HUD Handbook 4350.3 § 3-10
Residence Criteria (HUD Occupancy Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4)
Operative Text
A. Key Requirement
Assisted tenants must have only one residence and receive assistance only in
that unit. This rule is meant to ensure that the government pays assistance on
only one unit for a family and provides assistance to as many eligible families as
possible with available funding.
B. Sole Residence Requirement
1. A family is eligible for assistance only if the unit will be the family’s only
residence.
2. The owner must not provide assistance to applicants who will maintain a
residence in addition to the HUD-assisted unit.
3. *Owners must use the EIV Existing Tenant Search when screening
applicants in order to search for applicants who may be receiving
assistance at another location. See Chapter 9, Enterprise Income
Verification (EIV).*
C. Prohibition Against Double Subsidies
Under no circumstances may any tenant benefit from more than one of the
following subsidies: Rent Supplement, RAP, Section 202 PAC, Section 202
PRAC or Section 811 PRAC, project-based Section 8 housing assistance,
including Section 202/8, *or any Public and Indian Housing (PIH) rental
assistance programs.*
1. Tenants must not receive assistance for two units at the same time.
2. Tenants must not benefit from Housing Choice Voucher assistance in a
unit already assisted through project-based Section 8, Rent Supplement,
RAP, Section 202 PAC or Section 202 PRAC and Section 811 PRAC.
3. This prohibition does not prevent a person who is currently receiving
assistance from applying for an assisted unit in another property. The
assisted tenancy in the unit being vacated must end the day before the
subsidy begins in the new unit.
4. * Owners must use the EIV Multiple Subsidy Report to search for tenants
who may be receiving assistance at more than one location or under more
than one HUD rental assistance program. See Chapter 9, Enterprise
Income Verification (EIV),*HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 3-10 establishes that families receiving federal rental assistance may only hold that assistance for a single unit at a time, which must serve as their sole residence. The rule bars any household from simultaneously collecting more than one form of HUD subsidy—such as a Housing Choice Voucher alongside project-based Section 8—or from maintaining a second home while receiving assistance. When a family moves from one assisted unit to another, the prior subsidy must end the day before the new subsidy begins, ensuring no overlap in government payments.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 3-10, compliant owners screen every applicant using the EIV Existing Tenant Search to identify individuals who may already be receiving assistance at another location before approving tenancy. Owners deny assistance to any applicant who intends to maintain an additional residence alongside the HUD-assisted unit, and they run the EIV Multiple Subsidy Report regularly to detect tenants who may be drawing subsidies from more than one program or property. Keeping thorough records of these searches and their outcomes is a standard part of maintaining compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 3-10 of HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 protects the integrity of federal rental assistance by ensuring that no single household receives duplicate subsidies, which helps keep funding available for other eligible families. Tenants should be aware that accepting assistance in a new unit while still holding a subsidy in a prior unit—even briefly—can constitute a violation; the prior assisted tenancy must end the day before the new subsidy starts. Tenants who believe an owner has misapplied this rule or improperly denied assistance may contact the local HUD field office, reach out to a tenant-rights organization, or consult a housing attorney to understand available options.
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 25, 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.