member:
(i) Net income from the operation of a
business or profession. Expenditures for
business expansion or amortization of capital
indebtedness shall not be used as deductions in
determining net income. An allowance for
depreciation of assets used in a business or
profession may be deducted, based on straight
line depreciation, as provided in Internal
Revenue Service regulations; and (ii) Any
withdrawal of cash or assets from the
operation of a business or profession will be
included in income, except to the extent the
withdrawal is reimbursement of cash or assets
invested in the operation by the family.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

EXHIBIT 6-2: TREATMENT OF FAMILY ASSETS
24 CFR 5.603(b) Net Family Assets
(1) Net family assets is the net cash value of
all assets owned by the family, after
deducting reasonable costs that would be
incurred in disposing real property, savings,
stocks, bonds, and other forms of capital
investment.
(2) In determining net family assets, PHAs
or owners, as applicable, must include the
value of any business or family assets
disposed of by an applicant or tenant for less
than fair market value (including a
disposition in trust, but not in a foreclosure
or bankruptcy sale) during the two years
preceding the date of application for the
program or reexamination, as applicable, in
excess of the consideration received
therefor. In the case of a disposition as part
of a separation or divorce settlement, the
disposition will not be considered to be for
less than fair market value if the applicant or
tenant receives consideration not measurable
in dollar terms. Negative equity in real
property or other investments does not
prohibit the owner from selling the property
or other investments, so negative equity
alone would not justify excluding the
property or other investments from family
assets.
(3) Excluded from the calculation of net
family assets are: (i) The value of necessary
items of personal property; (ii) The
combined value of all nonnecessary items of
personal property if the combined total value
does not exceed the HUD-published
threshold amount (which amount will be
adjusted by HUD in accordance with the
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage
Earners and Clerical Workers); (iii) The
value of any account under a retirement plan
recognized as such by the Internal Revenue
Service, including individual retirement
arrangements (IRAs), employer retirement
plans, and retirement plans for selfemployed individuals; (iv) The value of real property that the family does not have the
effective legal authority to sell in the
jurisdiction in which the property is located;
(v) Any amounts recovered in any civil
action or settlement based on a claim of
malpractice, negligence, or other breach of
duty owed to a family member arising out of
law, that resulted in a family member being
a person with a disability; (vi) The value of
any Coverdell education savings account
under section 530 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, the value of any qualified
tuition program under section 529 of such
Code, the value of any Achieving a Better
Life Experience (ABLE) account authorized
under Section 529A of such Code, and the
value of any “baby bond” account created,
authorized, or funded by Federal, State, or
local government. (vii) Interests in Indian
trust land; (viii) Equity in a manufactured
home where the family receives assistance
under 24 CFR part 982; (ix) Equity in
property under the Homeownership Option
for which a family receives assistance under
24 CFR part 982; (x) Family SelfSufficiency Accounts; and (xi) Federal tax refunds or refundable tax credits for a period
of 12 months after receipt by the family.
(4) In cases where a trust fund has been
established and the trust is not revocable by,
or under the control of, any member of the
family or household, the trust fund is not a
family asset and the value of the trust is not
included in the calculation of net family
assets, so long as the fund continues to be
held in a trust that is not revocable by, or
under the control of, any member of the
family or household.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

EXHIBIT 6-3: THE EFFECT OF WELFARE BENEFIT REDUCTION
24 CFR 5.615
Public housing program and Section 8 tenant-based assistance program: How welfare benefit reduction affects family income.
(a) Applicability. This section applies to
covered families who reside in public housing
(part 960 of this title) or receive Section 8
tenant-based assistance (part 982 of this title).
(b) Definitions. The following definitions
apply for purposes of this section:

Covered families. Families who receive
welfare assistance or other public assistance
benefits (“welfare benefits”) from a State or
other public agency (“welfare agency”) under
a program for which Federal, State, or local
law requires that a member of the family must
participate in an economic self-sufficiency
program as a condition for such assistance.

Economic self-sufficiency program. See
definition at Sec. 5.603.

Imputed welfare income. The amount of
annual income not actually received by a
family, as a result of a specified welfare
benefit reduction, that is nonetheless included
in the family's annual income for purposes of
determining rent.

Specified welfare benefit reduction.
(1) A reduction of welfare benefits by the
welfare agency, in whole or in part, for a
family member, as determined by the welfare
agency, because of fraud by a family member
in connection with the welfare program; or
because of welfare agency sanction against a
family member for noncompliance with a
welfare agency requirement to participate in an
economic self-sufficiency program.
(2) “Specified welfare benefit reduction” does
not include a reduction or termination of
welfare benefits by the welfare agency:
(i) at expiration of a lifetime or other time
limit on the payment of welfare benefits;
(ii) because a family member is not able to
obtain employment, even though the family
member has complied with welfare agency
economic self-sufficiency or work activities
requirements; or
(iii) because a family member has not
complied with other welfare agency
requirements.
(c) Imputed welfare income.
(1) A family's annual income includes the
amount of imputed welfare income (because of
a specified welfare benefits reduction, as
specified in notice to the PHA by the welfare
agency), plus the total amount of other annual
income as determined in accordance with Sec.

5.609.
(2) At the request of the PHA, the welfare
agency will inform the PHA in writing of the
amount and term of any specified welfare
benefit reduction for a family member, and the
reason for such reduction, and will also inform
the PHA of any subsequent changes in the
term or amount of such specified welfare
benefit reduction. The PHA will use this
information to determine the amount of
imputed welfare income for a family.
(3) A family’s annual income includes
imputed welfare income in family annual
income, as determined at the PHA's interim or
regular reexamination of family income and
composition, during the term of the welfare
benefits reduction (as specified in information
provided to the PHA by the welfare agency).

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

(4) The amount of the imputed welfare income
is offset by the amount of additional income a
family receives that commences after the time
the sanction was imposed. When such
additional income from other sources is at
least equal to the imputed
(5) The PHA may not include imputed welfare
income in annual income if the family was not
an assisted resident at the time of sanction.
(d) Review of PHA decision.
(1) Public housing. If a public housing tenant
claims that the PHA has not correctly
calculated the amount of imputed welfare
income in accordance with HUD requirements,
and if the PHA denies the family's request to
modify such amount, the PHA shall give the
tenant written notice of such denial, with a
brief explanation of the basis for the PHA
determination of the amount of imputed
welfare income. The PHA notice shall also
state that if the tenant does not agree with the
PHA determination, the tenant may request a
grievance hearing in accordance with part 966,
subpart B of this title to review the PHA
determination. The tenant is not required to
pay an escrow deposit pursuant to Sec.
966.55(e) for the portion of tenant rent
attributable to the imputed welfare income in
order to obtain a grievance hearing on the
PHA determination.
(2) Section 8 participant. A participant in the
Section 8 tenant-based assistance program
may request an informal hearing, in
accordance with Sec. 982.555 of this title, to
review the PHA determination of the amount
of imputed welfare income that must be
included in the family's annual income in
accordance with this section. If the family
claims that such amount is not correctly
calculated in accordance with HUD
requirements, and if the PHA denies the
family's request to modify such amount, the
PHA shall give the family written notice of
such denial, with a brief explanation of the
basis for the PHA determination of the amount
of imputed welfare income. Such notice shall
also state that if the family does not agree with
the PHA determination, the family may
request an informal hearing on the
determination under the PHA hearing
procedure.
(e) PHA relation with welfare agency.
(1) The PHA must ask welfare agencies to
inform the PHA of any specified welfare
benefits reduction for a family member, the
reason for such reduction, the term of any such
reduction, and any subsequent welfare agency
determination affecting the amount or term of
a specified welfare benefits reduction. If the
welfare agency determines a specified welfare
benefits reduction for a family member, and
gives the PHA written notice of such
reduction, the family's annual incomes shall
include the imputed welfare income because of
the specified welfare benefits reduction.
(2) The PHA is responsible for determining
the amount of imputed welfare income that is
included in the family's annual income as a
result of a specified welfare benefits reduction
as determined by the welfare agency, and
specified in the notice by the welfare agency to
the PHA. However, the PHA is not responsible
for determining whether a reduction of welfare
benefits by the welfare agency was correctly
determined by the welfare agency in
accordance with welfare program requirements
and procedures, nor for providing the
opportunity for review or hearing on such
welfare agency determinations.
(3) Such welfare agency determinations are
the responsibility of the welfare agency, and
the family may seek appeal of such
determinations through the welfare agency's
normal due process procedures. The PHA shall
be entitled to rely on the welfare agency notice
to the PHA of the welfare agency's
determination of a specified welfare benefits
reduction.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Chapter 7
VERIFICATION UNDER HOTMA 102/104
[24 CFR 960.259, 24 CFR 5.230, Notice PIH 2023-27]

INTRODUCTION
The PHA must verify all information that is used to establish the family’s eligibility and level of assistance and is required to obtain written authorization from the family in order to collect the information. Applicants and program participants must cooperate with the verification process as a condition of receiving assistance. The PHA must not pass on the cost of verification to the family.

The PHA must follow the verification guidance provided by HUD in Notice PIH 2023-27 and any subsequent guidance issued by HUD. This chapter summarizes those requirements and provides supplementary PHA policies.

Part I describes the general verification process. Part II provides more detailed requirements related to family information. Part III provides information on income and assets, and Part IV covers mandatory deductions.

Verification policies, rules and procedures will be modified as needed to accommodate persons with disabilities. All information obtained through the verification process will be handled in accordance with the records management policies established by the PHA.

PART I: GENERAL VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
7-I.A. FAMILY CONSENT TO RELEASE OF INFORMATION [24 CFR 960.259; 24 CFR 5.230; and Notice PIH 2023-27]
Consent Forms
The family must supply any information that the PHA or HUD determines is necessary to the administration of the program and must consent to PHA verification of that information [24 CFR 960.259(a)(1)]. All adult family members must sign consent forms as needed to collect information relevant to the family’s eligibility and level of assistance. While PHAs must use form HUD-9886, this form does not release all the information necessary to the administration of the program. The PHA must also develop its own release forms to cover all other necessary information.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Form HUD-9886-A [24 CFR 5.230(b)(1), (b)(2), (c)(4), and (c)(5); Notice PIH 2023-27] All adult applicants and tenants must sign form HUD-9886-A, Authorization for Release of Information. All adult family members (and the head and spouse/cohead regardless of age) are required to sign the Form HUD-9886-A at admission. Participants, prior to January 1, 2024, signed and submitted Form HUD-9886-A at each annual reexamination. HOTMA eliminated this requirement and instead required that the Form HUD-9886-A be signed only once. On or after January 1, 2024 (regardless of the PHA’s HOTMA compliance date), current program participants must sign and submit a new Form HUD-9886-A at their next interim or annual reexamination. This form will only be signed once. Another Form HUD-9886-A will not be submitted to the PHA except under the following circumstances:
• When any person 18 years or older becomes a member of the family; • When a current member of the family turns 18; or
• As required by HUD or the PHA in administrative instructions.

The PHA has the discretion to establish policies around when family members must sign consent forms when they turn 18. PHAs must establish these policies stating when family members will be required to sign consent forms at intervals other than at reexamination.

HACN Policy
Family members turning 18 years of age between annual recertifications will be notified in writing that they are required to sign the required Consent to the Release of Information Form HUD-9886-A within 10 business days of turning 18 years of age.

The purpose of form HUD-9886 is to facilitate automated data collection and computer matching from specific sources and provides the family's consent only for the specific purposes listed on the form. HUD and the PHA may collect information from State Wage Information Collection Agencies (SWICAs) and current and former employers of adult family members. Only HUD is authorized to collect information directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The PHA may obtain any financial record from any financial institution, as the terms financial record and financial institution are defined in the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401), whenever the PHA determines the record is needed to determine an applicant’s or participant’s eligibility for assistance or level of benefits [24 CFR 5.230(c)(4)].

The executed form will remain effective until the family is denied assistance, assistance is terminated, or the family provides written notification to the PHA to revoke consent.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Penalties for Failing to Consent [24 CFR 5.232]
If any family member who is required to sign a consent form fails to do so, the PHA must deny admission to applicants and terminate the lease of tenants [24 CFR 5.232(a)]. The family may request a hearing in accordance with the PHA's grievance procedures.

However, this does not apply if the applicant, participant, or any member of their family, revokes their consent with respect to the ability of the PHA to access financial records from financial institutions, unless the PHA establishes a policy that revocation of consent to access financial records will result in denial OF admission or termination of assistance [24 CFR 5.232(c)]. PHAs may not process interim or annual reexaminations of income without the family’s executed consent forms.

HACN Policy
The PHA has established a policy that revocation of consent to access financial records will result in denial of admission or termination of assistance in accordance with PHA policy.

In order for a family to revoke their consent, the family must provide written notice to the PHA.

