24 C.F.R. § 983.12
§ 983.12 Project record retention. (24 CFR Part 983)
Operative Text
(a) Records retained according to the contract term. For each PBV project, the PHA must maintain the following records throughout the HAP contract term and for three years thereafter: (1) Records to document the basis for PHA selection of the proposal, if selection is competitive, or project, if selection is noncompetitive, including records of the PHA's site selection determination (see § 983.55) and records to document the completion of the review of the selection process in the case of PHA-owned units and copies of the written notice of proposal selection and response of the appropriate party; (2) The analysis of impact (see § 983.58(b)), if applicable; (3) The subsidy layering determination, if applicable; (4) The environmental review record, if applicable; (5) The Agreement to enter into HAP contract, if applicable; (6) Evidence of completion (see § 983.155), if applicable; (7) The HAP contract and any rider and/or amendments, including amendments to extend the term of the contract; (8) Records to document the basis for PHA determination and redetermination of rent to owner; (9) Records to document HUD approval of the independent entity or entities, in the case of PHA-owned units; (10) Records of the accessibility features of the project and each contract unit; and (11) Other records as HUD may require. (b) [Reserved]
Section 983.12 establishes how long and what types of records a Public Housing Authority (PHA) must keep for each project-based voucher (PBV) project. The rule requires PHAs to retain a defined set of documents—ranging from proposal selection records and environmental reviews to the HAP contract itself and rent determination records—for the entire duration of the HAP contract and for three additional years after it ends. The provision covers both competitively and noncompetitively selected projects, and applies additional documentation requirements for PHA-owned units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 983.12, PHAs administering PBV contracts are generally expected to maintain a comprehensive and organized records system that spans the full HAP contract term plus three years. Compliant operators typically keep documentation covering site selection rationale, subsidy layering determinations, environmental reviews, accessibility features for each unit, and all HAP contract documents including any amendments or term extensions. For PHA-owned units, records demonstrating HUD approval of any independent oversight entity are also part of the required file.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 983.12 governs the records a PHA must preserve about a PBV project, which can be relevant to tenants who want to understand how their unit was selected, how rents were determined, or whether accessibility requirements were met. Because these records must be retained for the contract term plus three years, tenants or advocates may be able to request access to certain documents through public records processes if questions arise about a project's administration. Tenant-rights organizations or local legal aid offices can help identify which records may be relevant and how to pursue access to them.
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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.