HUD PIH Notice § 2026-20

Special Attention of:                                Notice PIH 2026-20
Public Housing Agencies that Administer
   the Housing Choice Voucher Program                Issued: August 10, 2026
Public Housing Directors
Regional Public Housing Directors                    Expires: This notice remains in effect until
                                                     amended, superseded, or rescinded.

                                                     Cross References: Notices PIH 2022-24,
                                                     2021-15, and 2025-07; 982.503(b)(1)(i), 24
                                                     CFR 982.503(c)-(d), 24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)


Subject: Revision to Emergency Housing Voucher and Stability Voucher Program
Requirements Related to Payment Standards

I.     PURPOSE

This notice makes a change to the requirements for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) and
Stability Voucher (SV) programs.

II.    BACKGROUND

On May 5, 2021, HUD published Notice PIH 2021-15, Emergency Housing Vouchers –
Operating Requirements, detailing the funding process, waivers, and alternative requirements for
the EHV program. On August 16, 2022, HUD published Notice PIH 2022-24, Stability Voucher
Program, detailing the funding process, waivers, and alternative requirements for the SV
program.

III.   CHANGES

This notice strikes the following waiver and alternative requirement related to basic range
payment standard amounts from both the EHV and SV notices referenced above:

       HUD is waiving § 982.503[c](1) and establishing an alternative requirement to allow the
       PHA to establish a payment standard amount for a unit size at any level between 90
       percent and 120 percent (as opposed to 110 percent) of the published FMR for that unit
       size. HUD approval is not required to establish an [EHV/SV] payment standard within
       that range.

This discretionary waiver and alternative requirement was authorized by Section 3202 of the
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the EHV program and the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103) for the SV program. HUD has determined that this waiver and


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alternative requirement is no longer necessary and may be causing undue financial strain on
public housing agency (PHA) HCV budgets.

PHAs must follow the regulations at 24 CFR 982.503(c) regarding the payment standard basic
range of 90 to 110 percent of the Fair Market Rent (FMR) and 24 CFR 982.503(d) for any
exception payment standard amounts above 110 percent of the FMR.

This is the only change made by this notice. All other areas of PIH Notices 2021-15 and 2022-24
remain in effect unless otherwise amended.

IV.    COMPLIANCE DEADLINE

Within 60 days of the issued date of this notice, PHAs must be in compliance with payment
standard requirements for both new SV admissions and current EHV and SV families moving to
a new unit. As a reminder, per Notice PIH 2025-07, there are no new admissions to the EHV
program. For current EHV and SV families, the regulations at 24 CFR 982.505(c)(3) continue to
apply regarding decreases in payment standards during the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)
contract term, and decreased payment standards may not be used to recalculate the family’s HAP
any earlier than two years following the effective date of the decreased payment standard.
Additionally, any exception payment standards PHAs have adopted for their HCV program
pursuant to existing regulatory requirements are not impacted by this waiver rescission.

V.     PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

The information collection requirements contained in this notice have been approved by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3520) and have been assigned OMB control number 2577-0169.

VI.    FURTHER INFORMATION

Questions concerning this notice should be directed to EHV@hud.gov or
StabilityVouchers@hud.gov, as applicable.




                                                    _________________________
                                                    Benjamin Hobbs
                                                    Assistant Secretary
                                                     for Public and Indian Housing