HUD Handbook 4350.3 § 7-15
Key Requirements (HUD Occupancy Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4)
Operative Text
A. If an owner determines that a tenant’s current dwelling unit is smaller or larger
than appropriate as a result of a change in a tenant’s family size or composition,
the owner must decide whether to require the tenant to transfer to another unit.
B. Owners must not reduce or terminate the assistance payment associated with
the original unit until the family has been offered a transfer to a unit of
appropriate size and has been given sufficient time (no less than 30 days) to
move to the new unit.
C. In the case of a unit transfer, both the change in rent and change in the
assistance payment are effective on the day the tenant actually occupies the new
unit.
D. Owners must develop additional unit transfer policies to address tenant transfer
requests beyond those needed for change in family size, including transfers
needed for medical reasons or to accommodate a person with a disability.
E. Owners are obligated to transfer tenants to different units as a reasonable
accommodation to a household member’s disability. For example, a tenant with
a physical disability might need a transfer to an accessible unit, or a unit on the
ground floor, or a larger unit to accommodate a live-in aide. Transfers which are
needed as a reasonable accommodation should be made on a priority basis.HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 7-15 establishes rules governing when and how tenants in HUD-assisted housing may be transferred to a different unit. When a family's size or composition changes, an owner may require a move to a more appropriately sized unit, but cannot cut off or reduce the assistance payment tied to the original unit until the family has been offered a suitable replacement and given at least 30 days to relocate. Any changes to rent or assistance payments take effect only on the date the tenant actually moves into the new unit, and transfers needed as a reasonable accommodation for a disability must be treated as a priority.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 7-15, compliant operators maintain written unit transfer policies that cover both family-size-driven transfers and tenant-initiated requests, including those based on medical need or disability. When a transfer is required, operators ensure that assistance payments on the original unit remain intact until the tenant has received a formal offer of an appropriately sized unit and has had no fewer than 30 days to complete the move. Operators also treat disability-related transfer requests as reasonable accommodation obligations, prioritizing those transfers and documenting the process accordingly.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 7-15 gives tenants in HUD-assisted housing important protections when a unit transfer is involved: an owner generally cannot reduce or end the assistance payment on a current unit until the tenant has been offered a suitable new unit and allowed at least 30 days to move. Tenants who need a transfer due to a disability—such as a move to an accessible or ground-floor unit, or a larger unit for a live-in aide—have the right to request that transfer as a reasonable accommodation, which must be handled on a priority basis. Tenants who believe these protections are not being followed may consider contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or raising the provision as a defense in any proceeding related to their housing assistance.
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 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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