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Updated October 1, 2026. Rules in this area are changing quickly. Always confirm with your housing agency, and check the effective dates of any rule before acting on it.
Summary table
| Change | Status | Who is affected | Effective date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optional work requirements and time limits | Proposed (comments closed May 1, 2026) | Non-elderly, non-disabled households in vouchers, PBV, PBRA, public housing | Not in effect |
| End of prorated assistance for new mixed-status families | Proposed (comments closed April 21, 2026) | Households where not all members have eligible immigration status | Not in effect |
| HOTMA income and asset rules | Final, phased enforcement | All voucher and public housing households | Required for most agencies by Jan. 1, 2027 |
| NSPIRE inspection standards for vouchers | Final, delayed | Voucher and PBV units | Feb. 1, 2027 |
| FY 2026 income limits | Published | Applicants and income-restricted housing | May 1, 2026 |
| FY 2027 Fair Market Rents | Published | Payment standards | Oct. 1, 2026 |
| Emergency Housing Vouchers | Conversion announced | Eligible existing EHV households | By Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Revocation of 30-day nonpayment notice | Delayed; 30-day notice still required | Public housing and PBRA residents | Not in effect |
| Rescission of arrest-record screening guidance | Done (Nov. 2025) | Applicants with criminal records | In effect |
| Public charge rule rescinded (DHS) | Final | Some green card and visa applicants who use benefits such as housing assistance | Sept. 18, 2026 |
Proposed: work requirements and time limits
On March 2, 2026, HUD published a proposed rule, Establishing Flexibility for Implementation of Work Requirements and Term Limits. As proposed, it would:
- Let housing agencies and owners of HUD-assisted multifamily properties choose to adopt work requirements and/or time limits
- Apply only to non-elderly, non-disabled households
- Allow work requirements of up to 40 hours per week of work or qualifying activities
- Allow time limits of no less than two years, with flexibility to set different limits for different programs
- Cover Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, and public housing
Status: the comment period closed May 1, 2026. HUD must review comments before issuing any final rule, and a final rule could change significantly from the proposal. As of this update, no final rule has been published.
What to do now: nothing changes for most households until (1) a final rule takes effect and (2) your housing agency formally adopts a policy. Keep complying with your current obligations. If your agency is a Moving to Work agency, it may already have work or time-limit policies under its MTW agreement—ask for them in writing.
Proposed: mixed-status families
On February 20, 2026, HUD proposed changes to the rules for families in which some members are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens and others are not. As proposed, it would:
- Require every member of a new assisted household to have eligible status, ending prorated assistance for new mixed-status admissions
- Change how citizenship and immigration status are verified
- Affect assistance for existing mixed-status households under terms described in the proposal
Status: comments closed April 21, 2026; not finalized. Prorated assistance under current rules continues. See our eligibility guide and immigrant eligibility guide.
Final: HOTMA income and asset rules
The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 changed how income, assets, and deductions are calculated. HUD’s rules were finalized in 2023, and HUD has extended enforcement dates several times. Under Notice PIH 2026-15, HUD will enforce sections 102 and 104 for most housing agencies beginning January 1, 2027. Key changes for families:
- Asset limit: households with net family assets over $105,574 (2026) or owning suitable real property are generally ineligible
- Deductions: $500 per dependent and $550 for elderly/disabled families in 2026, adjusted annually
- Medical deduction threshold rises from 3% to 10% of annual income, with phase-in relief for existing families
- Interim reexaminations: decreases of 10% or more must be processed; increases in earned income generally wait until the annual review
- Earned Income Disallowance has ended
- Streamlined reviews for fixed-income households and self-certification of small assets
See how rent is calculated and reporting changes.
Final but delayed: NSPIRE inspections for vouchers
HUD’s NSPIRE standards replace Housing Quality Standards for voucher units. HUD extended the compliance date for the voucher, PBV, and Moderate Rehabilitation programs to February 1, 2027. Some agencies already use NSPIRE. See Section 8 inspections.
Published: new income limits and Fair Market Rents
- FY 2026 income limits took effect May 1, 2026, based on a national median family income of $107,900 (HOME program limits took effect June 1, 2026).
- FY 2027 Fair Market Rents were published September 1, 2026 and take effect October 1, 2026. Housing agencies have three months to adjust payment standards if needed to stay within 90–110% of FMR.
See payment standards and FMRs.
New: Emergency Housing Voucher conversion
HUD’s September 29 notice, PIH 2026-25, directs conversion of families under EHV leases on September 30 to tenant protection vouchers by December 31, 2026. Ask your PHA for your transition details; see the eligibility and funding qualifications in the linked guide. See special-purpose vouchers.
Delayed: 30-day notice before nonpayment evictions
A 2024 HUD rule requires public housing agencies and owners of Project-Based Rental Assistance properties to give tenants 30 days’ written notice before filing an eviction for nonpayment of rent, with an itemized amount owed and information about rental assistance. In February 2026 HUD published an interim final rule revoking that requirement, then in March 2026 delayed its effective date indefinitely and treated it as a proposed rule. The 30-day notice requirement remains in effect for those programs until HUD says otherwise. See facing eviction.
