HUD HCV Guidebook § 3.6
Establishing the Payment Standard Schedule (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
Like the FMR, the payment standard schedule is established by bedroom size category. With the possible exceptions to HUD-VASH and EHV (see below), the payment standard schedule applies to all voucher units administered by the PHA regardless of the voucher type (e.g., standard HCVs, Family Unification Program (FUP), Non-elderly disabled (NED) vouchers) or the date on which the vouchers were awarded by HUD. The PHA may establish one or more separate payment standards within the basic range for designated parts of an FMR area. This may be appropriate where a PHA has determined that its general payment standards are too low to allow families seeking housing in areas with low poverty and minority concentrations to lease in these areas.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 3.6, a Public Housing Authority (PHA) sets a payment standard schedule organized by bedroom size, and that schedule generally applies to all voucher types it administers regardless of when HUD awarded those vouchers. A PHA also has the option to establish one or more separate payment standards within an allowable range for specific geographic sub-areas of a Fair Market Rent (FMR) region. This flexibility is intended to help voucher-holding families access housing in lower-poverty, lower-minority-concentration neighborhoods where rents may be higher than the general payment standard would support.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 3.6, PHAs set payment standard schedules by bedroom size that govern the subsidy calculations for virtually all voucher types a PHA administers. Operators managing properties in different parts of an FMR area should be aware that a PHA may have established sub-area payment standards that differ from its general schedule, which can affect the subsidy amount applicable to a given unit. Compliant operators typically verify the applicable payment standard for the specific location and bedroom size of each unit before finalizing a Housing Assistance Payments contract.
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 § 3.6 establishes that the payment standard schedule—set by bedroom size—applies to your voucher regardless of its type or when it was issued, which directly affects how your housing assistance payment is calculated. If you are seeking housing in a lower-poverty area and find that the general payment standard seems insufficient to cover rents there, your PHA may have or may be able to set a higher sub-area payment standard within the allowable range. Tenants who believe the payment standard is limiting their ability to access certain neighborhoods can inquire with their PHA, review their rights through a local tenant-rights organization, or raise the issue as part of any applicable administrative process.
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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