“This Notice implements the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program funding provisions resulting from enactment of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2006 HUD Appropriations Act … signed into law on November 30, 2005.” Among other things, this Notice describes the method by which HUD will allocate funds for FFY 2006 to public housing authorities (PHAs) consistent with the HUD Appropriations Act. Most important for housing advocates and PHA directors and staff is the provision permitting a PHA to apply to HUD for funds to adjust (increase) its baseline funding allocation. Congress has appropriated $45 million dollars for such adjustments. The adjustments are available only to (1) adjust allocations for Calendar Year 2005 renewal funding that was based on leasing and cost data averaged for the months of May, June and July of 2004 which, due to temporarily low leasing levels during these months did not accurately reflect actual leasing levels and costs for such period; and (2) adjust allocations for PHAs that experienced a significant increase in renewal costs from unforeseen circumstances or portability.

Is that crystal clear? The bottom line is that the application deadline for adjustment funds is close of business (5:00 p.m. EST) January 31, 2006. So, advocates and PHAs in jurisdictions that may be eligible should take note and act quickly. Surprisingly, the application form which is attached to this Notice is short and simple. [Download]

This rule implements a new law, enacted as part of HUD’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 appropriations (Public Law 109-115, 199 Stat. 2936), that restricts certain students enrolled in institutions of higher education from receiving assistance under Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. Subsection (a) of Section 327 bars Section 8 assistance to any individual who meets all of the following criteria: (1) is enrolled as a student in an institution of higher education, as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1002; (2) is under 24; (3) is not a veteran; (4) is unmarried; (5) does not have a dependent child; and (6) is not otherwise individually eligible or has parents who, individually or jointly, are not eligible to receive Section 8 assistance.

Subsection(b) provides that, except for a person over the age of 23 with dependent children, for purposes of determining a person’s eligibility for Section 8, any financial assistance (in excess of amounts received for tuition) that a student received under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1001), from private sources, or an institution of higher education, shall be counted as income.HUD states that the new law and regulation were enacted to address incidents of college students obtaining federal housing assistance without counting their educational financial assistance as income.

HUD states that the new law and regulation were enacted to address incidents of college students obtaining federal housing assistance without counting their educational financial assistance as income. [Download]