Housing Assistance Payments Contract and Owner Responsibility

24 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart J
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

24 C.F.R. § 982.451 Housing assistance payments contract.

(a) Form and term. (1) The HAP contract must be in the form required by HUD. (2) The term of the HAP contract is the same as the term of the lease. (b) Housing assistance payment amount. (1) The amount of the monthly housing assistance payment by the PHA to the owner is determined by the PHA in accordance with HUD regulations and other requirements. The amount of the housing assistance payment is subject to change during the HAP contract term. (2) The monthly housing assistance payment by the PHA is credited toward the monthly rent to owner under the family's lease. (3) The total of rent paid by the tenant plus the PHA housing assistance payment to the owner may not be more than the rent to owner. The owner must immediately return any excess payment to the PHA. (4)(i) The part of the rent to owner that is paid by the tenant may not be more than: (A) The rent to owner; minus (B) The PHA housing assistance payment to the owner. (ii) The owner may not demand or accept any rent payment from the tenant in excess of this maximum, and must immediately return any excess rent payment to the tenant. (iii) The family is not responsible for payment of the portion of rent to owner covered by the housing assistance payment under the HAP contract between the owner and the PHA. See § 982.310(b). (5)(i) The PHA must pay the housing assistance payment promptly when due to the owner in accordance with the HAP contract. (ii)(A) The HAP contract shall provide for penalties against the PHA for late payment of housing assistance payments due to the owner if all the following circumstances apply: (1) Such penalties are in accordance with generally accepted practices and law, as applicable in the local housing market, governing penalties for late payment of rent by a tenant; (2) It is the owner's practice to charge such penalties for assisted and unassisted tenants; and (3) The owner also charges such penalties against the tenant for late payment of family rent to owner. (B) The PHA is not obligated to pay any late payment penalty if HUD determines that late payment by the PHA is due to factors beyond the PHA's control. The PHA may add HAP contract provisions which define when the housing assistance payment by the PHA is deemed received by the owner (e.g., upon mailing by the PHA or actual receipt by the owner). (iii) The PHA may only use the following sources to pay a late payment penalty from program receipts under the consolidated ACC: administrative fee income for the program, or the administrative fee reserve for the program. The PHA may not use other program receipts for this purpose.

24 C.F.R. § 982.452 Owner responsibilities.

(a) The owner is responsible for performing all of the owner's obligations under the HAP contract and the lease. (b) The owner is responsible for: (1) Performing all management and rental functions for the assisted unit, including selecting a voucher-holder to lease the unit, and deciding if the family is suitable for tenancy of the unit. The fact that an applicant is or has been a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is not an appropriate basis for denial of tenancy if the applicant otherwise qualifies for tenancy. (2) Maintaining the unit in accordance with HQS, including performance of ordinary and extraordinary maintenance. For provisions on family maintenance responsibilities, see § 982.404(a)(4). (3) Complying with equal opportunity requirements. (4) Preparing and furnishing to the PHA information required under the HAP contract. (5) Collecting from the family: (i) Any security deposit. (ii) The tenant contribution (the part of rent to owner not covered by the housing assistance payment). (iii) Any charges for unit damage by the family. (6) Enforcing tenant obligations under the lease. (7) Paying for utilities and services (unless paid by the family under the lease). (c) For provisions on modifications to a dwelling unit occupied or to be occupied by a disabled person, see 24 CFR 100.203.

24 C.F.R. § 982.453 Owner breach of contract.

(a) Any of the following actions by the owner (including a principal or other interested party) is a breach of the HAP contract by the owner: (1) If the owner has violated any obligation under the HAP contract for the dwelling unit, including the owner's obligation to maintain the unit in accordance with the HQS. (2) If the owner has violated any obligation under any other HAP contract under Section 8 of the 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437f). (3) If the owner has committed fraud, bribery or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with any federal housing program. (4) For projects with mortgages insured by HUD or loans made by HUD, if the owner has failed to comply with the regulations for the applicable mortgage insurance or loan program, with the mortgage or mortgage note, or with the regulatory agreement; or if the owner has committed fraud, bribery or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with the mortgage or loan. (5) If the owner has engaged in drug-related criminal activity. (6) If the owner has committed any violent criminal activity. (b) The PHA rights and remedies against the owner under the HAP contract include recovery of overpayments, abatement or other reduction of housing assistance payments, termination of housing assistance payments, and termination of the HAP contract.

24 C.F.R. § 982.454 Termination of HAP contract: Insufficient funding.

The PHA may terminate the HAP contract if the PHA determines, in accordance with HUD requirements, that funding under the consolidated ACC is insufficient to support continued assistance for families in the program.

24 C.F.R. § 982.455 Automatic termination of HAP contract.

The HAP contract terminates automatically 180 calendar days after the last housing assistance payment to the owner.

24 C.F.R. § 982.456 Third parties.

(a) Even if the family continues to occupy the unit, the PHA may exercise any rights and remedies against the owner under the HAP contract. (b)(1) The family is not a party to or third party beneficiary of the HAP contract. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the family may not exercise any right or remedy against the owner under the HAP contract. (2) The tenant may exercise any right or remedy against the owner under the lease between the tenant and the owner, including enforcement of the owner's obligations under the tenancy addendum (which is included both in the HAP contract between the PHA and the owner; and in the lease between the tenant and the owner.) (c) The HAP contract shall not be construed as creating any right of the family or other third party (other than HUD) to enforce any provision of the HAP contract, or to assert any claim against HUD, the PHA or the owner under the HAP contract.

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