24 C.F.R. § 886.329
§ 886.329 Leasing to eligible families. (24 CFR Part 886)
Operative Text
(a) Availability of units for occupancy by Eligible Families. During the term of the Contract, an owner shall make available for occupancy by eligible families the total number of units for which assistance is committed under the Contract. For purposes of this section, making units available for occupancy by eligible families means that the owner: (1) Is conducting marketing in accordance with § 886.321; (2) has leased or is making good faith efforts to lease the units to eligible and otherwise acceptable families, including taking all feasible actions to fill vacancies by renting to such families; and (3) has not rejected any such applicant family except for reasons acceptable to HUD. If the owner is temporarily unable to lease all units for which assistance is committed under the Contract to eligible families, one or more units may be leased to ineligible families with the prior approval of HUD. Failure on the part of the owner to comply with these requirements is a violation of the Contract and grounds for all available legal remedies, including specific performance of the Contract, suspension or debarment from HUD programs, and reduction of the number of units under the Contract as set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) Reduction of number of units covered by Contract. HUD may reduce the number of units covered by the Contract to the number of units available for occupancy by eligible families if: (1) The owner fails to comply with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; or (2) Notwithstanding any prior approval by HUD to lease such units to ineligible families, HUD determines that the inability to lease units to eligible families is not a temporary problem. (c) Restoration. HUD will agree to an amendment of the Contract to provide for subsequent restoration of any reduction made pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section if: (1) HUD determines that the restoration is justified by demand; (2) The owner otherwise has a record of compliance with his or her obligations under the Contract; and (3) Contract and budget authority are available. (d) Applicability. In accordance with section 555 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section apply to all contracts involving substantial rehabilitation. These paragraphs apply to all other Contracts executed on or after October, 3, 1984. An owner who had leased an assisted unit to an ineligible family consistent with the regulations in effect at the time will continue to lease the unit to that family. However, the Borrower must make the unit available for occupancy by an eligible family when the ineligible family vacates the unit. (e) Termination of assistance for failure to establish citizenship or eligible immigration status. If an owner who is subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section is required to terminate housing assistance payments for the family in accordance with part 5, subpart E, of this title because the owner determines that the entire family does not have U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, the owner may allow continued occupancy of the unit by the family without Section 8 assistance following the termination of assistance, or if the family constitutes a mixed family, as defined in part 5, subpart E, of this title, the owner shall comply with the provisions of part 5, subpart E, of this title concerning assistance to mixed families, and deferral of termination of assistance. (f) The regulations of 24 CFR part 5, subpart L (Protection for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking) apply to this section.
Under 24 CFR Part 886 § 886.329, owners participating in HUD-assisted housing contracts are required to keep their assisted units available for eligible families throughout the contract period. This means actively marketing the units, making genuine efforts to fill vacancies with qualifying families, and rejecting applicants only for HUD-approved reasons. If an owner falls short of these obligations, HUD has the authority to reduce the number of assisted units under the contract, and may restore them later if demand justifies it and the owner has otherwise been compliant. The provision also addresses situations involving immigration status, mixed families, and protections for survivors of domestic violence and related harms.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners operating under a HUD assistance contract governed by 24 CFR Part 886 § 886.329 generally maintain continuous, good-faith outreach to eligible families, keep vacancies actively marketed, and document any applicant rejections with HUD-acceptable justifications. Leasing to ineligible families—even temporarily—requires prior HUD approval, and persistent inability to fill units with eligible families can trigger a formal reduction in the number of assisted units under the contract. Owners should also be familiar with the immigration-status provisions in 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart E, and the domestic violence protections in 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart L, both of which intersect with the obligations set out in this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 24 CFR Part 886 § 886.329, eligible families have a right to be considered for assisted units without being turned away for reasons HUD would not approve, and owners are obligated to actively seek out and lease to qualifying households. If a tenant believes an owner is not meeting these obligations—such as by improperly rejecting applicants or failing to market units to eligible families—they may raise this as a concern with the relevant HUD field office or a local tenant-rights organization. Tenants who are members of mixed families or who have questions about immigration-related assistance terminations may find it helpful to review the protections outlined in 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart E, which applies alongside this section.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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