HUD HCV Guidebook § 3

The term of the HAP contract begins on the first day of the lease term and ends on the last day of the
lease term, including any extensions of the lease term.

The HAP contract and the housing assistance payments made under the HAP contract terminate
automatically in each of the following situations:
    The owner or the tenant terminate the lease;
    The PHA terminates the HAP contract;
    The PHA terminates assistance for the family;
    Upon the death of a single member household, including single member households with a
      live-in aide;
    If the family is absent from the unit for longer than 180 calendar days or the maximum period
      permitted by the PHA in its administrative plan. The owner must13 reimburse the PHA for any

11 24 CFR § 982.161
12 24 CFR § 982.161(c)
13 24 CFR § 982.312(b)

housing assistance payment for the period after the termination; pr
       When 180 calendar days have elapsed since the PHA made the last housing assistance
        payment to the owner.

    Housing assistance payments terminate when the lease is terminated by the owner in accordance with
      the lease. However, if the owner has commenced the process to evict the tenant, and if the family
     continues to reside in the unit, the PHA must continue to make housing assistance payments to the
      owner in accordance with the HAP contract until the owner has obtained a court judgment or other
    process allowing the owner to evict the tenant. The PHA may continue such payments until the family
                         moves or is evicted from the unit. See 24 CFR § 982.311(b)

If the family moves from the unit, the owner is entitled to keep the housing assistance payment for
the month in which the family moves out of the unit. The term of a new HAP contract for a new unit
may begin in the same month in which the participant moves out of the previously assisted unit. This
is not considered a duplicative subsidy.

The PHA has the discretion to terminate the HAP contract in each of the following situations:
    If the PHA determines that available program funding is not sufficient to support continued
      assistance for families in the program;
    If the PHA determines that the contract unit does not meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS)
      size requirements due to a change in family composition;
    If the assisted family breaks up and the PHA’s policies as stated in its administrative plan
      determine that a family member that is leaving the unit is entitled to retain the voucher;
    The unit does not meet HQS; and/or
    The owner breaches the HAP contract.

The PHA must address the above situations in its administrative plan14 to define when the PHA will
terminate the HAP contract.