Within 10 business days of the date the family provides written notice, the PHA will send the family a notice acknowledging receipt of the request and explaining that revocation of consent will result in denial or termination of assistance, as applicable. At the same time, the PHA will notify the local HUD office.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.B. USE OF OTHER PROGRAMS’ INCOME DETERMINATIONS
[24 CFR 5.609(c)(3) and Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHAs may, but are not required to, determine a family’s annual income, including income from assets, prior to the application of any deductions, based on income determinations made within the previous 12-month period, using income determinations from means-tested federal public assistance programs. PHAs are not required to accept or use determinations of income from other federal means-tested forms of assistance. If the PHA adopts a policy to accept this type of verification, the PHA must establish in policy when they will accept Safe Harbor income determinations and from which programs. PHAs must also create policies that outline the course of action when families present multiple verifications from the same or different acceptable Safe Harbor programs. Means-tested federal public assistance programs include:
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (42 U.S.C. 601, et seq.); • Medicaid (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.);
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (26 U.S.C. 32);
• Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program (26 U.S.C. 42); • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) (42 U.S.C. 1786);
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); • Other programs administered by the HUD Secretary;
• Other means-tested forms of federal public assistance for which HUD has established a memorandum of understanding; and
• Other federal benefit determinations made in other forms of means-tested federal public assistance that the Secretary determines to have comparable reliability and announces through the Federal Register.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

If the PHA elects to use the annual income determination from one of the above-listed forms of means-tested federal public assistance, then they must obtain the income information by means of a third-party verification. The third-party verification must state the family size, must be for the entire family, and must state the amount of the family’s annual income. The annual income need not be broken down by family member or income type. Annual income includes income earned from assets, therefore when using Safe Harbor to verify a family’s income, PHAs will neither further inquire about a family’s net family assets, nor about the income earned from those assets, except with respect to whether or not the family owns assets that exceed the asset limitation in 24 CFR 5.618. The Safe Harbor documentation will be considered acceptable if any of the following dates fall into the 12-month period prior to the receipt of the documentation by the PHA:
• Income determination effective date;
• Program administrator’s signature date;
• Family’s signature date;
• Report effective date; or
• Other report-specific dates that verify the income determination date.

The only information that PHAs are permitted to use to determine income under this method is the total income determination made by the federal means-tested program administrator. Other federal programs may provide additional information about income inclusions and exclusions in their award letters; however, these determinations and any other information must not be considered by the PHA. PHAs are not permitted to mix and match Safe Harbor income determinations and other income verifications.

If the PHA is unable to obtain Safe Harbor documentation or if the family disputes the other program’s income determination, the PHA must calculate the family’s annual income using traditional methods as outlined in Notice PIH 2023-27 and this chapter.

If the PHA uses a Safe Harbor determination to determine the family’s income, the family is obligated to report changes in income that meet the PHA’s reporting requirement and occur after the effective date of the transaction.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

The amounts of unreimbursed reasonable attendant care expenses and child-care expenses deducted from a family’s annual income, except for when a family is approved for a child-care expense hardship exemption, must still be capped by the amount earned by any family member who is enabled to work as a result of the expense. PHAs are therefore required to obtain thirdparty verification of the applicable employment income and cap the respective expense deductions accordingly.

HACN Policy
The PHA will not accept verification from other federal assistance programs. All income will be verified in accordance with the requirements of HUD’s verification hierarchy and PHA policies in this chapter
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.C. STREAMLINED INCOME DETERMINATIONS [24 CFR 960.257(c); Notice PIH 2023-27]
HUD permits PHAs to streamline the income determination process for family members with fixed sources of income. While third-party verification of all income sources must be obtained during the intake process and every three years thereafter, in the intervening years, the PHA may determine income from fixed sources by applying a verified cost of living adjustment (COLA) or other inflationary adjustment factor. Streamlining policies are optional. The PHA may, however, obtain third-party verification of all income, regardless of the source. Further, upon request of the family, the PHA must perform third-party verification of all income sources.

Fixed sources of income include Social Security and SSI benefits, pensions, annuities, disability or death benefits, and other sources of income subject to a COLA or rate of interest. The determination of fixed income may be streamlined even if the family also receives income from other non-fixed sources.

Two streamlining options are available, depending upon the percentage of the family’s income that is received from fixed sources.

When 90 percent or more of a family’s unadjusted income is from fixed sources, the PHA may apply the inflationary adjustment factor to the family’s fixed-income sources, provided that the family certifies both that 90 percent or more of their unadjusted income is fixed and that their sources of fixed income have not changed from the previous year. Sources of non-fixed income are not required to be adjusted and must not be adjusted by a COLA, but PHAs may choose to adjust sources of non-fixed income based on third-party verification. PHAs have the discretion to either adjust the non-fixed income or carry over the calculation of non-fixed income from the first year to years two and three.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

When less than 90 percent of a family’s unadjusted income consists of fixed income, PHAs may apply a COLA to each of the family’s sources of fixed income. PHAs must determine all other income using standard verification requirements as outlined in Notice PIH 2023-27.

HACN Policy
The PHA chooses not to streamline the annual reexamination process for fixed-income sources. The PHA will obtain third-party verification, where applicable, of all sources of income annually in accordance with PHA policies in the chapter and HUD regulations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.D. VERIFICATION HIERARCHY [Notice PIH 2023-27]
When the PHA does not use a streamlined determination of income or an income determination from a means-tested federal assistance program, HUD requires the PHA to obtain third-party verification of:
• Reported family annual income;
• The value of net family assets when the net value exceeds the HUD-published threshold, as listed in HUD’s Inflation-Adjusted Values tables
• Expenses related to deductions from annual income; and • Other factors that affect the determination of adjusted income.

HUD mandates the use of the EIV system and offers administrative guidance on the use of other methods to verify family information and specifies the circumstances in which each method will be used. In general, HUD requires the PHA to use the most reliable form of verification that is available and to document the reasons when the PHA uses a lesser form of verification.

HUD developed a hierarchy that described verification documentation from most acceptable to least acceptable. The PHA must demonstrate efforts to obtain third party verification prior to accepting self-certification except instances when self-certification is explicitly allowed.

In order of priority, the hierarchy is:
• Highest: Level 6: Up-front Income Verification (UIV) using HUD’s Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system
• Highest: Level 5: Up-front Income Verification (UIV) using a non-EIV system • High: Level 4:
- Written third-party verification from the source, also known as “tenant-provided verification”
- Or EIV plus self-certification
• Medium: Level 3: Written third-party verification form • Medium: Level 2: Oral third-party verification
• Low: Level 1: Self-certification (not third-party verification) Each of the verification methods is discussed in subsequent sections below.

File Documentation
The PHA must document in the file how the figures used in income and rent calculations were determined. All verification attempts, information obtained, and decisions reached during the verification process will be recorded in the family’s file in sufficient detail to demonstrate that the PHA has followed all of the verification policies set forth in this ACOP. The record should be sufficient to enable a staff member or HUD reviewer to understand the process followed and conclusions reached.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.E. LEVEL 5 AND 6 VERIFICATION: UP-FRONT INCOME VERIFICATION (UIV) Up-front income verification (UIV) refers to the PHA’s use of the verification tools available from independent sources that maintain computerized information about earnings and benefits for a number of individuals. PHAs may use UIV sources before or during a family reexamination.

UIV will be used to the extent that these systems are available to the PHA.

There may be legitimate differences between the information provided by the family and UIVgenerated information. If the family disputes the accuracy of UIV data, no adverse action can be taken until the PHA has independently verified the UIV information and the family has been granted the opportunity to contest any adverse findings through the PHA's informal review/hearing processes.

HUD’s Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System
PHAs must use HUD’s EIV system in its entirety as a third-party source to verify tenant employment and income information during annual and streamlined reexaminations of family composition and income in accordance with 24 CFR 5.236 and Notice PIH 2023-27.

HUD’s EIV system contains data showing earned income, unemployment benefits, social security benefits, and SSI benefits for participant families.

The income validation tool (IVT) in EIV provides projections of discrepant income for wages, unemployment compensation, and SSA benefits pursuant to HUD’s data sharing agreements with other departments.

The following policies apply to the use of HUD’s EIV system.

EIV Income and IVT Reports
PHAs are required to obtain an EIV Income report for each family any time the PHA conducts an annual reexamination. However, PHAs are not required to use the EIV Income reports:
• At annual reexamination if the PHA used Safe Harbor verification from another means-tested federal assistance program to determine the family’s income; or • During any interim reexaminations.

The EIV Income reports is also not available for program applicants at admission.

When required to use the EIV Income Report, in order for the report to be considered current, the PHA must pull the report within 120 days of the effective date of the annual reexamination.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

The EIV Income Report may be used to verify and calculate income at annual reexamination if the family self-certifies that the amount is accurate and representative of current income. The family must be provided with the information in EIV.

HACN Policy
Except for when Safe Harbor verification from another means-tested federal assistance program is used to determine the family’s annual income, the PHA will obtain an EIV Income report for all annual reexaminations for all families on a monthly basis. Reports will be generated as part of the regular reexamination process. The PHA will ensure that all EIV Income Reports are pulled within 120 days of the effective date of the annual reexamination.

Income report will only be used for interim reexaminations as necessary. For example, EIV may be used to verify that families claiming zero income are not receiving income from any sources listed in EIV.

Income report will be retained in resident files with the applicable annual documents or interim reexamination documents (if applicable) for the duration of tenancy.

When the PHA determines through EIV reports and third-party verification that a family has concealed or under-reported income, corrective action will be taken pursuant to the policies in Chapter 15, Program Integrity.

New Hires Report [Notice PIH 2023-27]
The New Hires Report identifies participant families who have new employment within the last six months. The report is updated monthly.

PHAs must review this information at annual reexamination except when the PHA uses Safe Harbor verification from another means-tested federal assistance program to determine the family’s income.

PHAs that do not require families to undergo interim reexaminations for earned income increases after an interim decrease are not required to review this report between a family’s annual reexamination. If the PHA requires an interim for increases in earned income after an interim decrease, then the PHA must review the report quarterly after the family’s interim decrease.

HACN Policy
In accordance with PHA policies in Chapter 9, the PHA processes interim reexaminations for families who have increases in earned income. Except for instances in which the PHA uses Safe Harbor income determinations to determine a family’s annual income, the PHA will review the report at least quarterly.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

No Income Reported by HHS or SSA Report
This report is a tool for PHAs to identify participants who passed the SSA identity test, but no income information was reported by either HHS or SSA records. This scenario does not mean that they tenant does not have any income. PHAs obtain written, third-party verification of any income reported by the tenant. The PHA must identify in its policies and procedures when this report will be pulled [Notice PIH 2023-27].

HACN Policy
The PHA will generate the No Income Reported by HHS or SSA Report at least quarterly and will retain the report.

The PHA will re-verify the status of tenants identified on the report quarterly. Based on the information provided by the family and in EIV, the PHA may require that family members provide verifications or sign release forms in order to obtain additional verification.

When the PHA determines through this report and third-party verification that a family has concealed or under-reported income, corrective action will be taken pursuant to the policies in Chapter 15, Program Integrity.

EIV Identity Verification Report
The EIV system verifies resident identities against Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

These records are compared to HUD data for a match on social security number, name, and date of birth.

PHAs are required to use EIV’s Identity Verification Report on a monthly basis to improve the availability of income information in EIV [Notice PIH 2023-27].

When identity verification for a resident fails, a message will be displayed within the EIV system and no income information will be displayed.

HACN Policy
The PHA will identify residents whose identity verification has failed by reviewing EIV’s Identity Verification Report on a monthly basis.

The PHA will attempt to resolve discrepancies by obtaining appropriate documentation from the tenant. When the PHA determines that discrepancies exist as a result of PHA errors, such as spelling errors or incorrect birth dates, it will correct the errors promptly.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Deceased Tenants Reports [Notice PIH 2012-4 and Notice PIH 2023-27] The Deceased Tenant Report identifies residents that have been reported by the SSA as deceased. The PHA is required to review the report at least quarterly.

HACN Policy
The PHA will review the Deceased Tenants Report on a monthly basis.

When the Deceased Tenants Report identifies an individual as being deceased, PHAs must immediately send a letter to the head of household or emergency contact person (if the head of household is deceased and there is no other adult household member) to confirm the death of the listed household member. The PHA must conduct a home visit to determine if anyone is residing in the unit.

PHAs are required to list the move-out date for the family as of the date on which the family or designee of the deceased tenant’s estate returned the keys and signed a vacate notice; the date the public housing lease was terminated; or the date the PHA legally regained possession of the unit, whichever occurs first.

When the only remaining household member is the live-in aide, the live-in aide is not entitled or eligible for continued occupancy. The PHA may not designate the live-in aide as the new head of household or change the relation code on the Form HUD-50058.

Other EIV Reports [Notice PIH 2023-27]
The PHA is required to review the Multiple Subsidy Report at least quarterly and the Failed EIV Pre-Screening and Failed Verification (Failed SSA Identity Test) reports at least monthly.

Upfront Income Verification Using Non-HUD Systems
HUD encourages PHAs to utilize other upfront verification sources such as the Work Number and web-based state benefits systems.

HACN Policy
The PHA does not utilize other upfront verification sources.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.F. LEVEL 4 VERIFICATION [Notice PIH 2023-27]
HUD identifies two types of Level 4 verification: written-third party verification from the source and EIV + self-certification.

EIV + Self-Certification
EIV may be used as written third-party verification and may be used to calculate income if the family agrees with the information in EIV and self-certifies that the amount is accurate and representative of current income. This practice is known as EIV + self-certification. When calculating income using this method, the PHA may use its discretion to determine which method of calculation is reasonable: the last four quarters combined or an average of any number of quarters. The family must be provided with the information from EIV.

