24 C.F.R. § 5.403
§ 5.403 Definitions. (24 CFR Part 5)
Operative Text
Annual contributions contract (ACC) means the written contract between HUD and a PHA under which HUD agrees to provide funding for a program under the 1937 Act, and the PHA agrees to comply with HUD requirements for the program. Applicant means a person or a family that has applied for housing assistance. Disabled family means a family whose head (including co-head), spouse, or sole member is a person with a disability. It may include two or more persons with disabilities living together, or one or more persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides. Displaced family means a family in which each member, or whose sole member, is a person displaced by governmental action, or a person whose dwelling has been extensively damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster declared or otherwise formally recognized pursuant to Federal disaster relief Elderly family means a family whose head (including co-head), spouse, or sole member is a person who is at least 62 years of age. It may include two or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living together, or one or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living with one or more live-in aides. Family includes, but is not limited to, the following, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status: (1) A single person, who may be: (i) An elderly person, displaced person, disabled person, near-elderly person, or any other single person; (ii) An otherwise eligible youth who has attained at least 18 years of age and not more than 24 years of age and who has left foster care, or will leave foster care within 90 days, in accordance with a transition plan described in section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 675(5)(H)), and is homeless or is at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older; or (2) A group of persons residing together, and such group includes, but is not limited to: (i) A family with or without children (a child who is temporarily away from the home because of placement in foster care is considered a member of the family); (ii) An elderly family; (iii) A near-elderly family; (iv) A disabled family; (v) A displaced family; and (vi) The remaining member of a tenant family. Live-in aide means a person who resides with one or more elderly persons, or near-elderly persons, or persons with disabilities, and who: (1) Is determined to be essential to the care and well-being of the persons; (2) Is not obligated for the support of the persons; and (3) Would not be living in the unit except to provide the necessary supportive services. Near-elderly family means a family whose head (including co-head), spouse, or sole member is a person who is at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62; or two or more persons, who are at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62, living together; or one or more persons who are at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62, living with one or more live-in aides. Person with disabilities: (1) Means a person who: (i) Has a disability, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 423; (ii) Is determined, pursuant to HUD regulations, to have a physical, mental, or emotional impairment that: (A) Is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration; (B) Substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently, and (C) Is of such a nature that the ability to live independently could be improved by more suitable housing conditions; or (iii) Has a developmental disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. 6001. (2) Does not exclude persons who have the disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any conditions arising from the etiologic agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; (3) For purposes of qualifying for low-income housing, does not include a person whose disability is based solely on any drug or alcohol dependence; and (4) Means “individual with handicaps”, as defined in § 8.3 of this title, for purposes of reasonable accommodation and program accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Section 5.403 of 24 CFR Part 5 establishes the official definitions that govern eligibility and participation in HUD-assisted housing programs under the 1937 Act. The provision sets out who qualifies as a "family," "applicant," "elderly family," "disabled family," "displaced family," "near-elderly family," and related categories, and it clarifies that family status is determined regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. It also defines key roles such as "live-in aide" and specifies the criteria for who qualifies as a "person with disabilities," including important exclusions and inclusions related to conditions like AIDS and substance dependence.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers participating in HUD-assisted programs operate under the definitional framework established in § 5.403, which shapes how household composition, eligibility, and accommodation requests are evaluated. A compliant operator generally applies these definitions consistently when reviewing applications, determining household members, and assessing requests for live-in aides — recognizing, for example, that a child temporarily in foster care is still considered a family member. Operators also recognize that the "person with disabilities" definition under § 5.403 governs reasonable accommodation obligations, meaning eligibility for accommodations is assessed under the specific criteria outlined there, not a general or informal standard.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 5.403, HUD-assisted housing programs use specific definitions to determine who qualifies as a family, an elderly family, a disabled family, or a near-elderly family, and these definitions directly affect eligibility and the types of assistance available. Tenants and applicants should be aware that the definition of "family" is broad and inclusive regardless of marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and that a live-in aide may be recognized as part of a household without being counted as a family member for income purposes. Those who believe their household composition or disability status has been misclassified under § 5.403 may consider raising the issue with the relevant Public Housing Authority, filing a complaint with HUD, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 8, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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