24 C.F.R. § 983.253
§ 983.253 Leasing of contract units. (24 CFR Part 983)
Operative Text
(a) Owner selection of tenants. (1) During the term of the HAP contract, the owner must lease contract units only to eligible families selected from the waiting list for the PBV program in accordance with § 983.251 of this part. (2) The owner is responsible for adopting written tenant selection procedures that are consistent with the purpose of improving housing opportunities for very low-income families and reasonably related to program eligibility and an applicant's ability to perform the lease obligations. (3) An owner must promptly notify in writing any rejected applicant of the grounds for any rejection. The owner must provide a copy of such rejection notice to the PHA. (4) The owner must comply with 24 CFR part 5, subpart L (Protection for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking). (b) Size of unit. The contract unit leased to each family must be appropriate for the size of the family under the PHA's subsidy standards. (c) The protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, apply to tenant screening.
Under 24 CFR Part 983 § 983.253, owners participating in the Project-Based Voucher program may only lease assisted units to eligible families drawn from the PBV waiting list, and those families must be placed in units sized appropriately for them under the housing authority's subsidy standards. Owners are required to maintain written selection procedures tied to program eligibility and lease-performance capacity, and must give written notice of any rejection both to the applicant and to the PHA. Federal protections for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking apply throughout the screening and leasing process.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators bound by § 983.253 generally maintain documented, written tenant-selection policies that connect screening criteria to program eligibility and a household's demonstrated ability to meet lease obligations. When an applicant is turned down, compliant owners issue a written rejection notice that states the specific grounds and simultaneously provide a copy of that notice to the administering PHA. Owners also ensure their screening practices conform to the federal VAWA protections found in 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, and confirm that each family is placed in a unit whose size matches the PHA's subsidy standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 983.253, applicants to a Project-Based Voucher property have the right to receive a written explanation of any rejection, and the PHA must also receive a copy of that notice, creating an additional layer of oversight. Families who believe a rejection was improper—or that VAWA protections were not honored during screening—may raise those concerns with the administering PHA or contact a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Households should also be aware that the unit offered must be appropriately sized for their family under the PHA's subsidy standards, and a mismatch could be a basis for raising a concern with the PHA.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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