HACN Policy
At annual reexamination, if the PHA is unable to use a determination of income from a means-tested federal assistance program and if there are no reported changes to an income source, the PHA will use EIV + self-certification as verification of employment income, provided the family agrees with the amounts listed in EIV.

The PHA may use an average of the last two quarters of income listed in EIV to determine income from employment. The PHA will provide the family with the information in EIV. The family will be required to sign a self-certification stating that the amount listed in EIV is accurate and representative of current income. If the family disagrees with using only the last two quarters of income listed in EIV, because of the seasonal or otherwise fluctuating nature of a particular family member’s employment, the PHA will permit the family to sign a self-certification stating that the average of all four quarters of income listed in EIV is accurate and representative of current annual income and use that amount for calculating annual income. If the family disagrees and contends that the amount listed in EIV is not reflective of current income, or if less than two quarters are available in EIV, the PHA will use written third-party verification from the source as outlined below
The PHA will not use this method of verification at new admission since EIV is not available for applicant families or at interim reexamination since the income information in EIV is not current.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Written Third-Party Verification from the Source
Written, third-party verification from the source is also known as “tenant-provided verification.” In order to qualify as written-third party verification from the source, the documents must be original or authentic and (generally) dated within 120 days of the date received by the PHA. For fixed-income sources, a statement dated within the appropriate benefit year is acceptable documentation. The PHA may use the verification obtained during an interim reexamination for an annual reexamination if there have been no other changes to annual income since the interim reexamination. Documents may be supplied by the family or received from a third-party source.

Examples of acceptable tenant-provided documents include, but are not limited to pay stubs, payroll summary reports, employer notice or letters of hire and termination, SSA benefit verification letters, bank statements, child support payment stubs, welfare benefit letters and/or printouts, and unemployment monetary benefit notices. Income tax returns with corresponding official tax forms and schedules attached and including third-party receipt of transmission for income tax return filed (i.e., tax preparer’s transmittal receipt, summary of transmittal from online source, etc.) are an acceptable form of written, third-party verification.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

The PHA is required to obtain, at minimum, two current and consecutive pay stubs when calculating income using third-party verification from the source. For new income sources or when two pay stubs are not available, the PHA should determine income based on the information from a traditional written, third-party verification form or the best available information.

When the family disputes EIV-reported employment income, the PHA uses written third-party verification.

When verification of assets is required, PHAs are required to obtain a minimum of one statement that reflects the current balance of banking/financial accounts.

HACN Policy
In general, the PHA will use third-party verification from the source in the following circumstances:

At annual reexamination when EIV + self-certification is not used; For all new admissions; and
For all interim reexaminations.

The PHA will not use this method if the PHA is able to use an income determination from a means-tested federal assistance program or if the PHA uses EIV + selfcertification as outlined above.

In general, third-party documents provided by the family or the source must be dated within 120 days of the date received by the PHA. However, for fixed-income sources, a statement dated within the appropriate benefit year is acceptable documentation.

The PHA may reject documentation provided by the family if the document is not an original, if the document appears to be forged, or if the document is altered, mutilated, or illegible. If the PHA determines that third-party documents provided by the family are not acceptable, the PHA will explain the reason to the family and request additional documentation from the family or will use a lower form of verification such as a written third-party verification form.

When verification of assets held by a banking or financial institution is required, the PHA will obtain one statement that reflects the current balance of the account.

When pay stubs are used, the PHA will require the family to provide the two most current, consecutive pay stubs. At the PHA’s discretion, if additional paystubs are needed due to the family’s circumstances (e.g., sporadic income, fluctuating schedule, etc.), the PHA may request additional paystubs or a payroll record.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.G. LEVEL 3 VERIFICATION: WRITTEN, THIRD-PARTY FORM
[Notice PIH 2023-27]
This type of verification is a form developed by the PHA and used uniformly for all families when needed to collect information from a third-party source. This is known as “traditional thirdparty verification.” PHAs send a PHA-developed form directly to the third-party source by mail, fax, or email and the source completes the form by hand (in writing or typeset).

The PHA may use this method when higher forms are unavailable or are rejected by the PHA or when the family is unable to provide acceptable verification. The PHA may skip this level of verification and may instead substitute oral third-party verification before moving to selfcertification.

HACN Policy
Typically, the PHA will attempt to send written third-party verification forms to the verification source whenever higher forms of verification are unavailable.

However, on a case-by-case basis, the PHA may choose to obtain oral third-party verification without first attempting, and in lieu of, a written-third party verification form.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.H. LEVEL 2: ORAL THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION [Notice PIH 2023-27] For third-party oral verification, PHAs contact sources, identified by UIV techniques or by the family, by telephone or in person.

Third-party oral verification may be used when requests for written third-party verification forms have not been returned within a reasonable time—e.g., 10 business days.

PHAs must document in the file the date and time of the telephone call or visit, the name of the person contacted, the telephone number, as well as the information confirmed.

The PHA may skip this level of verification if they attempted written third-party verification via a form and the source did not respond and move directly to self-certification.

HACN Policy
In general, the PHA will attempt to obtain written third-party verification via a form from the verification source. If written third-party verification forms are not returned within 10 business days, the PHA will accept self-certification from the family without attempting to obtain oral third-party verification.

However, if the PHA chooses to obtain oral third-party verification, the PHA will document in the file the date and time of the telephone call or visit, the name of the person contacted and the telephone number, as well as the information confirmed.

When Third-Party Verification is Not Required [Notice PIH 2023-27] Third-party verification may not be available in all situations. HUD has acknowledged that it may not be cost-effective or reasonable to obtain third-party verification of income, assets, or expenses when these items would have a minimal impact on the family’s total tenant payment.

HACN Policy
If the family cannot provide original documents, the PHA will pay the service charge required to obtain third-party verification, unless it is not cost effective in which case a self-certification will be acceptable as the only means of verification. The cost of verification will not be passed on to the family.

The cost of postage and envelopes to obtain third-party verification of income, assets, and expenses is not an unreasonable cost [VG, p. 18].

Primary Documents
Third-party verification is not required when legal documents are the primary source, such as a birth certificate or other legal documentation of birth.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-I.I. LEVEL 1: NON-THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION TECHNIQUE: SELFCERTIFICATION [Notice PIH 2023-27] Non-third-party verification consists of a signed statement of reported income and/or expenses.

This verification method should be used as a last resort when the PHA has not been successful in obtaining information via all other required verification techniques.

Self-certification, however, is an acceptable form of verification when:
• A source of income is fully excluded;
• Net family assets are less than or equal to the HUD-published and the PHA has adopted a policy to accept self-certification;
• The family declares that they do not have any present ownership in any real property; • A family reports zero income;
• A family states that they have non-recurring income that will not be repeated in the coming year; and/or
• The PHA has adopted a policy to implement streamlined verifications for fixed sources of income.

When the PHA was required to obtain third-party verification but instead relies on selfcertification, the family’s file must be documented to explain why third-party verification was not available.

HUD does not require that a self-certification be notarized; however, HUD recommends including language on any self-certification to ensure the certifier understands the consequences of knowingly providing false information.

HACN Policy
When information cannot be verified by a third party or by review of documents, family members will be required to submit self-certifications attesting to the accuracy of the information they have provided to the PHA.

The PHA may require a family to certify that a family member does not receive a particular type of income or benefit.

The self-certification must be made in a format acceptable to the PHA and must be signed by the family member whose information or status is being verified.

All self-certifications will include the following language:
“I/We, the undersigned, certify under penalty of perjury that the information provided here is true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and recollection. WARNING:

Anyone who knowingly submits a false claim or knowingly makes a false statement is subject to criminal and/or civil penalties, including confinement for up to five years, fines, and civil and administrative penalties (18 U.S.C. 287, 1001, 1010, 1012; 31 U.S.C. 3279, 3802).”
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART II: VERIFYING FAMILY INFORMATION
7-II.A. VERIFICATION OF LEGAL IDENTITY
HACN Policy
The PHA will require families to furnish verification of legal identity for each household member.

Verification of Legal Identity for Adults Verification of Legal Identity for Children
Certificate of birth, naturalization papers
Church issued baptismal certificate
Current, valid driver’s license or
Department of Motor Vehicle
identification card
U.S. military discharge (DD 214)
Current U.S. passport
Current government employer
identification card with picture
Certificate of birth
Adoption papers
Custody agreement
Health and Human Services ID
Certified school records
If a document submitted by a family is illegible for any reason or otherwise questionable, more than one of these documents may be required.

If none of these documents can be provided and at the PHA’s discretion, a third party who knows the person may attest to the person’s identity. The certification must be provided in a format acceptable to the PHA and be signed by the family member whose information or status is being verified.

Legal identity will be verified for all applicants at the time of eligibility determination and in cases where the PHA has reason to doubt the identity of a person representing themselves to be a tenant or a member of a tenant family.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-II.B. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS [24 CFR 5.216 and Notice PIH 2023-27] The family must provide documentation of a valid Social Security number (SSN) for each member of the household, with the exception of individuals who do not contend eligible immigration status. Exemptions also include, existing residents who were at least 62 years of age as of January 31, 2010, and had not previously disclosed an SSN.

The PHA must accept the following documentation as acceptable evidence of the social security number:
• An original SSN card issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) • An original SSA-issued document, which contains the name and SSN of the individual • An original document issued by a federal, state, or local government agency, which contains the name and SSN of the individual
While PHAs must attempt to gather third-party verification of SSNs prior to admission as listed above, PHAs also have the option of accepting a self-certification and a third-party document (such as a bank statement, utility or cell phone bill, or benefit letter) with the applicant’s name printed on it to satisfy the SSN disclosure requirement if the PHA has exhausted all other attempts to obtain the required documentation. If verifying an individual’s SSN using this method, the PHA must document why the other SSN documentation was not available.

If the tenant’s SSN becomes verified in EIV, then no further verification is required. If the tenant’s SSN fails the SSA identity match, then the PHA must obtain a valid SSN card issued by the SSA or an original document issued by a federal or state government agency that contains the name of the individual and the SSN of the individual, along with other identifying information of the individual. The tenant’s assistance must be terminated if they fail to provide the required documentation.

HACN Policy
The PHA will verify an individual’s SSN in the situations described above using the method described above as a last resort when no other forms of verification of the individual’s SSN are available.

The PHA may only reject documentation of an SSN provided by an applicant or resident if the document is not an original document, if the original document has been altered, mutilated, is illegible, or if the document appears to be forged.

HACN Policy
The PHA will explain to the applicant or resident the reasons the document is not acceptable and request that the individual obtain and submit acceptable documentation of the SSN to the PHA within 90 days.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

If an applicant family includes a child under 6 years of age who joined the household within the 6 months prior to the date of program admission, an otherwise eligible family may be admitted and must provide documentation of the child’s SSN within 90 days. A 90-day extension will be granted if the PHA determines that the resident’s failure to comply was due to unforeseen circumstances and was outside of the resident’s control.

HACN Policy
The PHA will grant one additional 90-day extension if needed for reasons beyond the applicant’s control, such as delayed processing of the SSN application by the SSA, natural disaster, fire, death in the family, or other emergency.

When a resident requests to add a new household member who is at least 6 years of age, or who is under the age of 6 and has an SSN, the resident must provide the complete and accurate SSN assigned to each new member at the time of reexamination or recertification, in addition to the documentation required to verify it. The PHA may not add the new household member until such documentation is provided.

When a resident requests to add a new household member who is under the age of 6 and has not been assigned an SSN, the resident must provide the SSN assigned to each new child and the required documentation within 90 calendar days of the child being added to the household. A 90- day extension will be granted if the PHA determines that the resident’s failure to comply was due to unforeseen circumstances and was outside of the resident’s control. During the period the PHA is awaiting documentation of the SSN, the child will be counted as part of the assisted household.

HACN Policy
The PHA will grant one additional 90-day extension if needed for reasons beyond the resident’s control such as delayed processing of the SSN application by the SSA, natural disaster, fire, death in the family, or other emergency.

Social security numbers must be verified only once during continuously assisted occupancy.

HACN Policy
The PHA will verify each disclosed SSN by:

Obtaining documentation from applicants and residents that is acceptable as evidence of social security numbers
Making a copy of the original documentation submitted, returning it to the individual, and retaining a copy in the file folder
Once the individual’s verification status is classified as “verified,” the PHA may, at its discretion, remove and destroy copies of documentation accepted as evidence of social security numbers. The retention of the EIV Summary Report or Income Report is adequate documentation of an individual’s SSN.

HACN Policy
Once an individual’s status is classified as “verified” in HUD’s EIV system, the PHA will not remove and destroy copies of documentation accepted as evidence of social security numbers.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-II.C. DOCUMENTATION OF AGE
A birth certificate or other official record of birth is the preferred form of age verification for all family members. For elderly family members an original document that provides evidence of the receipt of social security retirement benefits is acceptable.

HACN Policy
If an official record of birth or evidence of social security retirement benefits cannot be provided, the PHA will require the family to submit other documents that support the reported age of the family member (e.g., school records, driver's license if birth year is recorded) and to provide a self-certification.

Age must be verified only once during continuously assisted occupancy.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-II.D. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Applicants and tenants are required to identify the relationship of each household member to the head of household. Definitions of the primary household relationships are provided in the Eligibility chapter.

