HUD HCV Guidebook § 1

At their discretion, PHAs may permit participating households to use Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)
assistance in a variety of special housing types. A PHA’s decision to allow households to use HCV
assistance in these housing types should be based on the PHA’s assessment of the difficulties
encountered by households currently looking for housing, applicant and participant demographics
suggesting a need for specialized housing, and the availability of suitable housing of the various types
in the local market.

A PHA must1 always allow the use of a special housing type if needed as a reasonable accommodation
for persons with disabilities so that the program is readily accessible to and usable by persons with
disabilities in accordance with 24 CFR part 8, even if the PHA does not normally allow the use of special
housing types or limits the number of families using these special housing types.

Each of the special housing types described below is targeted to households with particular needs.
Housing quality standards (HQS) apply to all units in these special housing types, but each special type
of housing may have additional unique HQS standards that are identified in this chapter.

Additionally, the payment standard used for each special housing type, and any unique requirements
for determining the utility allowance, calculating the HAP payment, or determining the reasonableness
of the rent, are included in the program descriptions.

Special housing types include:
   • Single room occupancy (SRO) housing;
   • Congregate housing;
   • Group home;
   • Shared housing;
   • Manufactured home (when the family owns the manufactured home and leases the space);
   • Cooperative housing (excluding families that are not cooperative members).

A single unit cannot be designated as more than one type of special housing. With the exception of
leasing both a manufactured home and space, which the PHA must allow families to lease under the
HCV program, PHAs must decide whether or not to approve the use of these special housing types. The
PHA may also limit the number of families who use special housing types unless needed as a
reasonable accommodation.

HUD does not provide any additional funding for these special housing types. The PHA must pay for
these special housing types from budget authority received for their tenant-based program and may not
set aside funding or program slots for any special housing types. The PHA cannot give preference to
households that wish to live in any of these types of housing and cannot require households to select
any of these types of housing.

For each household that elects to lease a unit in one of these special housing types, there is a separate
lease and HAP contract. The PHA has no obligation to help owners of these special types of housing fill

1   24 CFR § 982.601(b)(3)

units vacated by HCV program participants. The PHA’s administrative plan must2 include policies
regarding the use of special housing types.