24 C.F.R. § 983.203
§ 983.203 HAP contract information. (24 CFR Part 983)
Operative Text
The HAP contract must specify: (a) The total number of contract units by number of bedrooms; (b) Information needed to identify the site and the building or buildings where the contract units are located. The information must include the project's name, street address, city or county, state and zip code, block and lot number (if known), and any other information necessary to clearly identify the site and the building; (c) Information needed to identity the specific contract units in each building. The information must include the number of contract units in the building, the location of each contract unit, the area of each contract unit, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in each contract unit; (d) Services, maintenance, and equipment to be supplied by the owner without charges in addition to the rent to owner; (e) Utilities available to the contract units, including a specification of utility services to be paid by the owner (without charges in addition to rent) and utility services to be paid by the tenant; (f) Features provided to comply with program accessibility requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 8, the Fair Housing Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, as applicable; (g) The HAP contract term; (h) The number of contract units under the increased program cap (as described in § 983.6(d)) or excepted from the project cap (as described in § 983.54(c)) which will be set aside for occupancy by families who qualify for such a unit; (i) The initial rent to owner (for the first 12 months of the HAP contract term); and (j) Whether the PHA has elected not to reduce rents below the initial rent to owner in accordance with 24 CFR 983.302(c)(2).
Section 983.203 establishes the mandatory informational contents of a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract under the Project-Based Voucher program. The contract must document a comprehensive set of details about the assisted units, including their physical location and characteristics, the division of utility responsibilities between owner and tenant, accessibility features, the contract's duration, rent terms for the initial period, and any applicable unit set-asides under program caps. This provision ensures that the HAP contract serves as a complete and unambiguous record of the agreement's scope and terms.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners entering into a HAP contract under 24 CFR Part 983 § 983.203 are generally expected to ensure that every required data element is accurately reflected in the executed contract before it takes effect. Compliant operators typically verify that unit-level details—such as square footage, bedroom and bathroom counts, and floor locations—are correctly recorded, and that the allocation of utility costs between owner and tenant is explicitly stated. Owners also confirm that accessibility features, the initial rent to owner, any applicable unit set-asides under program caps, and the PHA's election (or non-election) regarding rent reductions under § 983.302(c)(2) are all clearly documented in the contract.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 24 CFR Part 983 § 983.203, tenants in Project-Based Voucher housing have an interest in the HAP contract's accuracy because it governs which utilities the owner is responsible for providing at no extra charge and which costs fall to the tenant. If a tenant believes the utility responsibilities or unit characteristics as actually experienced differ from what § 983.203 requires the contract to specify, they may raise this concern with their local Public Housing Authority (PHA), which administers the HAP contract. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices can help tenants understand what the contract should contain and what options may be available if discrepancies are identified.
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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