42 U.S.C. § 1437e

Designated housing for elderly and disabled families (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (42 U.S.C.))

In Force
Verified 9/13/2026 · Next check 10/13/2026
effective 8/28/2026FederalAffordable Housing Programs

Operative Text

42 U.S.C. § 1437e
Subject only to provisions of this section and notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public housing agency for which a plan under subsection (d) is in effect may provide public housing projects (or portions of projects) designated for occupancy by (A) only elderly families, (B) only disabled families, or (C) elderly and disabled families.

In determining priority for admission to public housing projects (or portions of projects) that are designated for occupancy as provided in paragraph (1), the public housing agency may make units in such projects (or portions) available only to the types of families for whom the project is designated.

If a public housing agency determines that there are insufficient numbers of elderly families to fill all the units in a project (or portion of a project) designated under paragraph (1) for occupancy by only elderly families, the agency may provide that near-elderly families may occupy dwelling units in the project (or portion).

Except as provided in section 1437n(e)(1)(B)  of this title, any tenant who is lawfully residing in a dwelling unit in a public housing project may not be evicted or otherwise required to vacate such unit because of the designation of the project (or portion of a project) pursuant to this section or because of any action taken by the Secretary or any public housing agency pursuant to this section.

A public housing agency that designates any existing project or building, or portion thereof, for occupancy as provided under subsection (a)(1) shall provide, to each person and family who agrees to be relocated in connection with such designation—

notice of the designation and an explanation of available relocation benefits, as soon as is practicable for the agency and the person or family;

access to comparable housing (including appropriate services and design features), which may include tenant-based rental assistance under , at a rental rate paid by the tenant that is comparable to that applicable to the unit from which the person or family has vacated; and

payment of actual, reasonable moving expenses.

A plan under this subsection for designating a project (or portion of a project) for occupancy under subsection (a)(1) is a plan, prepared by the public housing agency for the project and submitted to the Secretary, that—

establishes that the designation of the project is necessary—

to achieve the housing goals for the jurisdiction under the comprehensive housing affordability strategy under ; and

to meet the housing needs of the low-income population of the jurisdiction; and

includes a description of—

the project (or portion of a project) to be designated;

the types of tenants for which the project is to be designated;

any supportive services to be provided to tenants of the designated project (or portion);

how the design and related facilities (as such term is defined in section 1701q(d)(8)  of title 12) of the project accommodate the special environmental needs of the intended occupants; and 1

any plans to secure additional resources or housing assistance to provide assistance to families that may have been housed if occupancy in the project were not restricted pursuant to this section.

The Secretary shall conduct a limited review of each plan under subsection (d) that is submitted to the Secretary to ensure that the plan is complete and complies with the requirements of subsection (d). The Secretary shall notify each public housing agency submitting a plan whether the plan complies with such requirements not later than 60 days after receiving the plan. If the Secretary does not notify the public housing agency, as required under this paragraph or paragraph (2), the plan shall be considered, for purposes of this section, to comply with the requirements under subsection (d) and the Secretary shall be considered to have notified the agency of such compliance upon the expiration of such 60-day period.

If the Secretary determines that a plan, as submitted, does not comply with the requirements under subsection (d), the Secretary shall specify in the notice under paragraph (1) the reasons for the noncompliance and any modifications necessary for the plan to meet such requirements.

The Secretary may determine that a plan does not comply with the requirements under subsection (d) only if—

the plan is incomplete in significant matters required under such subsection; or

there is evidence available to the Secretary that challenges, in a substantial manner, any information provided in the plan.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a public housing agency shall be considered to have submitted a plan under this subsection if the agency has submitted to the Secretary an application and allocation plan under this section (as in effect before ) that have not been approved or disapproved before .

A plan under subsection (d) shall be in effect for purposes of this section during the 5-year period that begins upon notification under subsection (e)(1) of the public housing agency that the plan complies with the requirements under subsection (d).

Upon the expiration of the 5-year period under paragraph (1) or any 2-year period under this paragraph, an agency may extend the effectiveness of the designation and plan for an additional 2-year period (that begins upon such expiration) by submitting to the Secretary any information needed to update the plan. The Secretary may not limit the number of times a public housing agency extends the effectiveness of a designation and plan under this paragraph.

Any application and allocation plan approved under this section (as in effect before ) before , shall be considered to be a plan under subsection (d) that is in effect for purposes of this section for the 5-year period beginning upon such approval.

No tenant of a public housing project shall be considered to be displaced for purposes of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisitions Policy Act of 1970 [ et seq.] because of the designation of any existing project or building, or portion thereof, for occupancy as provided under subsection (a) of this section.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under 42 U.S.C. § 1437e, public housing agencies are permitted to set aside entire projects—or portions of them—exclusively for elderly families, disabled families, or a combination of both, provided the agency has an approved designation plan in effect. Critically, the law shields existing tenants: no one lawfully living in a unit may be forced out simply because a project receives a new designation. When residents do agree to relocate in connection with a designation, the agency must provide timely notice, access to comparable housing at a comparable rent, and reimbursement of reasonable moving costs.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 3, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Public housing agencies operating under 42 U.S.C. § 1437e generally prepare and submit a written designation plan to HUD that documents the housing need, describes the project or portion to be designated, and outlines any supportive services. Compliant agencies track the plan's five-year effective period and submit updated information to HUD before each two-year renewal window closes. When a designation requires any resident to relocate, agencies typically document the notice provided, the comparable housing offered, and the moving expenses reimbursed, keeping records that demonstrate adherence to the relocation requirements spelled out in § 1437e.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 42 U.S.C. § 1437e, a tenant who is lawfully residing in a public housing unit has an explicit statutory protection against eviction or forced vacancy solely because the project is redesignated for elderly or disabled occupancy. If a housing agency asks a resident to relocate in connection with a designation, that resident is generally entitled to timely written notice, access to comparable housing at a comparable rental rate, and payment of actual, reasonable moving expenses. Tenants who believe these protections are not being honored may consider contacting their local public housing agency's grievance office, reaching out to a HUD field office, or connecting with a tenant-rights organization familiar with federal public housing rules under § 1437e.

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 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Aug 28, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 1437
Declaration of policy and public housing agency organization
§ 5.100
§ 5.100 Definitions.
§ 5.107
§ 5.107 Audit requirements for non-profit organizations.

Source Information

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