On August 30, 2024, public comments closed on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Request for Information on Direct Rental Assistance. The agency is considering testing a direct rental assistance model, largely reshaping the implementation of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to provide a rental housing subsidy directly to the resident as opposed to the housing provider. Notably, direct rental assistance is not currently in effect for this program, and the notice provides no funding to enact it.
The National Apartment Association (NAA) has long supported the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which provides rental subsidies to approximately two million very low-income households who obtain housing in the private rental market and provides opportunities for our members to expand quality, affordable housing options for their residents. While supportive of this program, NAA has voiced the industry’s concerns regarding the cumbersome requirements, roadblocks and inconsistent management that has led to 55,000 housing providers leaving the program from 2010-2020, ultimately hurting residents who rely on HCV assistance.
NAA worked extensively to elevate the industry’s comments on this key issue affecting the rental housing industry. We joined the Council of Affordable & Rural Housing, the Institute of Real Estate Management, the Manufactured Housing Institute, the National Leased Housing Association and the National Multifamily Housing Council in submitting comments regarding this Request for Information.
The letter voiced support for considering new and innovative ways to make current programs more efficient, effective and attractive to the private sector, and offered a reframing of the HCV program to an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The letter further provided recommendations for ways HUD can incentivize housing provider participation like waiving federal inspections if a residence has received a passing score on state or local inspections.
NAA will continue its advocacy with HUD regulators as this request for information leads to further policy developments in the future. We look forward to continuing to work with HUD on meaningful improvements to the Section 8 HCV program and fostering better working relationships between housing providers and public housing authorities that administer the program. Source of income mandates are not the right policy solution to accomplish our shared goals.
For more information about the Housing Choice Voucher Program, please contact, Emma Craig, NAA’s Manager of Public Policy.