24 C.F.R. § 891.505

§ 891.505 Definitions. (24 CFR Part 891)

In Force
Verified 8/21/2026 · Next check 9/20/2026
effective 8/21/2026FederalAffordable Housing Programs

Operative Text

24 C.F.R. § 891.505
For the purposes of this subpart E:

Act means section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701q).

Borrower means a private nonprofit corporation or a nonprofit consumer cooperative that may be established by the Sponsor, which will obtain a Section 202 loan and execute a mortgage in connection therewith as the legal owner of the project. “Borrower” does not mean a public body or the instrumentality of any public body. The purposes of the Borrower must include the promotion of the welfare of elderly and/or handicapped families. No part of the net earnings of the Borrower may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder, contributor, or individual, and the Borrower may not be controlled by or under the direction of persons or firms seeking to derive profit or gain therefrom. Because of the nonprofit nature of the Section 202 program, no officer or director, or trustee, member, stockholder or authorized representative of the Borrower is permitted to have any financial interest in any contract in connection with the rendition of services, the provision of goods or supplies, project management, procurement of furnishings and equipment, construction of the project, procurement of the site or other matters whatsoever.

Elderly family means:

(1) Families of two or more persons the head of which (or his or her spouse) is 62 years of age or older;

(2) The surviving member or members of any family described in paragraph (1) of this definition living in a unit assisted under subpart E of this part with the deceased member of the family at the time of his or her death;

(3) A single person who is 62 years of age or older; or

(4) Two or more elderly persons living together, or one or more such persons living with another person who is determined by HUD, based upon a licensed physician's certificate provided by the family, to be essential to their care or well being.

Handicapped family means:

(1) Families of two or more persons the head of which (or his or her spouse) is handicapped;

(2) The surviving member or members of any family described in paragraph (1) of this definition living in a unit assisted under subpart E of this part with the deceased member of the family at the time of his or her death;

(3) A single handicapped person over the age of 18; or

(4) Two or more handicapped persons living together, or one or more such persons living with another person who is determined by HUD, based upon a licensed physician's certificate provided by the family, to be essential to their care or well being.

Handicapped person or individual means:

(1) Any adult having a physical, mental, or emotional impairment that is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration, substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently, and is of a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions.

(2) A person with a developmental disability, as defined in section 102(7) of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6001(5), i.e., a person with a severe chronic disability that:

(i) Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments;

(ii) Is manifested before the person attains age twenty-two;

(iii) Is likely to continue indefinitely;

(iv) Results in substantial functional limitation in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:

(A) Self-care;

(B) Receptive and expressive language;

(C) Learning;

(D) Mobility;

(E) Self-direction;

(F) Capacity for independent living;

(G) Economic self-sufficiency; and

(v) Reflects the person's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment, or other services that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

(3) A person with a chronic mental illness, i.e., if he or she has a severe and persistent mental or emotional impairment that seriously limits his or her ability to live independently, and whose impairment could be improved by more suitable housing conditions.

(4) Persons infected with the human acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are disabled as a result of infection with the HIV are eligible for occupancy in section 202 projects designed for the physically disabled, developmentally disabled, or chronically mentally ill depending upon the nature of the person's disability. A person whose sole impairment is alcoholism or drug addition (i.e., who does not have a developmental disability, chronic mental illness, or physical disability that is the disabling condition required for eligibility in a particular project) will not be considered to be disabled for the purposes of the section 202 program.

Housing and related facilities means rental or cooperative housing structures constructed or substantially rehabilitated as permanent residences for use by elderly or handicapped families, or acquired with or without moderate rehabilitation for use by nonelderly handicapped families as group homes. The term includes structures suitable for use by families residing in the project or in the area, such as cafeterias or dining halls, community rooms, or buildings, or other essential service facilities. In the case of acquisition with or without moderate rehabilitation, at least three years must have elapsed from the later of the date of completion of the project or the beginning of occupancy to the date of the application for a Section 202 fund reservation. Except for intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded and individuals with related conditions, this term does not include nursing homes, hospitals, intermediate care facilities, or transitional care facilities.

Nonelderly handicapped family means a handicapped family in which the head of the family (and spouse, if any) is less than 62 years of age at the time of the family's initial occupancy of a project.

Section 8 Program means the housing assistance payments program that implements section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note).
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 891.505 establishes the precise definitions that govern the Section 202 supportive housing program for elderly and handicapped families under Subpart E. It sets out who qualifies as a 'Borrower' (a nonprofit entity with no private financial benefit to insiders), what constitutes an 'elderly family' or 'handicapped family,' and what types of structures count as 'housing and related facilities.' These definitions determine eligibility for both the organizations that develop Section 202 projects and the individuals and families who may live in them.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 4, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Organizations operating or seeking to develop housing under 24 CFR Part 891 § 891.505 must ensure they meet the strict nonprofit requirements for 'Borrower' status, including prohibitions on any officer, director, or affiliated party holding a financial interest in project-related contracts. Compliant operators carefully screen prospective residents against the defined categories of 'elderly family' and 'handicapped family,' and where applicable obtain licensed physician certificates when a non-elderly or non-handicapped household member is claimed as essential to a resident's care. Facilities must also conform to the definition of 'housing and related facilities,' noting that nursing homes, hospitals, and most intermediate care facilities are explicitly excluded from that definition.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 24 CFR Part 891 § 891.505, individuals and families have a right to be evaluated for eligibility using the specific definitions of 'elderly family' and 'handicapped family' set out in this provision, which cover a range of circumstances including surviving family members, single persons, and households that include an essential caregiver certified by a licensed physician. If a household believes it has been incorrectly deemed ineligible based on a misapplication of these definitions, that determination may be raised as a concern with the project's management or with HUD directly. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Section 202 housing can help households understand how these definitions apply to their circumstances and what complaint or appeal processes may be available.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Aug 21, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 1437
Declaration of policy and public housing agency organization
§ 5.100
§ 5.100 Definitions.
§ 5.107
§ 5.107 Audit requirements for non-profit organizations.

Source Information

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