HACN Policy
Family relationships are verified only to the extent necessary to determine a family’s eligibility and level of assistance. Certification by the head of household normally is sufficient verification of family relationships.

Marriage
HACN Policy
Certification by the head of household is normally sufficient verification. If the PHA has reasonable doubts about a marital relationship, the PHA will require the family to document the marriage with a marriage certificate or other documentation to verify that the couple is married.

In the case of a common law marriage, the couple must demonstrate that they hold themselves to be married (e.g., by telling the community they are married, calling each other husband and wife, using the same last name, filing joint income tax returns).

Separation or Divorce
HACN Policy
Certification by the head of household is normally sufficient verification. If the PHA has reasonable doubts about a divorce or separation, the PHA will require the family to provide documentation of the divorce or separation with a certified copy of a divorce decree, signed by a court officer; a copy of a court-ordered maintenance or other court record; or other documentation that shows a couple is divorced or separated.

If no court document is available, documentation from a community-based agency will be accepted.

Absence of Adult Member
HACN Policy
If an adult member who was formerly a member of the household is reported to be permanently absent, the family must provide evidence to support that the person is no longer a member of the family (e.g., documentation of another address at which the person resides such as a lease or utility bill), if the PHA so requests.

Foster Children and Foster Adults
HACN Policy
Third-party verification from the state or local government agency responsible for the placement of the individual with the family is required.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-II.E. VERIFICATION OF STUDENT STATUS
HACN Policy
The PHA requires families to provide information about the student status of all students who are 18 years of age or older. This information will be verified only if:

The family claims full-time student status for an adult other than the head, spouse, or cohead, or
The family claims a childcare deduction to enable a family member to further their education.
7-II.F. DOCUMENTATION OF DISABILITY
The PHA must verify the existence of a disability in order to allow certain income disallowances and deductions from income. The PHA is not permitted to inquire about the nature or extent of a person’s disability [24 CFR 100.202(c)]. The PHA may not inquire about a person’s diagnosis or details of treatment for a disability or medical condition. If the PHA receives a verification document that provides such information, the PHA will not place this information in the tenant file. Under no circumstances will the PHA request a resident’s medical record(s). For more information on health care privacy laws, see the Department of Health and Human Services’ Web site at www.os.dhhs.gov.

The PHA may make the following inquiries, provided it makes them of all applicants, whether or not they are persons with disabilities [VG, p. 24]:
• Inquiry into an applicant’s ability to meet the requirements of ownership or tenancy • Inquiry to determine whether an applicant is qualified for a dwelling available only to persons with disabilities or to persons with a particular type of disability • Inquiry to determine whether an applicant for a dwelling is qualified for a priority available to persons with disabilities or to persons with a particular type of disability • Inquiry about whether an applicant for a dwelling is a current illegal abuser or addict of a controlled substance
• Inquiry about whether an applicant has been convicted of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Family Members Receiving SSA Disability Benefits
Verification of receipt of disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) is sufficient for verification of disability for the purpose of qualification for waiting list preferences or certain income disallowances and deductions [VG, p. 23].

HACN Policy
For family members claiming disability who receive disability payments from the SSA, the PHA will attempt to obtain information about disability benefits through HUD’s Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system. If documentation is not available through HUD’s EIV system, the PHA will request a current (dated within the appropriate SSA benefit verification letter from each family member claiming disability status. If a family member is unable to provide the document, the PHA will ask the family to obtain a benefit verification letter either by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or by requesting one from www.ssa.gov. Once the family receives the benefit verification letter, they will be required to provide the letter to the PHA.

Family Members Not Receiving SSA Disability Benefits
Receipt of veteran’s disability benefits, worker’s compensation, or other non-SSA benefits based on the individual’s claimed disability are not sufficient verification that the individual meets HUD’s definition of disability in 24 CFR 5.403, necessary to qualify for waiting list preferences or certain income disallowances and deductions.

HACN Policy
For family members claiming disability who do not receive SSI or other disability payments from the SSA, a knowledgeable professional must provide third-party verification that the family member meets the HUD definition of disability. See the Eligibility chapter for the HUD definition of disability. The knowledgeable professional will verify whether the family member does or does not meet the HUD definition.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-II.G. CITIZENSHIP OR ELIGIBLE IMMIGRATION STATUS [24 CFR 5.508] Overview
Housing assistance is not available to persons who are not citizens, nationals, or eligible immigrants. Prorated assistance is provided for "mixed families" containing both eligible and ineligible persons. See the Eligibility chapter for detailed discussion of eligibility requirements.

This chapter (7) discusses HUD and PHA verification requirements related to citizenship status.

The family must provide a certification that identifies each family member as a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, an eligible noncitizen or an ineligible noncitizen and submit the documents discussed below for each family member. Once eligibility to receive assistance has been verified for an individual it need not be collected or verified again during continuously-assisted occupancy [24 CFR 5.508(g)(5)]
U.S. Citizens and Nationals
HUD requires a declaration for each family member who claims to be a U.S. citizen or national.

The declaration must be signed personally by any family member 18 or older and by a guardian for minors.

The PHA may request verification of the declaration by requiring presentation of a birth certificate, United States passport or other appropriate documentation.

HACN Policy
Family members who claim U.S. citizenship or national status will not be required to provide additional documentation unless the PHA receives information indicating that an individual’s declaration may not be accurate.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Eligible Immigrants
Documents Required
All family members claiming eligible immigration status must declare their status in the same manner as U.S. citizens and nationals.

The documentation required for eligible noncitizens varies depending upon factors such as the date the person entered the U.S., the conditions under which eligible immigration status has been granted, age, and the date on which the family began receiving HUD-funded assistance. Exhibit 7-1 at the end of this chapter summarizes documents family members must provide.

PHA Verification [HCV GB, pp 5-3 and 5-7]
For family members age 62 or older who claim to be eligible immigrants, proof of age is required in the manner described in 7-II.C. of this ACOP. No further verification of eligible immigration status is required.

For family members under the age of 62 who claim to be eligible immigrants, the PHA must verify immigration status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The PHA will follow all USCIS protocols for verification of eligible immigration status. 7-II.H. VERIFICATION OF PREFERENCE STATUS
The PHA must verify any preferences claimed by an applicant that determined their placement on the waiting list.

HACN Policy
The PHA offers a preference for working families, described in Section 4-III.B.

The PHA may verify that the family qualifies for the working family preference based on the family’s submission of the working member’s most recent paycheck stub indicating that the working member works at least 20 hours per week. The paycheck stub must have been issued to the working member within the last thirty days.

The PHA may also seek third party verification from the employer of the head, spouse, cohead or sole member of a family requesting a preference as a working family.

The PHA also offers a preference for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking as described in Section 4-III.B. To verify that applicants qualify for the preference, the PHA will follow documentation requirements outlined in Section 16-VII.D.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART III: VERIFYING INCOME AND ASSETS
7-III.A. EARNED INCOME
Tips
HACN Policy
Unless tip income is included in a family member’s paystub or W-2 by the employer or in UIV verification sources, persons who work in industries where tips are standard will be required to sign a certified estimate of tips received for the prior year or tips anticipated to be received in the coming year.

Wages
HACN Policy
When the PHA requires third-party verification of wages, for wages other than tips, the family must provide originals of the two most current, consecutive pay stubs.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.B. BUSINESS AND SELF EMPLOYMENT INCOME
The PHA must obtain written, third-party verification when the income type is not available in EIV. This includes income from self-employment.

HACN Policy
Business owners and self-employed persons will be required to provide:

Income tax returns with corresponding official tax forms and schedules attached and including third-party receipt of transmission for income tax return filed (i.e., tax preparer’s transmittal receipt, summary of transmittal from online source, etc.).

If accelerated depreciation was used on the tax return or financial statement, an accountant's calculation of depreciation expense, computed using straight-line depreciation rules.

For self-employed individuals who claim they do not have to file tax returns, the PHA will obtain a completed copy of IRS Form 4506-T to verify that no return has been filed.

For those employed in “gig employment” (i.e., those in formal agreements with ondemand companies such as Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash), the PHA will provide a format for the individual to declare their income and expenses. The PHA will also review the printed statement of monthly income from the applicable app for all hours worked and pay received as well as Schedule C of the individual’s tax return and the corresponding IRS Form 1099 or 1099k.

The PHA will provide a format for any person who is unable to provide such a statement to record income and expenses for the coming year. The business owner/self-employed person will be required to submit the information requested and to certify to its accuracy at all future reexaminations. At any reexamination the PHA may request documents that support submitted financial statements such as manifests, appointment books, cash books, or bank statements.

If a family member has been self-employed less than three (3) months, the PHA will accept the family member's certified estimate of income and schedule an interim reexamination in three (3) months. If the family member has been self-employed for three (3) to twelve (12) months, the PHA will require the family to provide documentation of income and expenses for this period and use that information to project income.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.C. PERIODIC PAYMENTS AND PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF EARNINGS For policies governing streamlined income determinations for fixed sources of income, please see Chapter 9.

Social Security/SSI Benefits
Verification requirements for Social Security (SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits differ for applicants and participants.

For applicants, since EIV does not contain SS or SSI benefit information, the PHA must ask applicants to provide a copy of their current SS and/or SSI benefit letter (dated within the appropriate) for each family member that receives SS and/or SSI benefits. If the family is unable to provide the document or documents, the PHA should help the applicant request a benefit verification letter from SSA’s website at www.ssa.gov or ask the family to request one by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213. The PHA must obtain the original benefit letter from the applicant, make a photocopy of the document for the file, and return the original to the family.

For participants, the PHA must obtain information through the HUD EIV system and confirm with the participants that the current listed benefit amount is correct. • If the participant agrees with the amount reported in EIV, the PHA must use the EIVreported gross benefit amount to calculate annual income from Social Security. PHAs are required to use the EIV-reported SS and SSI benefit amounts when calculating income unless the tenant disputes the EIV-reported amount. For example, an SSA benefit letter may list the monthly benefit amount as $450.80 and EIV displays the amount as $450.00. The PHA must use the EIV-reported amount unless the participant disputes the amount. • If the participant disputes the EIV-reported benefit amount, or if benefit information is not available in EIV, the PHA must request a current SSA benefit verification letter (dated within the appropriate) from each family member that receives SS and/or SSI benefits. If the family is unable to provide the document or documents, the PHA should help the participant request a benefit verification letter from SSA’s website at www.ssa.gov or ask the family to request one by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213. The PHA must obtain the original benefit letter from the participant, make a photocopy of the document for the file, and return the original to the family.
• Photocopies of social security checks or bank statements are not acceptable forms of verification for SS/SSI benefits.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.D. ALIMONY OR CHILD SUPPORT [Notice PIH 2023-27]
Annual income includes “all amounts received,” not the amount that a family may be legally entitled to receive but which they do not receive. For example, a family’s child support or alimony income must be based on payments received, not the amounts to which the family is entitled by court or agency orders. A copy of a court order or other written payment agreement alone may not be sufficient verification of amounts received by a family.

HACN Policy
Verification will be obtained in the following order of priority:

Copies of the receipts and/or payment stubs for the 12 months prior to PHA request
Third-party verification form from the state or local child support enforcement agency
Third-party verification form from the person paying the support Family's self-certification of amount received
Note: Families are not required to undertake independent enforcement action. 7-III.E. NONRECURRING INCOME [Notice PIH 2023-27]
Income that will not be repeated beyond the coming year (i.e., the 12 months following the effective date of the certification), based on information provided by the family, is considered nonrecurring income and is excluded from annual income. PHAs may accept a self-certification from the family stating that the income will not be repeated in the coming year.

HACN Policy
The PHA will accept self-certification from the family stating that income will not be repeated in the coming year. However, the PHA may choose, on a case-by-case basis, to require third-party verification that income sources will not be repeated in the coming year.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.F. ASSETS AND INCOME FROM ASSETS
Net Family Assets [24 CFR 5.603]
At admission and reexam, for families with net assets totaling less than or equal to the HUDpublished threshold listed in HUD’s current year Inflation-Adjusted Values tables, the PHA may, but is not required to, accept the family’s self-certification that the family’s assets do not exceed the HUD-published threshold without taking any additional steps to verify the accuracy of the declaration. The declaration must include the amount of income the family expects to receive from assets which must be included in the family’s income. This includes declaring income from checking and savings accounts which, although excluded from the calculation of net family assets (because the combined value of non-necessary personal property does not exceed the HUD-published threshold ), may generate asset income. PHAs must clarify during the selfcertification process which assets are included/excluded from net family assets.

For PHAs that choose to accept self-certification, the PHA is required to obtain third-party verification of all assets, regardless of the amount, at least once every three years.

PHAs who choose not to accept self-certifications of assets must verify all families’ assets on an annual basis.

When net family assets have a total value over the HUD-published threshold, the PHA may not rely on the family’s self-certification. Third-party verification of assets is required when net family assets exceed the HUD-published threshold
When verification of assets is required, PHAs are required to obtain a minimum of one statement that reflects the current balance of banking/financial accounts.

