HUD Handbook 7465.1 § 1-2
OCCUPANCY RECORDS (HUD Public Housing Occupancy Handbook 7465.1)
Operative Text
a. POLICY
PHAs must keep a copy of each tenant's application for
admission to public housing in the tenant's file. Any
other occupancy information the PHA collects must be
retained for at least three Years or until audited by
HUD, whichever occurs later. This would include data
on current applicants and tenants, and applications
from people who were never admitted.
The PHA must document its determination that an
applicant is eligible and meets the PHA's admission
standards. The PHA must also document its
determination that an applicant is ineligible, does not
meet its admission standards, or will be dropped from
the waiting list for any other reason.
The PHA must maintain a record of the dwelling units
offered to an applicant, including the location, date,
and circumstances of each offer and each rejection or
acceptance. If the applicant rejected the unit, the
PHA must note the reason for the rejection.
b. REFERENCES
24 CFR 913.109
24 CFR 960.206
Handbook 7465.3, The Public and Indian Housing
Occupancy Reporting Handbook.HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-2 establishes recordkeeping requirements for Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) regarding occupancy. PHAs must retain each applicant's and tenant's file materials — including eligibility determinations, ineligibility findings, and records of every unit offered — for at least three years or until a HUD audit is completed, whichever comes later. This applies not only to current tenants and active applicants but also to individuals who applied and were never admitted to public housing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-2, compliant PHAs maintain a complete file for every applicant and tenant, including the original application, written documentation of eligibility or ineligibility determinations, and a log of every unit offered along with the date, location, and outcome of each offer. When an applicant rejects a unit, operators generally record the stated reason for that rejection. All such records are kept for a minimum of three years or until HUD has completed an audit of those records, whichever milestone arrives later.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-2 gives applicants and tenants a basis to expect that a PHA has documented every step of their application process, including any determination that they were ineligible or removed from a waiting list. If a person believes their application was mishandled or that records of offers and rejections were not properly maintained, they may raise this as a concern with the PHA directly, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on 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 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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