HUD Handbook 7465.1 § 1-1
ADMISSION POLICIES (HUD Public Housing Occupancy Handbook 7465.1)
Operative Text
a. Policy.
(1) PHAs must adopt admission policies which meet the
requirements of:
(a) HUD regulations at 24 CFR 912, 913, 942, and
960;
(b) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
24 CFR 1;
(c) All other civil rights requirements
(paragraph 1-3(c));
(d) the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC); and
(e) State and local laws.
(2) Admission policies must be reasonable and must be
consistent with the PHA's responsibilities as a
public body.
(3) Admission policies must include a tenant selection
and assignment plan which covers:
(a) the organization of the waiting list
(paragraph 5-6);
(b) the method by which applicants will be chosen
from the waiting list and offered available
dwelling units (paragraph 5-7); and
(c) the circumstances under which a transfer would
take precedence over an admission.
The tenant selection and assignment plan,
including any changes to an existing plan, must be
reviewed and approved by HUD (paragraph 1-1(c)).
(4) Admission policies must also include:
(a) the PHA's standards for determining:
o eligibility (Chapter 3);
o suitability for tenancy (Chapter 4); and
o the size and type of unit and type Of
Project needed (paragraphs 5-1 and 5-2);
(b) the PHA's procedures for verifying the
information the applicant has provided;
(c) the PHA's method for achieving a broad range
of income in each of its projects (paragraph
5-3); and
(d) the PHA's selection preferences and their
relative weights (paragraphs 5-4 and 5-5).
The PHA may submit these policies to the local HUD
office for review, but formal HUD approval is not
required.
(5) The PHA must formally adopt the admission policies.
(6) The PHA must post copies of the admission policies
in each office where applications are received.
(7) The PHA must provide the pertinent portion of its
admission policies to any applicant or tenant who
requests it.
b. PHA PROCEDURES - Submission of Tenant Selection and
Assignment Plan
PHAs must submit an initial or revised tenant selection
and assignment plan to the local HUD office for review.
c. HUD RESPONSIBILITIES - Approval of Tenant Selection and
Assignment Plan
(1) The Regional Administrator takes final action on
the tenant selection and assignment plan if the PHA
is submitting:
(a) its initial plan and it is a standard plan
providing for a single community-wide waiting
list and one offer or up to three offers as
described in paragraph 5-7; or
(b) a change to its existing plan to comply with
any, administrative or management purpose
unrelated to complying with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and which is a
standard plan providing for a single
community-wide waiting list and one offer or
up to three offers as described in paragraph
5-7.
The Regional Administrator may delegate this
responsibility.
(2) The Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity (FHEO) or a designee must be consulted
if the tenant selection and assignment plan does
not meet the minimum requirements in:
(a) paragraph 1-3a., Nondiscrimination Policy; or
(b) paragraph 5-7a.(3) and (4), 1 offer or 2-3
offer tenant selection plans.
(3) The Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity (FHEO) or a designee takes final
action on the tenant selection and assignment plan
if:
o the plan has been submitted for the
purpose of complying with Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
o the PHA is operating under a finding of
apparent non-compliance with Title VI;
or
o the PHA has submitted the plan as a
component of any public housing
desegregation initiative.
(4) See paragraph 5-6(d) for HUD processing of a PHA
request to establish separate waiting lists for
separate communities within the PHA's
jurisdiction.
d. REFERENCES
24 CFR 1.4
24 CFR 960.203 and 960.204HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-1 establishes that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) must adopt formal admission policies that comply with federal regulations, civil rights laws, the Annual Contributions Contract, and applicable state and local laws. These policies must be reasonable, consistent with the PHA's public responsibilities, and must include a tenant selection and assignment plan covering waiting list organization, unit offer procedures, and transfer priorities. The tenant selection and assignment plan requires HUD review and approval, while certain other components of the admission policies may be voluntarily submitted to HUD but do not require formal approval. PHAs must post these policies where applications are received and must provide relevant portions to any applicant or tenant who requests them.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Public Housing Authorities operating under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-1 are generally expected to formally adopt written admission policies that address eligibility standards, suitability for tenancy, unit size and type determinations, applicant verification procedures, income range goals, and selection preferences with their relative weights. A compliant PHA submits its tenant selection and assignment plan—including any revisions—to the local HUD office for review and approval before implementation, and routes plans involving Title VI compliance or desegregation initiatives through the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Operators typically maintain posted copies of admission policies at every application intake office and keep those policies available for distribution to applicants or tenants upon request.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 1-1, applicants and current tenants of public housing have the right to request and receive the portions of the PHA's admission policies that are relevant to them, and those policies must be publicly posted at application offices. If a tenant or applicant believes a PHA's admission policies or tenant selection and assignment plan fail to meet civil rights requirements—including nondiscrimination obligations under Title VI—they may raise that concern with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or a local HUD field office. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid providers can help individuals understand how these policies apply to their circumstances and what complaint or appeal avenues may be available.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.