HUD HCV Guidebook § 3.5.1
The Integration Mandate (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
Both Title II of the ADA and HUD’s Section 504 regulations contain an integration mandate. Under HUD’s Section 504 regulation, recipients must administer programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities.113 According to the Department of Justice, an integrated setting is a setting that enables persons with disabilities to interact with persons without disabilities to the fullest extent possible. Such settings provide persons with disabilities with opportunities to live, work, and receive services in the greater community, like persons without disabilities. Integrated settings are located in mainstream society. They offer access to community activities 106 See 28 CFR part 35 for more information. 107 See 24 CFR 8.20, 8.24(a) and 28 CFR 35.150(a). 108 42 U.S.C. 3604(f)(3)(C). 109 See 24 CFR 100.205; 85 Fed. Reg. 78957 (Dec. 8, 2020), Fair Housing Act Design and Construction Requirements; Adoption of Additional Safe Harbors; and HUD’s Fair Housing Act Design Manual: A Manual to Assist Designers and Builders in Meeting the Accessibility Requirements of the Fair Housing Act for more information about design and construction requirements under the Fair Housing Act. 110 24 CFR 8.27. 111 See 24 CFR part 8, subpart C. 112 24 CFR 8.28. 113 24 CFR 8.4(d). Fair Housing and Nondiscrimination Requirements 29 US Department of Housing and Urban Development April 2025 and opportunities at times, frequencies, and with people of an individual’s choosing. They afford individuals with disabilities choice in their daily life activities.114 Such settings allow persons with disabilities to live independently with persons without disabilities and without restrictive rules that limit their activities or impede their ability to interact with persons without disabilities. HUD’s housing programs, including the HCV program, play a significant role because they may offer affordable, accessible, and integrated housing opportunities for persons with disabilities. HUD encourages PHAs to work with state and local governments to provide integrated, affordable and accessible housing options for persons with disabilities who are transitioning from, or at serious risk of entering, institutional or other segregated settings. For example, a PHA could offer certain admission preferences that will enable persons with disabilities to transition from institutional settings more quickly and enable individuals at serious risk of institutionalization to reside in integrated, affordable housing in the community. For PHAs administering Mainstream vouchers, Notice PIH 2024-30 describes how PHAs may also choose to adopt a separate waiting list and/or preferences for Mainstream applicants to help PHAs more successfully target Mainstream-eligible populations, including persons transitioning from institutions or at serious risk of institutionalization.
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 3.5.1 establishes an integration mandate drawn from both Title II of the ADA and HUD's Section 504 regulations, requiring that federally assisted housing programs be administered in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities. An integrated setting, as defined by the Department of Justice, is one that allows people with disabilities to interact with people without disabilities to the fullest extent possible, with access to community activities and personal choice in daily life. The HCV program is specifically identified as a vehicle for delivering affordable, accessible, and integrated housing, particularly for people transitioning from or at risk of entering institutional or segregated settings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 3.5.1, property owners and managers participating in federally assisted housing programs—including the Housing Choice Voucher program—operate within a framework that prioritizes integrated living environments for persons with disabilities. Compliant operators generally avoid policies or rules that unnecessarily restrict the activities of residents with disabilities or limit their ability to interact with neighbors and the broader community. Landlords participating in the HCV program should be aware that PHAs may offer admission preferences designed to facilitate transitions from institutional settings, which can affect the composition of applicant pools they work with.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 3.5.1 of the HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook affirms that persons with disabilities have a right to housing in integrated settings—environments that allow full participation in community life alongside people without disabilities, with personal choice over daily activities. If a housing program's rules or practices appear to isolate residents with disabilities or limit their community interactions, this provision may be relevant to raising a concern or filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Tenants with disabilities who are transitioning from institutional settings, or who are at serious risk of institutionalization, may also want to inquire with their local Public Housing Authority about any available admission preferences or Mainstream voucher options described under this section.
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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