HUD HCV Guidebook § 8.3
Utility Allowance (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
The PHA must52 establish utility allowances for manufactured home space rental. For the first 12 months of
the initial lease term only, the allowance must53 include an amount for a utility hook-up charge if the family
actually incurred a hook-up charge because of a move. This allowance will not be given to a family that leases
in place. Utility allowances for manufactured home space must54 not include the costs of digging a well or
installing a septic system.
Example 11: Determining Rent Reasonableness for a Manufactured Home Space Rental
Heating $68
Cooking (gas) $11
Water heating (gas) $25
Other electric $32
Refrigerator $10
Range $10
Utility hook-up charge $5
($60/12 months = $5)
Utility allowance for first 12 months of initial lease term $161
(the utility allowance must be recalculated after the first 12
months of the initial lease term to remove the utility hook-
up charge)
Total utility hook-up charge $60Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 8.3, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are required to establish utility allowances specifically for manufactured home space rentals. During the first 12 months of the initial lease term, the allowance may include a prorated utility hook-up charge, but only if the family actually paid such a charge due to a move — families that lease in place are not eligible for this addition. The allowance must never include costs for digging a well or installing a septic system, regardless of circumstances.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 8.3, PHAs — not individual landlords — bear the primary responsibility for calculating and establishing utility allowances for manufactured home space rentals. Property owners and managers who participate in the Housing Choice Voucher program for manufactured home spaces generally keep clear records of any utility hook-up charges assessed to incoming tenants, since those figures inform the PHA's allowance calculation for the first 12 months. After that initial period, compliant operators understand that the PHA will recalculate the allowance to remove the hook-up charge component, which can affect the overall subsidy structure.
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 § 8.3 gives families renting manufactured home spaces the right to have a utility allowance established by their PHA, and if they incurred a hook-up charge because of a move, that cost may be factored into the allowance for the first 12 months of the initial lease term. Families who lease in place — meaning they did not move to a new space — are not entitled to the hook-up charge addition under this provision. If a tenant believes their PHA has not correctly calculated their utility allowance, they may raise the issue directly with their PHA, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
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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