HUD HCV Guidebook § 2.1
Total Tenant Payment2 (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
Total tenant payment (TTP) is the minimum amount the family will pay toward rent and utilities and is
calculated using a statutory formula and family income information (see the Income Determination
chapter). To calculate TTP, PHAs convert annual adjusted income and annual income to monthly
adjusted income and monthly income, respectively, by dividing the annual figures by 12.
The TTP is the greater of:
• 30 percent of monthly adjusted income;
• 10 percent of monthly income;
1
24 CFR 982.301(b)(2) and(b)(3)
2
24 CFR 5.628
• welfare rent from a public agency (i.e., the part of welfare specifically designated to meet the
family’s actual housing costs, which is used in as-paid states only); or
• the PHA minimum rent (PHA determined, see Section 2.2 - Minimum Rent).
The highest of these four amounts (or three amounts, in non-as-paid states) is the family’s TTP; the
family will pay at least this amount toward the unit’s gross rent (rent plus utilities). The family share
is the portion of rent and utilities paid by the family. The family share will be higher than the TTP if
the family’s rent is prorated or the family leases a unit with a gross rent above the PHA’s payment
standard. In the following examples, different scenarios of TTP calculations are provided. Example 1
shows a scenario where the TTP is 30 percent of monthly adjusted income. Example 2 shows a
scenario where the TTP is the minimum rent. Example 3 shows a scenario where the welfare rent is
applicable.
Example 1: Calculating Total Tenant Payment – Monthly Adjusted Income
30% of monthly adjusted income $700 x .30 = $210
10% of monthly income $740 x .10 = $74
Welfare rent (in as-is states) N/A
PHA minimum rent $50
Total Tenant Payment (TTP) $210
The tenant will never pay less than the TTP regardless of the unit selected
Example 2: Calculating Total Tenant Payment – Minimum Rent
30% of monthly adjusted income $134 x .30 = $40
10% of monthly income $174 x .10 = $17
Welfare rent (in as-is states) N/A
PHA minimum rent $50
Total Tenant Payment (TTP) $50
The tenant will never pay less than the TTP regardless of the unit selected
Example 3: Calculating Total Tenant Payment – Welfare Rent
30% of monthly adjusted income $134 x .30 = $40
10% of monthly income $174 x .10 = $17
Welfare rent (in as-is states) $65
PHA minimum rent $50
Total Tenant Payment (TTP) $65
The tenant will never pay less than the TTP regardless of the unit selectedUnder HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 2.1 (codified at 24 CFR 5.628), the Total Tenant Payment (TTP) is the minimum a voucher-assisted family must contribute toward rent and utilities each month. A Public Housing Authority (PHA) calculates TTP by comparing up to four figures — 30% of monthly adjusted income, 10% of monthly income, any applicable welfare rent, and the PHA's minimum rent — and uses whichever is highest. The family's actual out-of-pocket share can exceed the TTP if they choose a unit whose gross rent is above the PHA's payment standard or if their rent is prorated.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 2.1, the TTP sets the floor for what a voucher-holding family pays toward gross rent; the PHA covers the remainder up to its payment standard. Compliant operators generally verify the family's TTP through the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract documentation and understand that if a unit's gross rent exceeds the payment standard, the family — not the PHA — absorbs that difference. Keeping rents at or near the payment standard helps ensure the family's share does not become a barrier to leasing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 2.1 establishes that your TTP is the minimum you will pay toward rent and utilities, calculated from your household's income by your PHA. If you believe your TTP has been calculated incorrectly, you generally have the right to request an informal hearing through your PHA to contest the determination. Tenant-rights organizations and HUD's local field offices can also be resources for understanding how the formula applies to your household's income information.
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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