HACN Policy
The PHA will obtain third-party verification of all assets regardless of the amount, however, the PHA may accept Self-Certification for individual assets if third-party verification is not available.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Self-Certification of Real Property Ownership [24 CFR 5.618(b)(2)] ); Notice PIH 2023-27] The PHA must determine whether a family has present ownership in real property that is suitable for occupancy for purposes of determining whether the family is compliant with the asset limitation described in Chapters 3 and 13. The PHA may accept a self-certification from the family stating that the family does not have any present ownership in any real property. If the family certifies that they do not have any present ownership interest in real property, the PHA may take that as sufficient to determine the family is not out of compliance with the real property restriction. If the family declares they have present ownership in real property, the PHA must obtain third-party verification of the family’s legal right to reside in the property, the effective legal authority to sell the property, and whether the property is suitable for occupancy by the family as a residence.

HACN Policy
The PHA will accept self-certification from the family stating that the family does not have any present ownership in any real property. The certification must be signed by all family members 18 years of age and older. The PHA reserves the right to require additional verification in situations where the accuracy of the declaration is in question.

If the family declares they have a present ownership in real property, the PHA will obtain third-party verification of the following factors: whether the family has the legal right to reside in the property; whether the family has effective legal authority to sell the property; and whether the property is suitable for occupancy by the family as a residence.

However, in cases where a family member is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking the PHA will comply with confidentiality requirements under 24 CFR 5.2007 and will accept a self-certification.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.G. NET INCOME FROM RENTAL PROPERTY
HACN Policy
The family must provide:

A current executed lease for the property that shows the rental amount or certification from the current tenant
A self-certification from the family members engaged in the rental of property providing an estimate of expenses for the coming year and the most recent IRS Form 1040 with Schedule E (Rental Income).

If schedule E was not prepared, the PHA will require the family members involved in the rental of property to provide a self-certification of income and expenses for the previous year and may request documentation to support the statement including: tax statements, insurance invoices, bills for reasonable maintenance and utilities, and bank statements or amortization schedules showing monthly interest expense.
7-III.H. FEDERAL TAX REFUNDS OR REFUNDABLE TAX CREDITS
[Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHAs are not required to verify the amount of the family’s federal tax refund or refundable tax credit(s) if the family’s net assets are equal to or below $50,000 (adjusted annually for inflation), even in years when full verification of assets is required or if the PHA does not accept selfcertification of assets. PHAs must verify the amount of the family’s federal tax refund or refundable tax credits if the family’s net assets are greater than $50,000. 7-III.I. RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
HACN Policy
The PHA will accept an original document from the entity holding the account dated no earlier than 12 months before that reflects any distributions of the account balance, any lump sums taken and any regular payments.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.K. INCOME FROM EXCLUDED SOURCES [Notice PIH 2023-27] A detailed discussion of excluded income is provided in Chapter 6, Part I.

HUD guidance on verification of excluded income draws a distinction between income which is fully excluded and income which is only partially excluded.

For fully excluded income, the PHA is not required to verify the income using third-party verification, document why third-party verification is not available, or report the income on the 50058. Fully excluded income is defined as income where the entire amount qualifies to be excluded from the annual income determination in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609(b) and any Federal Register notice on mandatory exclusions issued by HUD (for example, food stamps, earned income of a minor, or foster care funds).

PHAs may accept a family’s signed application or reexamination form as self-certification of fully excluded income. They do not have to require additional documentation. However, if there is any doubt that a source of income qualifies for full exclusion, PHAs have the option of requiring additional verification.

For partially excluded income, the PHA is required to follow the verification hierarchy and all applicable regulations, and to report the income on the 50058. Partially excluded income is defined as income where only a certain portion of what is reported by the family qualifies to be excluded and the remainder is included in annual income (for example, the income of an adult full-time student).

HACN Policy
The PHA will accept the family’s self-certification as verification of fully excluded income. The PHA may request additional documentation if necessary to document the income source.

The PHA will verify the source and amount of partially excluded income as described in Part 1 of this chapter.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.K. ZERO INCOME REVIEWS [Notice PIH 2023-27]
PHAs have discretion to establish reasonable procedures to manage the risk of unreported income, such as asking families to complete a zero-income worksheet at admission or periodically after admission to determine if they have any sources of unreported income or searching any UIV sources for unreported income
In calculating annual income, PHAs must not assign monetary value to nonmonetary in-kind donations from a food bank or similar organization received by the family [24 CFR

5.609(b)(24)(vi)].

PHAs may accept a self-certification of zero income from the family without taking any additional steps to verify zero reported income. HUD does not require such self-certifications be notarized.

PHAs that perform zero income reviews must update local discretionary policies, procedures, and forms. Families who begin receiving income which does not trigger an interim reexamination should no longer be considered zero income even though the family’s income is not reflected on the Form HUD-50058.

HACN Policy
The PHA will check UIV sources and/or may request information from third-party sources to verify that certain forms of income such as unemployment benefits, TANF, SS, SSI, earned income, child support, etc. are not being received by families claiming to have zero annual income.

The PHA will also require that each family member who claims zero income status complete a zero income form. If any sources of income are identified on the form, the PHA will verify the income in accordance with the policies in this chapter prior to including the income in the family’s annual income.

The PHA will only conduct interims in accordance with PHA policy in Chapter 9.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-III.M. STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE [24 CFR 5.609(b)(9)] The regulations under HOTMA distinguish between two categories of student financial assistance paid to both full-time and part-time students. Any other grant-in-aid, scholarship, or other assistance amounts an individual receives for the actual covered costs charged by the institute of higher education not otherwise excluded by the federally mandated income exclusions are included [24 CFR 5.609(b)(9)(ii)].

HACN Policy
The PHA will request written third-party verification of both the source and the amount of student financial assistance. Family-provided documents from the educational institution attended by the student will be requested, as well as documents generated by any other person or entity providing such assistance, as reported by the student.

In addition, unless the student’s only source of assistance is assistance under Title IV of the HEA, the PHA will request written verification of the cost of the student’s tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and other required fees and charges to the student from the educational institution.

If the PHA is unable to obtain third-party written verification of the requested information, the PHA will pursue other forms of verification following the verification hierarchy in section 7-I.B.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART IV: VERIFYING MANDATORY DEDUCTIONS
7-IV.A. DEPENDENT AND ELDERLY/DISABLED HOUSEHOLD DEDUCTIONS The dependent and elderly/disabled family deductions require only that the PHA verify that the family members identified as dependents or elderly/disabled persons meet the statutory definitions. No further verifications are required.

Dependent Deduction
See Chapter 6 for a full discussion of this deduction. The PHA will verify that:
• Any person under the age of 18 for whom the dependent deduction is claimed is not the head, spouse or cohead of the family and is not a foster child • Any person age 18 or older for whom the dependent deduction is claimed is not a foster adult or live-in aide, and is a person with a disability or a full time student Elderly/Disabled Family Deduction
See the Eligibility chapter for a definition of elderly and disabled families and Chapter 6 for a discussion of the deduction. The PHA will verify that the head, spouse, or cohead is 62 years of age or older or a person with disabilities.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-IV.B. HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE EXPENSE DEDUCTION
Policies related to medical expenses are found in Chapter 6. The amount of the deduction will be verified following the standard verification procedures described in Part I.

The PHA must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (, 110 Stat. 1936) and the Privacy Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-579, 88 Stat. 1896) when requesting documentation to determine unreimbursed health and medical care expenses. The PHA may not request documentation beyond what is sufficient to determine anticipated health and medical care costs. Before placing bills and documentation in the tenant file, the PHA must redact all personally identifiable information [FR Notice 2/14/23].

Amount of Expense
HACN Policy
Medical expenses will be verified through:

Written third-party documents provided by the family, such as pharmacy printouts or receipts.

The PHA will make a best effort to determine what expenses from the past are likely to continue to occur in the future. The PHA will also accept evidence of monthly payments or total payments that will be due for medical expenses during the upcoming 12 months.

Written third-party verification forms if the family is unable to provide acceptable documentation.

If third-party or document review is not possible, written family certification as to costs anticipated to be incurred during the upcoming 12 months.

Before placing bills and documentation in the tenant file, the PHA will redact all personally identifiable information.

If the PHA receives documentation from a verification source that contains the individual’s specific diagnosis, information regarding the individual’s treatment, and/or information regarding the nature or severity of the person’s disability, the PHA will immediately dispose of this confidential information; this information will never be maintained in the individual’s file. If the information needs to be disposed of, the PHA will note in the individual’s file that verification was received, the date received, and the name and address of the person/organization that provided the verification. Under no circumstances will PHA include an applicant’s or resident’s medical records in the file [Notice PIH 2010-26].

In addition, the PHA must verify that:
• The household is eligible for the deduction.
• The costs to be deducted are qualified health and medical care expenses. • The expenses are not paid for or reimbursed by any other source. • Costs incurred in past years are counted only once.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Eligible Household
The health and medical care expense deduction is permitted only for households in which the head, spouse, or cohead is at least 62 or a person with disabilities. The PHA will verify that the family meets the definition of an elderly or disabled family provided in the Eligibility chapter, and as described in Chapter 7 (7-IV.A) of this plan.

Qualified Expenses
To be eligible for the health and medical care expense deduction, the costs must qualify as medical expenses. See Chapter 6 for the PHA’s policy on what counts as a medical expense.

Unreimbursed Expenses
To be eligible for the health and medical care expense deduction, the costs must not be reimbursed by another source.

HACN Policy
The family will be required to certify that the medical expenses are not paid or reimbursed to the family from any source. If expenses are verified through a third party, the third party must certify that the expenses are not paid or reimbursed from any other source.

Expenses Incurred in Past Years
HACN Policy
When anticipated costs are related to on-going payment of medical bills incurred in past years, the PHA will verify:

The anticipated repayment schedule
The amounts paid in the past, and
Whether the amounts to be repaid have been deducted from the family’s annual income in past years
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-IV.C. DISABILITY ASSISTANCE EXPENSES
Policies related to disability assistance expenses are found in 6-II.E. The amount of the deduction will be verified following the standard verification procedures described in Part I.

The PHA must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Pub. L. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936) and the Privacy Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-579, 88 Stat. 1896) when requesting documentation to determine unreimbursed auxiliary apparatus or attendance care costs. The PHA may not request documentation beyond what is sufficient to determine anticipated reasonable attendant care and auxiliary apparatus costs. Before placing bills and documentation in the tenant file, the PHA must redact all personally identifiable information [FR Notice 2/14/23].

Amount of Expense
Attendant Care
HACN Policy
Expenses for attendant care will be verified through:

Written third-party documents provided by the family, such as receipts or cancelled checks.

Third-party verification form signed by the provider, if family-provided documents are not available.

If third-party verification is not possible, written family certification as to costs anticipated to be incurred for the upcoming 12 months.

Before placing bills and documentation in the tenant file, the PHA will redact all personally identifiable information.

If the PHA receives documentation from a verification source that contains the individual’s specific diagnosis, information regarding the individual’s treatment, and/or information regarding the nature or severity of the person’s disability, the PHA will immediately dispose of this confidential information; this information will never be maintained in the individual’s file. If the information needs to be disposed of, the PHA will note in the individual’s file that verification was received, the date received, and the name and address of the person/organization that provided the verification. Under no circumstances will PHA include an applicant’s or resident’s medical records in the file [Notice PIH 2010-26].

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Auxiliary Apparatus
HACN Policy
Expenses for auxiliary apparatus will be verified through:

Written third-party documents provided by the family, such as billing statements for purchase of auxiliary apparatus, or other evidence of monthly payments or total payments that will be due for the apparatus during the upcoming 12 months.

Third-party verification form signed by the provider, if family-provided documents are not available.

If third-party or document review is not possible, written family certification of estimated apparatus costs for the upcoming 12 months.

In addition, the PHA must verify that:
• The family member for whom the expense is incurred is a person with disabilities (as described in 7-II.F above).
• The expense permits a family member, or members, to work (as described in Chapter 6.). • The expense is not reimbursed from another source (as described in Chapter 6.).

Family Member is a Person with Disabilities
To be eligible for the disability assistance expense deduction, the costs must be incurred for attendant care or auxiliary apparatus expense associated with a person with disabilities. The PHA will verify that the expense is incurred for a person with disabilities (See 7-II.F.).

Family Member(s) Permitted to Work
The PHA must verify that the expenses claimed actually enable a family member, or members, (including the person with disabilities) to work.

HACN Policy
The PHA will request third-party verification from a rehabilitation agency or knowledgeable medical professional indicating that the person with disabilities requires attendant care or an auxiliary apparatus to be employed, or that the attendant care or auxiliary apparatus enables another family member, or members, to work (See 6-II.E.).

This documentation may be provided by the family.

If third-party verification has been attempted and is either unavailable or proves unsuccessful, the family must certify that the disability assistance expense frees a family member, or members (possibly including the family member receiving the assistance), to work.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Unreimbursed Expenses
To be eligible for the disability expenses deduction, the costs must not be reimbursed by another source.

HACN Policy
The family will be required to certify that attendant care or auxiliary apparatus expenses are not paid by or reimbursed to the family from any source.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

7-IV.D. CHILDCARE EXPENSES
Policies related to childcare expenses are found in Chapter 6. The amount of the deduction will be verified following the standard verification procedures described in Part I. In addition, the PHA must verify that:
• The child is eligible for care (12 or younger).
• The costs claimed are not reimbursed.
• The costs enable a family member to work, actively seek work, or further their education. • The costs are for an allowable type of childcare.
• The costs are reasonable.