Done: criminal-records screening guidance rescinded
In November 2025 HUD rescinded Notice PIH 2015-19 / H 2015-10, which had cautioned against using arrest records in admissions and termination decisions, and withdrew related 2016 and 2022 fair-housing guidance. Agencies and owners must still follow HUD regulations and state and local laws, some of which restrict the use of arrest records and older convictions. Applicants retain the right to see and dispute a criminal record before denial.
Final: public charge rule changed (immigration)
The Department of Homeland Security rescinded its 2022 public charge rule in a final rule published July 20, 2026, effective September 18, 2026. Under the 2022 rule, housing assistance wasn’t considered in public charge decisions; under the new, broader discretionary approach, officers may weigh non-cash benefits such as Section 8 for applications filed on or after that date. Benefits received before September 18, 2026 are considered under the 2022 rule, and many people (including refugees, asylees, and green card holders applying for citizenship) aren’t subject to public charge. See our immigrant eligibility guide and get individual legal advice.
Funding
- FY 2026: the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, signed February 3, 2026, provided about $38.4 billion for tenant-based rental assistance, including roughly $35 billion to renew existing vouchers—an amount expected to be sufficient for renewals.
- FY 2027: a continuing resolution signed in September 2026 funds federal agencies, including HUD, at FY 2026 levels from October 1 through December 11, 2026. The President’s FY 2027 budget request proposed cuts to many HUD programs and limits on issuing new vouchers; Congress had not enacted final FY 2027 appropriations as of this update.
- Local shortfalls: even with national funding, individual agencies can face shortfalls and may pause issuing new vouchers or deny moves to higher-cost areas. Ask your agency whether it is issuing vouchers.
Homelessness funding (Continuum of Care)
CoC renewal funding and local project decisions can affect housing providers. If you receive a notice about your housing or services ending, ask the provider for the specific funding decision, the date it affects your project, and the written plan for residents. Contact legal aid promptly about any notice affecting your tenancy; national budget news alone does not tell you whether your own assistance will end.
How to protect yourself during changes
- Read every letter from your housing agency or property manager and keep copies.
- Keep complying with current rules: report changes, complete recertifications, pay your share.
- Ask for policies in writing before assuming a change applies to you.
- Comment on local plan changes. Agencies must hold public hearings when they amend PHA plans; resident advisory boards can weigh in.
- Get legal help for any termination notice or policy you believe is being applied unfairly. Request hearings by the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Is Section 8 ending in 2026?
No. The program continues to operate, current voucher holders continue to receive assistance, and Congress funded voucher renewals for FY 2026. Federal government operations, including HUD programs, are funded through December 11, 2026 under a continuing resolution while Congress works on FY 2027 appropriations.
Do I have to work to keep my voucher now?
Not under current federal rules. HUD’s March 2026 proposal would let housing agencies choose to impose work requirements on non-elderly, non-disabled households, but it has not been finalized. Some Moving to Work agencies already operate their own work or time-limit policies under separate authority; ask your agency whether any apply to you.
Will there be a two-year limit on Section 8?
Only if HUD finalizes its proposed rule and your housing agency chooses to adopt a time limit. The proposal would allow—but not require—agencies to set limits of at least two years for non-elderly, non-disabled households. Nothing has changed yet for households outside Moving to Work agencies with existing policies.
My family has mixed immigration status. Do we lose assistance?
Not as of now. Prorated assistance for mixed-status families remains in effect. HUD’s February 2026 proposal would end new admissions of mixed-status families and change verification rules, but it has not been finalized. Get individual advice from legal aid or an immigration attorney before changing your household composition.
How will I know if a rule becomes final?
Final rules are published in the Federal Register with an effective date, and housing agencies must notify affected households of changes to their policies. Agencies that adopt optional policies generally must amend their administrative plans or PHA plans, which involves public notice. Check the linked primary notice and your agency’s current written policy.
Sources and verification
Use these sources to check program rules. Funding, openings, and local procedures must be confirmed with the agency handling your application.
Update note (2026-10-01): Added the September 2026 EHV conversion route and direct sources for HOTMA, public charge, and the eviction-notice delay. Replaced an unsupported court-history summary with project-specific verification steps and added the primary mixed-status proposal.
- Public charge final rule, July 20, 2026Federal Register / DHS
- HUD postponement of the 30-day notice revocationFederal Register / HUD
- PIH 2026-15: HOTMA implementationHUD
- PIH 2026-25: Tenant protection vouchers for EHV familiesHUD
- Establishing Flexibility for Implementation of Work Requirements and Term Limits (proposed rule)Federal Register
- Revocation of the 30-Day Notification Requirement Prior to Termination of Lease for Nonpayment of RentFederal Register
- Extension of NSPIRE compliance date for HCV, PBV, and Mod RehabFederal Register
- Fair Market Rents for Fiscal Year 2027Federal Register
- Income Limits (FY 2026)HUD USER
- HUD FY2027 Budget Request: In BriefCongressional Research Service
- Overview of Continuing Appropriations for FY2027Congressional Research Service
- Verification of eligible status — proposed ruleFederal Register / HUD
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