On October 22, HUD’s Office of Housing Voucher Programs sent a notice to Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Representatives alerting them to a change in how tenant protection vouchers (TPVs) are funded in conversion actions (e.g., demolitions, dispositions, etc.) that are approved by the Special Application Center (SAC). Previously, TPVs would only be funded for occupied units, but with the new notice mailed to program representatives, HUD is announcing that TPVs will be funded for “unoccupied units that were occupied within the previous 24-month period . . . for both Multifamily Housing and Public Housing TPV actions.” This action will apply prospectively (it will not be retroactive) from October 1, 2018.

In other words, for those PHAs who are initiating an action through the Special Application Center, which will remove units from a PHA’s public housing portfolio, HUD will provide voucher funding for both occupied units and unoccupied units (if the unoccupied units were occupied within the previous 24 months of when the application was sent to HUD).

The notice titled “Demolition and/or disposition of public housing property, eligibility for tenant-protection vouchers and associated requirements” PIH 2018-04 (HA) explains the conditions under which PHAs can initiate certain conversion actions and can be found here.

The notice mailed to HCV program representatives detailing the additional TPV funding can be found here.