Eligible Child
To be eligible for childcare deduction, the costs must be incurred for the care of a child under the age of 13. The PHA will verify that the child being cared for (including foster children) is under the age of 13 (See 7-II.C.).

Unreimbursed Expense
To be eligible for the childcare deduction, the costs must not be reimbursed by another source.

HACN Policy
The family and the care provider will be required to certify that the childcare expenses are not paid by or reimbursed to the family from any source.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Pursuing an Eligible Activity
The PHA must verify that the family member(s) that the family has identified as being enabled to seek work, pursue education, or be gainfully employed, are actually pursuing those activities.

HACN Policy
Information to be Gathered
The PHA will verify information about how the schedule for the claimed activity relates to the hours of care provided, the time required for transportation, the time required for study (for students), the relationship of the family member(s) to the child, and any special needs of the child that might help determine which family member is enabled to pursue an eligible activity.

Seeking Work
Whenever possible the PHA will use documentation from a state or local agency that monitors work-related requirements (e.g., welfare or unemployment). In such cases the PHA will request family-provided verification from the agency of the member’s job seeking efforts to date and require the family to submit to the PHA any reports provided to the other agency.

In the event third-party verification is not available, the PHA will provide the family with a form on which the family member must record job search efforts. The PHA will review this information at each subsequent reexamination for which this deduction is claimed.

Furthering Education
The PHA will request third-party documentation to verify that the person permitted to further their education by the child care is enrolled and provide information about the timing of classes for which the person is registered. The documentation may be provided by the family.

Gainful Employment
The PHA will seek third-party verification of the work schedule of the person who is permitted to work by the child care. In cases in which two or more family members could be permitted to work, the work schedules for all relevant family members may be verified. The documentation may be provided by the family.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Allowable Type of Childcare
The type of care to be provided is determined by the family, but must fall within certain guidelines, as discussed in Chapter 6.

HACN Policy
The PHA will verify that the type of childcare selected by the family is allowable, as described in Chapter 6.

The PHA will verify that the fees paid to the childcare provider cover only childcare costs (e.g., no housekeeping services or personal services) and are paid only for the care of an eligible child (e.g., prorate costs if some of the care is provided for ineligible family members).

The PHA will verify that the childcare provider is not an assisted family member.

Verification will be made through the head of household’s declaration of family members who are expected to reside in the unit.

Reasonableness of Expenses
Only reasonable childcare costs can be deducted.

HACN Policy
The actual costs the family incurs will be compared with the PHA’s established standards of reasonableness for the type of care in the locality to ensure that the costs are reasonable.

If the family presents a justification for costs that exceed typical costs in the area, the PHA will request additional documentation, as required, to support a determination that the higher cost is appropriate.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Exhibit 7-1: Summary of Documentation Requirements for Noncitizens [HCV GB, pp. 5-9 and 5-10)
• All noncitizens claiming eligible status must sign a declaration of eligible immigrant status on a form acceptable to the PHA.
• Except for persons 62 or older, all noncitizens must sign a verification consent form • Additional documents are required based upon the person's status.

Elderly Noncitizens
• A person 62 years of age or older who claims eligible immigration status also must provide proof of age such as birth certificate, passport, or documents showing receipt of SS old-age benefits.

All other Noncitizens
• Noncitizens that claim eligible immigration status also must present the applicable USCIS document. Acceptable USCIS documents are listed below.
• Form I-551 Alien Registration Receipt
Card (for permanent resident aliens)
• Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record
annotated with one of the following:
• “Admitted as a Refugee Pursuant to
Section 207”
• “Section 208” or “Asylum”
• “Section 243(h)” or “Deportation
stayed by Attorney General”
• “Paroled Pursuant to Section 221 (d)(5)
of the USCIS”
• Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record with
no annotation accompanied by:
• A final court decision granting asylum
(but only if no appeal is taken);
• A letter from a USCIS asylum officer
granting asylum (if application is filed
on or after 10/1/90) or from a USCIS
district director granting asylum
(application filed before 10/1/90);
• A court decision granting withholding
of deportation; or
• A letter from an asylum officer granting
withholding or deportation (if
application filed on or after 10/1/90).
• Form I-688 Temporary Resident Card
annotated “Section 245A” or Section 210”.

Form I-688B Employment Authorization Card
annotated “Provision of Law 274a. 12(11)” or
“Provision of Law 274a.12”.
• A receipt issued by the USCIS indicating that an application for issuance of a replacement document in one of the above listed categories has been made and the applicant’s entitlement to the document has been verified; or
• Other acceptable evidence. If other documents are determined by the USCIS to constitute acceptable evidence of eligible immigration status, they will be announced by notice published in the Federal Register
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Chapter 8

LEASING AND INSPECTIONS
[24 CFR 5, Subpart G; 24 CFR 966, Subpart A]

INTRODUCTION
Public housing leases are the contractual basis of the legal relationship between the PHA and the tenant. All units must be occupied pursuant to a dwelling lease agreement that complies with HUD regulations.

HUD regulations require the PHA to inspect each dwelling unit prior to move-in, at move-out, and annually during the period of occupancy. In addition, the PHA may conduct additional inspections in accordance with PHA policy.

This chapter is divided into two parts as follows:

Part I: Leasing. This part describes pre-leasing activities and the PHA’s policies pertaining to lease execution, lease modification, and payments under the lease.

Part II: Inspections. This part describes the PHA’s policies for inspecting dwelling units and notifying families of HUD REAC NSPIRE inspections.

PART I: LEASING
8-I.A. OVERVIEW
An eligible family may occupy a public housing dwelling unit under the terms of a lease. The lease must meet all regulatory requirements and must also comply with applicable state and local laws and codes.

The term of the lease must be for a period of 12 months. The lease must be renewed automatically for another 12-month term, except that the PHA may not renew the lease if the family has violated the community service requirement and if the family is determined to be over income for 24 consecutive months [24 CFR 966.4(a)(2)].

PHAs must adopt smoke-free policies, which HUD required to be implemented no later than July 30, 2018. The policy is attached as Exhibit 8-1.

Part I of this chapter contains regulatory information on leasing, where applicable, as well as the PHA’s leasing policies.

For policies on lease requirements for families whose incomes have exceeded the over-income limit for 24 consecutive months, see 13-III.C., Over-Income Families.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-I.B. LEASE ORIENTATION
HACN Policy
After unit acceptance but prior to occupancy, a PHA representative will conduct a lease orientation with the family. All adults are required to attend.

Orientation Agenda
HACN Policy
When families attend the lease orientation, they will be provided with:

A copy of the lease
A copy of the PHA’s grievance procedure
A copy of the house rules
A copy of the PHA’s schedule of maintenance charges
A copy of “Is Fraud Worth It?” (form HUD-1141-OIG), which explains the types of actions a family must avoid and the penalties for program abuse A copy of “What You Should Know about EIV,” a guide to the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system published by HUD as an attachment to Notice PIH 2017-12
A copy of the form HUD-5380, VAWA Notice of Occupancy Rights A copy of form HUD-5382, Certification of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking
A copy of the PHA’s smoke free policy
A notice that includes the procedures for requesting relief and the PHA’s criteria for granting requests for relief for excess utility surcharges The HUD pamphlet on lead-based paint entitled, “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.”
Topics to be discussed and explained to all families include:

Applicable deposits and all other charges
Review and explanation of lease provisions
Unit maintenance requests and work orders
The PHA’s interim reporting requirements
Review and explanation of occupancy forms
Community service requirements
Family choice of rent
VAWA protections
Smoke-free policies
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-I.C. EXECUTION OF LEASE
The lease must be executed by the tenant and the PHA, except for automatic renewals of a lease [24 CFR 966.4(a)(3)].

A lease is executed at the time of admission for all new residents. A new lease is also executed at the time of transfer from one PHA unit to another.

The lease must state the composition of the household as approved by the PHA (family members and any PHA-approved live-in aide) [24 CFR 966.4(a)(1)(v)]. See Section 8-I.D. for policies regarding changes in family composition during the lease term.

HACN Policy
The head of household, spouse or cohead, and all other adult members of the household will be required to sign the public housing lease prior to admission. An appointment will be scheduled for the parties to execute the lease. The head of household will be provided a copy of the executed lease and the PHA will retain a copy in the resident’s file.

Files for households that include a live-in aide will contain file documentation signed by the live-in aide, that the live-in aide is not a party to the lease and is not entitled to PHA assistance. The live-in aide is only approved to live in the unit while serving as the care attendant for the family member who requires the care.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-I.D. MODIFICATIONS TO THE LEASE
The lease may be modified at any time by written agreement of the tenant and the PHA [24 CFR 966.4(a)(3)].

Modifications to the Lease Form
The PHA may modify its lease from time to time. However, the PHA must give residents at least thirty (30) days advance notice of the proposed changes and an opportunity to comment on the changes. The PHA must also consider any comments before formally adopting a new lease [24 CFR 966.3].

After proposed changes have been incorporated into the lease and approved by the Board, each family must be notified at least 60 days in advance of the effective date of the new lease or lease revision. A resident's refusal to accept permissible and reasonable lease modifications that are made in accordance with HUD requirements, or are required by HUD, is grounds for termination of tenancy [24 CFR 966.4(l)(2)(iii)(E)].

HACN Policy
The family will have 30 days to accept the revised lease. If the family does not accept the offer of the revised lease within that 30 day timeframe, the family’s tenancy will be terminated for other good cause in accordance with the policies in Chapter 13.

Schedules of special charges and rules and regulations are subject to modification or revision.

Because these schedules are incorporated into the lease by reference, residents and resident organizations must be provided at least thirty days written notice of the reason(s) for any proposed modifications or revisions, and must be given an opportunity to present written comments. The notice must be delivered directly or mailed to each tenant; or posted in at least three conspicuous places within each structure or building in which the affected dwelling units are located, as well as in a conspicuous place at the project office, if any, or if none, a similar central business location within the project. Comments must be taken into consideration before any proposed modifications or revisions become effective [24 CFR 966.5].

After the proposed revisions become effective they must be publicly posted in a conspicuous manner in the project office and must be furnished to applicants and tenants on request [24 CFR 966.5].

HACN Policy
When the PHA proposes to modify or revise schedules of special charges or rules and regulations, the PHA will post copies of the notice in the central office, in each project office, and in at least 3 conspicuous places in each structure that contains dwelling units.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Other Modifications
HACN Policy
The lease will be amended to reflect all changes in family composition.

If, for any reason, any member of the household ceases to reside in the unit, the lease will be amended by drawing a line through the person's name. The head of household and PHA will be required to initial and date the change.

If a new household member is approved by the PHA to reside in the unit, the person’s name and birth date will be added to the lease. The head of household and PHA will be required to initial and date the change. If the new member of the household is an adult, they will also be required to sign and date the lease.

Policies governing when and how changes in family composition must be reported are contained in Chapter 9, Reexaminations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-I.E. SECURITY DEPOSITS [24 CFR 966.4(b)(5)]
At the option of the PHA, the lease may require security deposits. The amount of the security deposit cannot exceed one month’s rent or a reasonable fixed amount as determined by the PHA.

The PHA may allow for gradual accumulation of the security deposit by the family, or the family may be required to pay the security deposit in full prior to occupancy. Subject to applicable laws, interest earned on security deposits may be refunded to the tenant after vacating the unit or used for tenant services or activities.

HACN Policy
Residents must pay a security deposit to the PHA at the time of admission. The amount of the security deposit will be equal to the family’s total tenant payment at the time of move-in and must be paid in full prior to occupancy.

The PHA will hold the security deposit for the period the family occupies the unit. The PHA will not use the security deposit for rent or other charges while the resident is living in the unit.

Within 30 days of completion of the move-out renovations, the PHA will refund to the resident the amount of the security deposit (including interest earned on the security deposit), less any amount needed to pay the cost of unpaid rent, damages listed on the move-out inspection report that exceed normal wear and tear, and other charges due under the lease.

The PHA will provide the resident with a written list of any charges against the security deposit within 10 business days of the completion of renovations. If the resident disagrees with the amount charged, the PHA will provide a meeting to discuss the charges.

If the resident transfers to another unit, the PHA will transfer the security deposit to the new unit. The tenant will be billed for any maintenance or other charges due for the “old” unit.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-I.F. PAYMENTS UNDER THE LEASE
Rent Payments [24 CFR 966.4(b)(1)]
Families must pay the amount of the monthly tenant rent determined by the PHA in accordance with HUD regulations and other requirements. The amount of the tenant rent is subject to change in accordance with HUD requirements.

The lease must specify the initial amount of the tenant rent at the beginning of the initial lease term, and the PHA must give written notice stating any change in the amount of tenant rent and when the change is effective.

The lease must contain a provision or addendum that tenants will receive notification at least 30 days before an eviction for nonpayment of rent is filed [24 CFR 966.4(q).

HACN Policy
The tenant rent is due and payable at the PHA-designated location on the first of every month. If the first falls on a weekend or holiday, the rent is due and payable on the first business day thereafter.

If a family’s tenant rent changes, the PHA will notify the family of the new amount and the effective date by sending a "Notice of Rent Adjustment" which will become an attachment to the lease.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Late Fees and Nonpayment [24 CFR 966.4(b)(3); 24 CFR 966.4(q) and (r)] At the option of the PHA, the lease may provide for payment of penalties when the family is late in paying tenant rent [24 CFR 966.4(b)(3)].

