Housing authorities: term limits and work requirements

Covered housing providers generally cannot make a tenant work, train, study, volunteer, or complete community service to receive or keep assistance, or reduce assistance based on those requirements.

What the law does ​

• Prohibits covered housing providers from imposing term limits or work requirements on eligibility for covered housing or the amount of rent subsidy or assistance, unless federal law requires them.
• Covers HUD-administered project-based rental assistance, public housing, Section 8 vouchers, and project-based voucher programs.
• Allows voluntary employment or job-training programs only when participation cannot affect eligibility or the amount of assistance and the program supports stated financial, education, or employment goals.
• Preserves federally compliant term limits and work requirements for housing authorities in the Moving to Work demonstration program.
• Does not alter the federal Family Self-Sufficiency program or public-housing community-service requirement.

Who it affects ​

• Public housing authorities, private owners, property managers, and other entities administering or subsidized through covered federal housing programs.
• Applicants for and tenants of covered HUD-assisted housing.

Context ​

Federal requirements and specified federal programs remain in effect.