§ 578.77 - Calculating occupancy charges and rent.

§ 578.77 Calculating occupancy charges and rent.

(a) Occupancy agreements and leases. Recipients and subrecipients must have signed occupancy agreements or leases (or subleases) with program participants residing in housing.

(b) Calculation of occupancy charges. Recipients and subrecipients are not required to impose occupancy charges on program participants as a condition of residing in the housing. However, if occupancy charges are imposed, they may not exceed the highest of:

(1) 30 percent of the family's monthly adjusted income (adjustment factors include the number of people in the family, age of family members, medical expenses, and child-care expenses);

(2) 10 percent of the family's monthly income; or

(3) If the family is receiving payments for welfare assistance from a public agency and a part of the payments (adjusted in accordance with the family's actual housing costs) is specifically designated by the agency to meet the family's housing costs, the portion of the payments that is designated for housing costs.

(4) Income. Income must be calculated in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609 and 24 CFR 5.611(a). Recipients and subrecipients must examine a program participant's income initially, and if there is a change in family composition (e.g., birth of a child) or a decrease in the resident's income during the year, the resident may request an interim reexamination, and the occupancy charge will be adjusted accordingly.

(c) Resident rent.

(1) Amount of rent.

(i) Each program participant on whose behalf rental assistance payments are made must pay a contribution toward rent in accordance with section 3(a)(1) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(a)(1)).

(ii) Income of program participants must be calculated in accordance with 24 CFR 5.609 and 24 CFR 5.611(a).

(2) Review. Recipients or subrecipients must examine a program participant's income initially, and at least annually thereafter, to determine the amount of the contribution toward rent payable by the program participant. Adjustments to a program participant's contribution toward the rental payment must be made as changes in income are identified.

(3) Verification. As a condition of participation in the program, each program participant must agree to supply the information or documentation necessary to verify the program participant's income. Program participants must provide the recipient or subrecipient with information at any time regarding changes in income or other circumstances that may result in changes to a program participant's contribution toward the rental payment.