The lease must provide that late payment fees are not due and collectible until two weeks after the PHA gives written notice of the charges. The written notice is considered an adverse action and must meet the requirements governing a notice of adverse action [24 CFR 966.4(b)(4)].

The lease must also contain a provision or addendum that tenants will receive notification at least 30 days before an eviction for nonpayment of rent is filed [24 CFR 966.4(q)]. The PHA must not provide tenants with a termination notice prior to the day after the rent is due according to the lease. The PHA must not proceed with filing an eviction if the tenant pays the alleged amount of rent owed within the 30-day notification period [24 CFR 966.4(r)].

The notice of proposed adverse action must identify the specific grounds for the action and inform the family of their right for a hearing under the PHA grievance procedures. The PHA must not take the proposed action until the time for the tenant to request a grievance hearing has expired, or (if a hearing was requested within the required timeframe,) the grievance process has been completed [24 CFR 966.4(e)(8)]. See Chapter 13 for additional requirements for notices of lease termination.

HACN Policy
If the family fails to pay their rent by the fifth day of the month, and the PHA has not agreed to accept payment at a later date, a 30-day Notice to Vacate will be issued to the resident for failure to pay rent, demanding payment in full or the surrender of the premises. The PHA will not proceed with filing an eviction if the tenant pays the alleged amount of rent owed within the 30-day notification period.

In addition, if the resident fails to make payment by the end of office hours on the fifth day of the month, a late fee of $25.00 will be charged. Notices of late fees will be in accordance with requirements regarding notices of adverse action. Charges are due and payable 14 calendar days after billing. If the family requests a grievance hearing within the required timeframe, the PHA may not take action for nonpayment of the fee until the conclusion of the grievance process. If the resident can document financial hardship, the late fee may be waived on a case-by-case basis.

When a check is returned for insufficient funds or is written on a closed account, the rent will be considered unpaid and a returned check fee of $25.00 will be charged to the family. The fee will be due and payable 14 days after billing.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Excess Utility Charges
If the PHA charges the tenant for consumption of excess utilities, the lease must state the basis for the determination of such charges. The imposition of charges for consumption of excess utilities is permissible only if the charges are determined by an individual check meter servicing the leased unit or result from the use of major tenant-supplied appliances [24 CFR 966.4(b)(2)].

Schedules of special charges for utilities that are required to be incorporated in the lease by reference must be publicly posted in a conspicuous manner in the development office and must be furnished to applicants and tenants on request [24 CFR 966.5].

The lease must provide that charges for excess utility consumption are not due and collectible until two weeks after the PHA gives written notice of the charges. The written notice is considered an adverse action and must meet the requirements governing a notice of adverse action [24 CFR 966.4(b)(4)].

The notice of proposed adverse action must identify the specific grounds for the action and inform the family of their right to a hearing under the PHA grievance procedures. The PHA must not take the proposed action until the time for the tenant to request a grievance hearing has expired, or (if a hearing was requested within the required timeframe,) the grievance process has been completed [24 CFR 966.4(e)(8)].

HACN Policy
When applicable, families will be charged for excess utility usage according to the PHA’s current posted schedule. Notices of excess utility charges will be mailed monthly and will be in accordance with requirements regarding notices of adverse actions. Charges are due and payable 14 calendar days after billing. If the family requests a grievance hearing within the required timeframe, the PHA may not take action for nonpayment of the charges until the conclusion of the grievance process.

Nonpayment of excess utility charges is a violation of the lease and is grounds for eviction.

The PHA may grant requests for relief from surcharges from excess utility consumption of PHA-furnished utilities as a reasonable accommodation where the PHA deems an exception is appropriate to meet the needs of elderly, ill, or disabled residents. In determining whether to grant this request, the PHA will consider special factors affecting utility usage that are not within the control of the resident, such as the need for medical equipment. Residents may request relief in accordance with Section 2-II.C. of this ACOP.

The PHA will process such requests in accordance with Section 2-II.E. of this ACOP.

Notice of the availability of procedures for requesting relief (including the PHA representative with whom initial contact may be made by the resident) and the PHA’s criteria for granting requests, will be included in each notice to residents of changes in utility allowances or surcharges as well as to new residents as part of the lease orientation.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Maintenance and Damage Charges
If the PHA charges the tenant for maintenance and repair beyond normal wear and tear, the lease must state the basis for the determination of such charges [24 CFR 966.4(b)(2)].

Schedules of special charges for services and repairs which are required to be incorporated in the lease by reference must be publicly posted in a conspicuous manner in the development office and must be furnished to applicants and tenants on request [24 CFR 966.5].

The lease must provide that charges for maintenance and repair beyond normal wear and tear are not due and collectible until two weeks after the PHA gives written notice of the charges. The written notice is considered an adverse action and must meet the requirements governing a notice of adverse action [24 CFR 966.4(b)(4)].

The notice of proposed adverse action must identify the specific grounds for the action and inform the family of their right for a hearing under the PHA grievance procedures. The PHA must not take the proposed action until the time for the tenant to request a grievance hearing has expired, or (if a hearing was requested within the required timeframe,) the grievance process has been completed [24 CFR 966.4(e)(8)].

HACN Policy
When applicable, families will be charged for maintenance and/or damages according to the PHA’s current schedule. Work that is not covered in the schedule will be charged based on the actual cost of labor and materials to make needed repairs (including overtime, if applicable).

Notices of maintenance and damage charges will be mailed monthly and will be in accordance with requirements regarding notices of adverse actions. Charges are due and payable 14 calendar days after billing. If the family requests a grievance hearing within the required timeframe, the PHA may not take action for nonpayment of the charges until the conclusion of the grievance process.

Nonpayment of maintenance and damage charges is a violation of the lease and is grounds for eviction.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART II: INSPECTIONS
8-II.A. OVERVIEW
The PHA is obligated to maintain safe and habitable dwelling units and to make necessary repairs to dwelling units [24 CFR 966.4(e)]. The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) are the standard under which HUD housing units, including those under the public housing program, are inspected. NSPIRE ensures that residents of public housing live in safe, habitable dwellings, and the items and components located inside, outside, and within the units are functionally adequate, operable, and free of health and safety hazards [24 CFR

5.703(a)]. Further, units must comply with state and local code requirements (such as fire, mechanical, plumbing, carbon monoxide, property maintenance, and residential code) [24 CFR

5.703(f)] as well as with all requirements related to the evaluation and control of lead-based paint hazards [24 CFR 5.703(e)(2)].

Under NSPIRE, public housing units are subject to three types of inspections: annual selfinspections, NSPIRE Inspections (which are used to assess and score the PHA under the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS)), and NSPIRE Plus Inspections (which are triggered by poor property conditions). HUD regulations also require the PHA to inspect each public housing unit prior to move-in and at move-out. The PHA may require additional inspections, in accordance with PHA policy. This part contains the PHA’s policies governing inspections by the PHA and HUD, notification of unit entry, and inspection repair timelines. This section discusses inspections conducted by the PHA (including annual self-inspections) and inspections conducted by HUD REAC.
8-II.B. PHA-CONDUCTED INSPECTIONS
The PHA is obligated to maintain dwelling units and the project in safe and habitable condition and to make necessary repairs to dwelling units [24 CFR 966.4(e)].

Types of PHA-Conducted Inspections
Move-In Inspections [24 CFR 966.4(i)]
The lease must require the PHA and the family to inspect the dwelling unit prior to occupancy in order to determine the condition of the unit and equipment in the unit. A copy of the initial inspection, signed by the PHA and the tenant, must be provided to the tenant and retained in the resident file.

HACN Policy
Any adult family member may attend the initial inspection and sign the inspection form for the head of household.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Move-Out Inspections [24 CFR 966.4(i)]
The PHA must inspect the unit at the time the resident vacates the unit and must allow the resident to participate in the inspection if they wish, unless the tenant vacates without notice to the PHA. The PHA must provide to the tenant a statement of any charges to be made for maintenance and damage beyond normal wear and tear.

The difference between the condition of the unit at move-in and move-out establishes the basis for any charges against the security deposit so long as the work needed exceeds that for normal wear and tear.

HACN Policy
When applicable, the PHA will provide the tenant with a statement of charges to be made for maintenance and damage beyond normal wear and tear, within 10 business days of completion of renovations.
.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Special Inspections
HACN Policy
PHA staff may conduct a special inspection for any of the following reasons:

Housekeeping
Unit condition
Suspected lease violation
Preventive maintenance
Routine maintenance
There is reasonable cause to believe an emergency exists Other Inspections
HACN Policy
Building exteriors, grounds, common areas and systems will be inspected on a regular basis.

Notice of Entry
Non-emergency Entries [24 CFR 966.4(j)(1)]
The PHA may enter the unit, with reasonable advance notification to perform routine inspections and maintenance, make improvements and repairs, or to show the unit for re-leasing. A written statement specifying the purpose of the PHA entry delivered to the dwelling unit at least two days before such entry is considered reasonable advance notification.

HACN Policy
The PHA will notify the resident in writing at least 48 hours prior to any non-emergency inspection.

For regular PHA annual self-inspections, the family will receive at least two weeks written notice of the inspection to allow the family to prepare the unit for the inspection.

Entry for repairs requested by the family will not require prior notice. Resident-requested repairs presume permission for the PHA to enter the unit.

Except for emergencies, management will not enter the dwelling unit to perform inspections where a pet resides unless accompanied for the entire duration of the inspection by the pet owner or responsible person designated by the pet owner in accordance with the pet policies in Section 10-II.D.

Emergency Entries [24 CFR 966.4(j)(2)]
The PHA may enter the dwelling unit at any time without advance notice when there is reasonable cause to believe that an emergency exists. If no adult household member is present at the time of an emergency entry, the PHA must leave a written statement showing the date, time and purpose of the entry prior to leaving the dwelling unit.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Scheduling of PHA-Conducted Inspections
HACN Policy
Inspections will be conducted during business hours. If a family needs to reschedule an inspection, they must notify the PHA at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled inspection.

The PHA will reschedule the inspection no more than once unless the resident has a verifiable good cause to delay the inspection. The PHA may request verification of such cause. Inspections for reexaminations must be completed prior to the date of previous annual inspection.

Attendance at Inspections
Residents are required to be present for move-in inspections [24 CFR 966.4(i)]. There is no such requirement for other types of inspections.

HACN Policy
While the resident is required to be present for move-in inspections, the resident is not required to be present for other types of inspections. The resident may attend the inspection if they wish.

If no one is at home, the inspector will enter the unit, conduct the inspection and leave a copy of the inspection report in the unit.

Repairs
Correction timeframes differ depending on whether repairs are considered emergency or nonemergency repairs.

Emergency Repairs [24 CFR 966.4(h)]
If the unit is damaged to the extent that conditions are created which are hazardous to the life, health, or safety of the occupants, the tenant must immediately notify the PHA of the damage, and the PHA must make repairs within a reasonable time frame. Under NSPIRE, the PHA must correct all Life-Threatening and Severe deficiencies within 24 hours.

If the damage was caused by a household member or guest, the PHA must charge the family for the reasonable cost of repairs. The PHA may also take lease enforcement action against the family.

If the PHA cannot make repairs quickly, the PHA must offer the family standard alternative accommodations. If the PHA can neither repair the defect within a reasonable time frame nor offer alternative housing, rent shall be abated in proportion to the seriousness of the damage and loss in value as a dwelling. Rent shall not be abated if the damage was caused by a household member or guest, or if the resident rejects the alternative accommodations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Non-emergency Repairs
HACN Policy
The PHA will correct deficiencies resulting in a non-emergency work order identified during a PHA conducted inspection in conjunction with REAC guidelines. If the PHA is unable to make repairs within that period due to circumstances beyond the PHA’s control (e.g., required parts or services are not available, weather conditions, etc.) the PHA will notify the family of an estimated date of completion.

The family must allow the PHA access to the unit to make repairs.

Except for emergencies, management will not enter the dwelling unit to perform repairs where a pet resides unless accompanied for the entire duration of the repair by the pet owner or responsible person designated by the pet owner in accordance with the pet policies in Section 10-II.D.

Resident-Caused Damages
HACN Policy
Damages to the unit beyond wear and tear will be billed to the tenant in accordance with the policies in 8-I.F., Maintenance and Damage Charges.

Repeated or excessive damages to the unit beyond normal wear and tear will be considered a serious or repeated violation of the lease.

Housekeeping
HACN Policy
Residents whose housekeeping habits pose a non-emergency health or safety risk, encourage insect or rodent infestation, or cause damage to the unit are in violation of the lease. In these instances, the PHA will provide proper notice of a lease violation.

A reinspection will be conducted within 30 days to confirm that the resident has complied with the requirement to abate the problem. Failure to abate the problem or allow for a reinspection is considered a violation of the lease and may result in termination of tenancy in accordance with Chapter 13.

Notices of lease violation will also be issued to residents who purposely disengage the unit’s smoke detector and/or carbon monoxide alarm. Only one warning will be given. A second incidence will result in lease termination.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

8-II.C. NSPIRE INSPECTIONS [24 CFR 5.705(c); Notice PIH 2023-16] During an NSPIRE inspection, REAC inspectors will inspect areas and associated items or components that are listed in the regulations as affirmative requirements and those included within the NSPIRE standards. For most properties, the frequency of NSPIRE inspections is determined by the date of the prior inspection and the score received.

