HUD Handbook 7465.1 § 3-6
ALIENS (HUD Public Housing Occupancy Handbook 7465.1)
Operative Text
PHAs may not consider the citizenship or alien status of any
applicant or member of the applicant's family in determining
eligibility for public housing.
PHAs must disregard the provisions in 24 CFR 912 (Appendix
4) dealing with citizenship and alien status.Under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 3-6, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are prohibited from using citizenship or immigration status as a factor when deciding whether an applicant or any member of their household qualifies for public housing. This rule also requires PHAs to set aside the citizenship and alien-status provisions found in 24 CFR Part 912. The effect is that eligibility determinations must be made without regard to the national origin or immigration standing of anyone in the applying household.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Public Housing Authorities operating under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 3-6 are expected to review applications for public housing without collecting, recording, or weighing citizenship or alien-status information for any applicant or household member. Compliant operators also ensure that their intake and screening procedures do not reference or apply the standards set out in 24 CFR Part 912. Staff training and written policies typically reflect this requirement so that eligibility decisions are made on permissible criteria only.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 3-6, applicants for public housing have a right not to have their citizenship or immigration status—or that of any family member—used against them in an eligibility determination. If a PHA appears to have denied or conditioned housing based on such status, that denial may be challengeable through the PHA's grievance process or by filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with federal housing law can help individuals understand what options may be available to them.
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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