HUD Handbook 4350.3 § 3-11

A.       Key Requirements

                  Adult members of a family must sign consent forms and, as necessary,
                  verification documents, so that the owner can verify sources of family income and
                  family size. The owner must consider a family ineligible if the adult members
                  refuse to sign applicable consent and verification forms. See Chapter 5, Section
                  3, for additional detailed information on these forms.

                  1.       All members of an applicant or tenant family who are at least 18 years of
                          age and each family head, spouse *or co-head*, regardless of age, must
                          sign *and date* the HUD-required consent forms (form HUD-9887, Notice
                          and Consent for the Release of Information to HUD and to a PHA and
                          form HUD-9887-A, Applicant’s/Tenant’s Consent to the Release of
                          Information Verification by Owners of Information Supplied by Individuals
                          Who Apply for Housing Assistance) *at the initial certification and each

recertification*. All adults regardless of whether they report income must
                          sign *and date* these forms.

                  2.      *A current form HUD-9887:

                          a.       Must be on file before owners access the EIV employment and
                                   income information for a tenant.

                          b.       Does not have to be on file to use the EIV Verification Reports.
                                   This includes the Existing Tenant Search for applicants.*

                  3.      All adult members of an applicant or tenant family must sign individual
                          verification forms authorizing the owner to verify family income and other
                          applicable eligibility factors (e.g., disability status).

                  4.      Consent and verification forms protect the rights and privacy of tenants
                          and applicants by allowing them to have control over any information
                          collected about them. See Appendix 6 for sample formats.

                  5.      Owners must comply with the provisions of the federal Privacy Act as well
                          as any state or local laws relating to confidentiality.

         B.       Who Must Sign Consent and Verification Forms

                  Consent forms must be signed by:

                  1.      The head of household (regardless of age);

                  2.      The spouse or co-head of household (regardless of age); and

                  3.      Any other family member who is 18 years old or older.

                  *NOTE: The owner cannot use the EIV Income Reports for a tenant who turns
                  18 between recertifications until the tenant has signed the form, even though
                  employment or income will be reported in EIV. The owner must address, in their
                  Policies and Procedures, notification requirements and timeframes for tenants
                  who turn 18 between annual recertifications to sign the consent forms, if requiring
                  the forms to be signed other than at recertification.*

         C.       Provisions for Refusal to Sign

                  If the applicant or tenant, or any adult member of the applicant’s or tenant’s
                  family, does not sign and submit the consent form as required in 24 CFR 5.230,
                  the following statements apply:

                  1.      The owner must deny assistance and admission to the applicant; or

                  2.      The owner must terminate assistance to the *family* (see paragraph 8-5
                          regarding terminations).