Notice to Residents [Notice PIH 2023-16]
The PHA must provide notice to all residents as described in 24 CFR 5.711(h) and the lease.

HACN Policy
The PHA will provide all residents with at least seven days’ notice of an NSPIRE inspection. Notice will be provided through multiple communication methods, including by posted notice on each resident’s door and through email where applicable. All materials, notices, and communications to families regarding the inspection will be clearly communicated and provided in a manner that is effective for persons with hearing, visual, and other communication-related disabilities consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and HUD’s Section 504 regulation, and Titles II or III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and implementing regulations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

24-Hour Corrections [24 CFR 5.711(c); Notice PIH 2023-16] At the conclusion of the NSPIRE inspection, or at the end of the day on multi-day inspections, HUD provides the PHA with a list of Life-Threatening and Severe deficiencies. The PHA must correct all Life-Threatening and Severe deficiencies within 24 hours, with certification of correction submitted to HUD within two business days of receipt of notification of the deficiency.

If permanent repair will take longer than the allowable time in the relevant standard for the deficiency, the PHA must provide HUD with a timeframe for completing permanent repairs and submit evidence that the repair is in progress. Any extension to the allowable time for rectifying the deficiency is allowed only upon HUD approval for good cause.

HACN Policy
The PHA will correct all Life-Threatening and Severe deficiencies within 24 hours.

Correcting the deficiency means the PHA will resolve or sufficiently address the deficiency in a manner that it no longer poses a severe health or safety risk to residents or the hazard is blocked until permanent repairs can be completed. A correction could include controlling or blocking access to the hazard by performing a temporary relocation of the resident while repairs are made.

While the PHA will complete all repairs expeditiously, if a permanent repair is not possible within 24-hours, the PHA will correct the deficiency by performing an interim repair to remove the health and safety hazard. If the correction is temporary or professional services or materials are unavailable within 24 hours, the PHA will provide a target date for permanent correction. Such interim repairs will be fully completed within a reasonable timeframe approved by HUD.

The family must allow the PHA access to the unit to make repairs.

Non-emergency Repairs
Under NSPIRE, the PHA must correct Moderate deficiencies within 30 days and Low deficiencies within 60 days, or as otherwise provided in the NSPIRE standards. Repairs should be permanent fixes, unless otherwise approved by HUD in writing. HUD may also prescribe timelines in Corrective Action Plans as defined in 24 CFR 902.3 or Corrective Action Agreements as described in 24 CFR 902.105.

HACN Policy
If the PHA is unable to make repairs within the periods identified in the NSPIRE standards due to circumstances beyond the PHA’s control (e.g., required parts or services are not available, weather conditions, etc.), the PHA will provide HUD with a timeframe for completing permanent repairs and obtain HUD approval. The PHA will also notify the family of an estimated date of completion.

The family must allow the PHA access to the unit to make repairs.

Except for emergencies, management will not enter the dwelling unit to perform repairs where a pet resides unless accompanied for the entire duration of the repair by the pet owner or responsible person designated by the pet owner in accordance with the pet policies in Section 10-II.D.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

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Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

EXHIBIT 8-1: SMOKE-FREE POLICY
In accordance with HUD regulations, the Housing Authority has adopted these smoke-free policies. The policies are effective as of Board approval date. The PHA’s smoke-free policy is applicable to all residents, household members, employees, guests, and service persons Due to the increased risk of fire, increased maintenance costs, and the known health effects of secondhand smoke, smoking is prohibited in all living units and interior areas, including but not limited to hallways, rental and administrative offices, community centers, day care centers, laundry centers, and similar structures. Smoking is also prohibited in outdoor areas within 25 feet from public housing and administrative office buildings.

This policy applies to all employees, residents, household members, guests, and service persons.

Residents are responsible for ensuring that household members and guests comply with this rule.

The term “smoking” means any inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or other prohibited tobacco product in any manner or any form. Prohibited tobacco products include water pipes or hookahs.

Violation of the smoke-free policy constitutes a violation of the terms of the public housing lease. Consequences of lease violations include termination of tenancy.

Applicability of the smoke free policy does not extend to the use of medical marijuana, where the PHA will comply State and local laws, as stated in the Introduction of this ACOP.

PHA POLICIES
Designated Smoking Areas (DSA)
HACN Policy
PHA does not have Designated Smoking Areas
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) include e-cigarettes, nicotine inhalers, and vaping devices.

HACN Policy:

Use of ENDS is permitted.

Enforcement
The PHA must enforce smoke-free policies when a resident violates this policy. When enforcing the lease, the PHA will provide due process and allow residents to exercise their right to an informal settlement and formal hearing. The PHA will not evict a resident for a single incident of smoking in violation of this policy. As such, the PHA will implement a graduated enforcement framework that includes escalating warnings. Prior to pursuing eviction for violation of smokefree policies, the PHA will take specific, progressive monitoring and enforcement actions, while at the same time educating tenants and providing smoking cessation information. The lease will identify the actions that constitute a policy violation, quantify the number of documented, verified violations that warrant enforcement action, state any disciplinary actions that will be taken for persistent non-responsiveness or repeated noncompliance, and state how many instances of noncompliance will constitute a violation. Tenancy termination and eviction will be pursued only as a last resort. The PHA may terminate tenancy at any time for violations of the lease and failure to otherwise fulfill household obligations if resident behavior disturbs other residents’ peaceful enjoyment and is not conducive to maintaining the property in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition.

Reasonable Accommodation
While addiction to nicotine or smoking is not a disability, the PHA will provide reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities who smoke that are in compliance with the requirements of this smoke-free policy.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

This page intentionally left blank
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Chapter 9
REEXAMINATIONS UNDER HOTMA 102/104
[24 CFR 960.257, 960.259, 966.4]

INTRODUCTION
With the exception of non-public housing over income families, the PHA is required to reexamine each family’s income and composition periodically, and to adjust the family’s rent accordingly. PHAs must adopt policies for conducting annual and interim reexaminations that are consistent with regulatory requirements and must conduct reexaminations in accordance with such policies [24 CFR 960.257(c)].

The frequency with which the PHA must reexamine the income and composition of a family depends on whether the family pays income-based rent or flat rent. HUD requires the PHA to offer all families the choice of paying income-based rent or flat rent at least annually. The PHA’s policies for offering families a choice of rents are located in Chapter 6.

This chapter discusses both annual and interim reexaminations.

Part I: Annual Reexaminations for Families Paying Income Based Rents. This part discusses the requirements for annual reexamination of income and family composition.

Full reexaminations are conducted at least once a year for families paying income-based rents.

Part II: Reexaminations for Families Paying Flat Rents. This part contains the PHA’s policies for conducting full reexaminations of family income and composition for families paying flat rents. These full reexaminations are conducted at least once every three years. This part also contains the PHA’s policies for conducting annual updates of family composition for flat rent families.

Part III: Interim Reexaminations. This part includes HUD requirements and PHA policies related to when a family may and must report changes that occur between annual reexaminations.

Part IV: Recalculating Tenant Rent. After gathering and verifying required information for an annual or interim reexamination, the PHA must recalculate the tenant rent. While the basic policies that govern these calculations are provided in Chapter 6, this part describes the policies that affect these calculations during a reexamination.

Part V: Non-Interim Reexamination Transactions. This part describes transactions that do not entail changes to the family’s adjusted income.

Policies governing reasonable accommodation, family privacy, required family cooperation, and program abuse, as described elsewhere in this ACOP, apply to annual and interim reexaminations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

PART I: ANNUAL REEXAMINATIONS FOR FAMILIES PAYING

INCOME-BASED RENTS
24 CFR 960.257
9-I.A. OVERVIEW
For those families who choose to pay income-based rent, the PHA must conduct a reexamination of income and family composition at least annually [24 CFR 960.257(a)(1)]. With the exception of over-income families, who must have their income reviewed at 12 and 24 months, for flat rent families, the PHA must conduct a reexamination of family composition at least annually and must conduct a reexamination of family income at least once every three years [24 CFR 960.257(a)(2)]. For any non-public housing over income families, the PHA may not conduct an annual reexamination of family income. Policies related to the reexamination process for families paying flat rent are located in Part II of this chapter.

For all residents of public housing, whether those residents are paying income-based or flat rents, the PHA must conduct an annual review of community service requirement compliance. This annual reexamination is also a good time to have residents sign consent forms for criminal background checks in case the criminal history of a resident is needed at some point for the purposes of lease enforcement or eviction.

The PHA is required to obtain all of the information necessary to conduct reexaminations. How that information will be collected is left to the discretion of the PHA. Families are required to provide current and accurate information on income, assets, allowances and deductions, family composition and community service compliance as part of the reexamination process [24 CFR 960.259].

Unlike when performing an interim reexamination or at intake, at annual reexamination, the PHA must determine the income of the family for the previous 12-month period, except where the PHA uses a streamlined income determination. Income from assets, however, is always anticipated, irrespective of the income examination type [Notice PIH 2023-27]. PHAs also have the option of using a “Safe Harbor” income verification from another federal means-tested program to verify gross annual income. Chapter 7 contains the PHA’s policies related to streamlined income determinations and the use of Safe Harbor income verifications.

This part contains the PHA’s policies for conducting annual reexaminations.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

9-I.B. SCHEDULING ANNUAL REEXAMINATIONS
The PHA must establish a policy to ensure that the annual reexamination for each family paying an income-based rent is completed within a 12-month period [24 CFR 960.257(a)(1)].

HACN Policy
Generally, the PHA will schedule annual reexaminations to coincide with the family's anniversary date. The PHA will begin the annual reexamination process within 120 days of the scheduled effective date.

Anniversary date is defined as 12 months from the effective date of the family’s last annual reexamination or, during a family’s first year in the program, from the effective date of the family’s initial examination (admission).

If the family transfers to a new unit, the PHA will not perform a new annual reexamination.

The PHA may also schedule an annual reexamination for completion prior to the anniversary date for administrative purposes.

Notification of and Participation in the Annual Reexamination Process The PHA is required to obtain information needed to conduct annual reexaminations. How that information will be collected is left to the discretion of the PHA. However, PHAs should give tenants who were not provided the opportunity to provide contact information at the time of admission the option to complete Form HUD-92006 at this time. The PHA should provide the family with the opportunity to update, change, or remove information from the HUD-92006 at the time of the annual reexamination [Notice PIH 2009-36].

HACN Policy
Annual reexaminations will be conducted by mail. Notification of the annual reexamination will be sent by first-class mail and will inform the family of the information and documentation that must be provided to the PHA, and the deadline for providing it. Documents will be accepted by mail, by email, by fax, or in-person. The PHA will, however, conduct reexams in person if requested as a reasonable accommodation or by LEP persons. Reasonable accommodation requests will be handled in accordance with policies in Chapter 2. Further, an in-person interview will be scheduled if the family requests assistance in providing information or documentation requested by the PHA or if the required paperwork is not returned timely, or if it is returned timely but is not complete.

If the reexam notice is returned by the post office with no forwarding address, a notice of termination (see Chapter 13) will be sent to the family’s address of record, as well as to any alternate address provided in the family’s file.

If a family fails to attend interview or otherwise complete the reexamination process via distance reexamination, the family will be in violation of their lease and may be terminated in accordance with the policies in Chapter 13.

An advocate, interpreter, or other assistant may assist the family in the interview process.

Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles

9-I.C. CONDUCTING ANNUAL REEXAMINATIONS
The terms of the public housing lease require the family to furnish information regarding income and family composition as may be necessary for the redetermination of rent, eligibility, and the appropriateness of the housing unit [24 CFR 966.4(c)(2)].

HACN Policy
Families will be asked to supply all required information (as described in the reexamination notice) before the deadline specified in the notice. The required information will include a PHA-designated reexamination form as well as supporting documents or forms related to the family’s income, expenses, and family composition.

The PHA will notify the family in writing if any required documentation or information is missing. The missing information or documentation must be provided within 10 business days of the date the PHA notifies the family. If the family is unable to obtain the information or materials within the required time frame, the family may request an extension.

If the family does not provide the required documents or information within the required time period (plus any extensions), the family will be in violation of their lease and may be terminated in accordance with the policies in Chapter 13.

If the family requests or the PHA schedules an in-person interview, families will be asked to bring all required information (as described in the reexamination notice) to the reexamination appointment.

Any required documents or information that the family is unable to provide at the time of the interview must be provided within 10 business days of the interview. If the family is unable to obtain the information or materials within the required time frame, the family may request an extension.

If the family does not provide the required documents or information within the required time period (plus any extensions), the family will be in violation of their lease and may be terminated in accordance with the policies in Chapter 13The information provided by the family generally must be verified in accordance with the policies in Chapter 7. Unless the family reports a change, or the agency has reason to believe a change has occurred in information previously reported by the family, certain types of information that are verified at admission typically do not need to be re-verified on an annual basis. These include:
• Legal identity
• Age
• Social security numbers
• A person’s disability status
• Citizenship or immigration status
Agenda Item 4.

Housing Authority
of the ACOP 5/1/2026
City of Needles