HUD Handbook 4350.3 § 7-6
Overview of Annual Recertification Procedures (HUD Occupancy Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4)
Operative Text
It is the owner’s responsibility to process all recertifications in a timely manner.
HUD Headquarters will terminate *a certification* if a new recertification is not
submitted within 15 months of the previous year’s recertification anniversary
date. HUD has instructed Contract Administrators to terminate assistance
payments to an owner if a new annual recertification has not been completed and
submitted through TRACS within 15 months after the previous year’s anniversary
date. Owners must repay, by making an adjustment to the voucher, the
assistance collected for the 3-month period from the date the annual
recertification should have been effective through the end of the 15th month when
assistance was terminated. Once the new certification is processed, owners
must follow the guidance in paragraph 7-8 for determining the effective date for
changes in the TTP, tenant rent and assistance payment when the recertification
is delayed.
A. Owners and tenants must complete the applicable steps listed in Figure 7-3.
B. Owners must maintain a tracking system to facilitate timely completion of
recertifications.
C. To enable owners to give the tenant the required 30-day advance notice of any
increase in the TTP or tenant rent, Steps 1 through 6 in Figure 7-3 should be
completed at least 35 days before the recertification anniversary date.Under HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 7-6, annual recertifications for HUD-assisted housing must be completed and submitted through TRACS within 15 months of the prior year's recertification anniversary date. If that deadline is missed, HUD Headquarters may terminate the certification and Contract Administrators may halt assistance payments to the owner. Owners who collected assistance during the lapse period — spanning from when the recertification should have taken effect through the end of the 15th month — are required to repay those amounts by adjusting the voucher. Once the recertification is processed, specific rules govern how changes to tenant rent, total tenant payment (TTP), and assistance amounts are backdated.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators under HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 7-6 maintain an active tracking system to monitor each tenant's recertification anniversary date and ensure all required steps in Figure 7-3 are completed well in advance. Because tenants must receive at least 30 days' notice before any increase in TTP or tenant rent, Steps 1 through 6 of Figure 7-3 are generally completed no later than 35 days before the anniversary date. Owners who allow a recertification to lapse past the 15-month window face termination of assistance payments and an obligation to repay assistance collected during the 3-month lapse period via a voucher adjustment. After a delayed recertification is processed, paragraph 7-8 of the same handbook governs how effective dates for rent and assistance changes are calculated.
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 § 7-6 establishes that tenants in HUD-assisted housing are entitled to at least 30 days' advance written notice before any increase in their total tenant payment or tenant rent takes effect. If a tenant believes their owner has failed to complete the annual recertification on time or has not provided proper notice of a rent change, that concern can be raised with the property's Contract Administrator or with HUD directly. Tenants may also contact a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on how recertification delays can affect their assistance and what remedies may be available. Consulting the steps outlined in Figure 7-3, referenced in § 7-6, can help tenants understand what the owner is required to do and when.
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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