HUD Handbook 7465.1 § 2-3
MAINTAINING A WELL-BALANCED APPLICATION POOL (HUD Public Housing Occupancy Handbook 7465.1)
Operative Text
a. POLICY
(1) PHAs must:
(a) attempt to get a sufficient number and
variety of applicants to fill all vacancies
as they arise;
(b) attempt to get a broad social and economic
mixture of eligible applicants;
(c) not seek more applicants than can be served
within a reasonable period of time; and
(d) develop procedures to identify those
applicants who would no longer qualify or are
no longer interested in being admitted to
public housing.
(2) PHAs can accomplish these objectives through:
(a) outreach to get additional applicants;
(b) closing the waiting list to new applicants;
and
(c) updating the waiting list to remove the names
of those who are no longer interested or no
longer qualify.
(3) PHAs should target their outreach efforts toward
getting applicants from the desired segment of the
lower income population. Examples:
(a) Relatively higher income families if required
to achieve a broad range of income;
(b) Handicapped persons needing accessible units
to fill available units of that type;
(c) Minority or non-minority families if needed
to overcome the effects of prior
discrimination or other conditions which
resulted in limiting participation.
A PHA should avoid outreach methods which would
likely result in receiving applicants from large
numbers of persons it could not serve.
(4) PHAs which have too many applicants may close the
waiting list:
(a) completely;
(b) during certain times of the year; or
(c) by type of project or by size and type
of dwelling unit
(5) PHAs may not close a waiting list based on whether
or not the applicant would qualify for a
particular selection preference (e.g., accept
applications only from those who are involuntarily
displaced). PHAs may not close a waiting list by
income range (e.g., accept applications only from
those in the highest range).
(6) PHAs may not close a waiting list if it would have
a discriminatory effect inconsistent with
applicable civil rights laws.
(7) PHAs may not close a waiting list unless they
publicly announce any decision to suspend or
restrict taking applications. PHAs may not reopen
the list unless they publicly announce when they
are going to resume taking applications. It is
not sufficient simply to notify those people who
showed an interest in applying during the period
the list was closed.
(8) PHAs should update their waiting lists
periodically so that they can select tenants more
efficiently.
(9) PHAs must document the reason any applicant's name
was removed from the waiting list.
b. DISCUSSION
(1) PHAs are encouraged to diversify their application
pool by conducting outreach to segments of the
eligible population which have not previously been
served by the public housing program. This could
involve taking steps to get applications from
people who might be least likely to apply because
of race, ethnicity, sex of household head, age, or
source of income.
(2) In conducting outreach, the PHA should consider
what methods would be most effective within the
constraints of its financial resources.
(a) The PHA might want to post notices in:
o places of employment
o unemployment offices
o welfare offices
o post offices
o grocery stores
o churches
o community halts
o buses or other public transportation
(b) The PHA could consider advertising:
o on radio
o on television
o in newspapers
o in local publications
In some cases the PHA may be able to arrange
for a public service announcement.
(c) The PHA should also think about contacting
organizations involved with:
o disabled and handicapped people
o the elderly
o students
o immigrants
o homeless people
o victims of domestic violence
In some communities, PHAs may be able to get
help in conducting outreach from certain
civil rights and ethnic organizations.
(d) The PHA might want to mention
characteristics of the public housing program or
of the PHA's projects which would help attract
applicants. For example, that:
o rent is affordable and includes
utilities;
o projects are conveniently located and
have good security;
o some projects allow pets;
o some projects have day-care facilities
and others offer community activities;
or that
o some dwelling units have accessibility
features for those with physical
handicaps.
(e) Some PHAs have found that conducting an open
house is a good way to attract potential
applicants, explain the program, and give
people an opportunity to see the facilities
that are available.
(3) Prior to closing the waiting list, PHAs should be
sure there are sufficient applicants to fill
expected vacancies for at least several months.
(4) PHAs way close their waiting lists by unit size
and type but not by a selection preference,
including income range, because a selection
preference would be just one factor affecting
admission, and not the ultimate limiting factor
that the size and type of unit would be.
(5) To help the PHA update its waiting list, PHAs may
require applicants to report, at particular
intervals (for example, annually), whether they
are still interested in being admitted to public
housing.
(6) PHAs may require applicants awaiting admission to
report any changes in family composition or
circumstances and any significant changes in
income or assets which would affect the family's
eligibility, the type of project and size and type
of unit needed, or the family's priority for
admission.
(7) PHAs should not remove an applicant's name from the
waiting list unless:
(a) the applicant requests that the name be
removed; or
(b) the applicant was clearly advised of a
requirement to tell the PHA of its continued
interest by a particular time and failed to
do so; or
(c) the PHA has made reasonable efforts to
contact the applicant to determine if there
is continued interest but has been
unsuccessful; or
(d) the PHA has notified the applicant of its
intention to remove the applicant's name
because the applicant no longer qualifies for
public housing.HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 2-3 establishes rules governing how Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) manage their applicant pools and waiting lists. PHAs are required to pursue a broad, socially and economically diverse mix of eligible applicants while avoiding the accumulation of more applicants than can realistically be served. The provision also sets boundaries on when and how a waiting list may be closed or restricted, requiring public announcements for any such changes and prohibiting closures that would have a discriminatory effect or that target applicants based on selection preferences like income range.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 § 2-3, PHAs acting as housing operators are expected to conduct proactive, targeted outreach to underserved segments of the eligible population, using a variety of channels such as community postings, media advertising, and partnerships with civil rights or ethnic organizations. Compliant PHAs maintain documented procedures for periodically updating their waiting lists, including notifying applicants of requirements to confirm continued interest and recording the reason for any removal from the list. When a waiting list closure becomes necessary, operators ensure a public announcement is made and that the closure does not discriminate by selection preference, income range, or in any manner inconsistent with applicable civil rights laws.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 2-3 of HUD Handbook 7465.1 REV-2 CHG-2 provides important protections for public housing applicants, including the requirement that PHAs publicly announce any decision to close or reopen a waiting list — meaning applicants cannot be quietly turned away without notice. Applicants whose names are removed from a waiting list are entitled to documentation of the reason for that removal, and removal should generally not occur unless specific conditions are met, such as failure to respond to a clearly communicated deadline or a determination of ineligibility. Those who believe a PHA has improperly closed a waiting list, removed their name without cause, or applied discriminatory criteria may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, a fair housing agency, or filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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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