HUD HCV Guidebook § 5.1
Part A: Contract Information (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
To prepare the HAP contract, the PHA must28 fill in all of the contract information requested in
Part A of the HAP contract. The HAP contract applies only to the household and contract unit
specified in Part A. Form HUD-52641 contains section by section instructions for completing
Part A. Part A contains the following information:
1. Full name of tenant;
2. Address of contract unit, including apartment number;
26 Form HUD-52641, Page 1, Use of this form
27 Form HUD-52641, Page 1, Use for special housing types
28 Form HUD-52641, Page 2
3. Names of household members;
4. First date and last date of initial lease term;
5. Amount of initial monthly rent to owner;
6. Amount of initial housing assistance payment;
7. Identification of utilities to be paid for by owner and tenant, and identification of appliances to
be supplied by owner and tenant;
8. Signatures of the PHA representative and owner.Section 5.1 of the HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook describes the required contents of Part A of the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, which is completed using Form HUD-52641. This section of the contract establishes the foundational terms of the voucher arrangement, including the specific household, unit, lease dates, rent amount, housing assistance payment, utility responsibilities, and the signatures of both the Public Housing Authority (PHA) representative and the property owner. The HAP contract is binding only for the household and unit identified in Part A, meaning it cannot be applied to a different tenant or dwelling.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 5.1, property owners participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program are expected to review and sign the completed Part A of the HAP contract (Form HUD-52641) before the contract takes effect. Compliant owners confirm that the unit address, rent amount, utility responsibilities, and appliance arrangements are accurately reflected in Part A prior to signing. Owners generally retain a copy of the executed HAP contract for their records, as Part A defines the specific unit and household to which the assistance payments apply.
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 § 5.1 establishes that the HAP contract must identify the tenant by full name and list all household members, meaning the contract is tied specifically to the approved household. Tenants can review Part A of Form HUD-52641 to verify that their name, household composition, lease dates, and the breakdown of utility responsibilities are correctly recorded. If any information in Part A appears inaccurate, tenants may raise the discrepancy with their local PHA or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with the Housing Choice Voucher program for guidance on available options.
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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