HUD HCV Guidebook § 4.2
Applying Income Limits (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
Annual Income is compared to the applicable income limit to determine eligibility. A family’s income must21 be within the income limits for the PHA’s jurisdiction at the time the family receives a voucher to search for housing. In addition, the family, when it is first admitted, must select a unit in an area in which the family meets the income limit for the housing choice voucher program. Income limits apply only at the time of admission and are not a factor in ongoing program eligibility. A PHA with more than one set of income limits within its jurisdiction must22 use the highest income limit within its jurisdiction when determining initial household eligibility. However, a family whose income is above the limits in one or more areas of that PHA’s jurisdiction may lease only in an area where the family is income eligible when it executes its first lease assisted under the voucher program. Similarly, a family exercising portability when first admitted to the program must lease in an area where it is within the eligibility income limit. To determine which applicants qualify as continuously assisted, the PHA must23 establish policies concerning whether and to what extent a brief interruption between assistance under one of these programs and admission to the voucher program will be considered to break continuity of assistance under the 1937 Housing Act.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.2, a family's annual income must fall within the applicable income limits at the moment a voucher is issued and again when the family signs its first assisted lease. Income limits are tied to specific geographic areas, so a family must lease a unit in a location where their income qualifies. Importantly, once a family is admitted to the program, income limits no longer affect their ongoing eligibility — they apply only at the point of entry. For PHAs covering multiple income-limit zones, the highest limit in the jurisdiction is used to screen initial eligibility, but the family's first lease must still be in an area where they are income-eligible.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 4.2, housing providers working with the voucher program can expect that any voucher-holding family has already been screened for income eligibility by the administering PHA at the time of voucher issuance. Compliant PHAs apply the highest income limit within their jurisdiction for initial screening, so landlords operating in multi-limit jurisdictions may encounter families who qualified under a broader area limit but are restricted to leasing in specific zones. Once a family has been admitted and executed their first assisted lease, income limits are no longer a factor in their continued program participation.
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 § 4.2 establishes that income limits are checked at two key moments: when a voucher is issued and when a family signs its first assisted lease. After that initial admission, income limits do not affect a family's right to remain in the program, even if household income later changes. Families who believe they were incorrectly screened out based on income limits — including those exercising portability — may raise the issue with the administering PHA, consult a local tenant-rights organization, or contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for guidance on program rules.
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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