Document

Notice of Regulatory Waiver Requests Granted for the First Quarter of Calendar Year 2026

Section 106 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (the HUD Reform Act) requires HUD to publish quarterly Federal Register notices of all regulato...

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Department of Housing and Urban Development

[Docket No. FR-6615-N-01]

AGENCY:

Office of the General Counsel, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Section 106 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (the HUD Reform Act) requires HUD to publish quarterly Federal Register notices of all regulatory waivers that HUD has approved. Each notice covers the quarterly period since the previous Federal Register notice. The purpose of this notice is to comply with the requirements of section 106 of the HUD Reform Act. This notice contains a list of regulatory waivers granted by HUD during the period beginning on January 1, 2026 and ending on March 31, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information about this notice, contact Amanda Wahlig, Acting Associate General Counsel for Legislation and Regulations, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 10282, Washington, DC 20410-0500, telephone 202-708-3055 (this is not a toll-free number). HUD welcomes and is prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, please visit: www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/telecommunications-relay-service-trs.

For information concerning a particular waiver that was granted and for which public notice is provided in this document, contact the person whose name and address follow the description of the waiver granted in the accompanying list of waivers that have been granted in the first quarter of calendar year 2026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 106 of the HUD Reform Act added a new section 7(q) to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3535(q)), which provides that:

1. Any waiver of a regulation must be in writing and must specify the grounds for approving the waiver;

2. Authority to approve a waiver of a regulation may be delegated by the Secretary only to an individual of Assistant Secretary or equivalent rank, and the person to whom authority to waive is delegated must also have authority to issue the particular regulation to be waived;

3. Not less than quarterly, the Secretary must notify the public of all waivers of regulations that HUD has approved, by publishing a notice in the Federal Register . These notices (each covering the period since the most recent previous notification) shall:

a. Identify the project, activity, or undertaking involved;

b. Describe the nature of the provision waived and the designation of the provision;

c. Indicate the name and title of the person who granted the waiver request;

d. Describe briefly the grounds for approval of the request; and

e. State how additional information about a particular waiver may be obtained.

Section 106 of the HUD Reform Act also contains requirements applicable to waivers of HUD handbook provisions that are not relevant to the purpose of this notice.

This notice follows procedures provided in HUD's Statement of Policy on Waiver of Regulations and Directives issued on April 22, 1991 (56 FR 16337). In accordance with those procedures and with the requirements of section 106 of the HUD Reform Act, waivers of regulations are granted by the Assistant Secretary with jurisdiction over the regulations for which a waiver was requested. In those cases in which a General Deputy Assistant Secretary granted the waiver, the General Deputy Assistant Secretary was serving in the absence of the Assistant Secretary in accordance with the office's Order of Succession.

This notice covers waivers of regulations granted by HUD from January 1, 2026 through March 31, 2026. For ease of reference, the waivers granted by HUD are listed by HUD program office (for example, the Office of Community Planning and Development, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, the Office of Housing, and the Office of Public and Indian Housing, etc.). Within each program office grouping, the waivers are listed sequentially by the regulatory section of title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that is being waived. For example, a waiver of a provision in 24 CFR part 58 would be listed before a waiver of a provision in 24 CFR part 570.

Where more than one regulatory provision is involved in the grant of a particular waiver request, the action is listed under the section number of the first regulatory requirement that appears in 24 CFR and that is being waived. For example, a waiver of both § 58.73 and § 58.74 would appear sequentially in the listing under § 58.73.

Waiver of regulations that involve the same initial regulatory citation are in time sequence beginning with the earliest-dated regulatory waiver.

Should HUD receive additional information about waivers granted during the period covered by this report (the first quarter of calendar year 2026) before the next report is published (the second quarter of calendar year 2026), HUD will include any additional waivers granted for the first quarter in the next report. ( printed page 67599)

Accordingly, information about approved waiver requests pertaining to HUD regulations is provided in the Appendix that follows this notice.

David Woll,

General Counsel.

Appendix

Listing of Waivers of Regulatory Requirements Granted by Offices of the Department of Housing and Urban Development January 1, 2026 Through March 31, 2026

Note to Reader:

More information about the granting of these waivers, including a copy of the waiver request and approval, may be obtained by contacting the person whose name is listed as the contact person directly after each set of regulatory waivers granted.

The regulatory waivers granted appear in the following order:

I. Regulatory waivers granted by the Office of Community Planning and Development.

II. Regulatory waivers granted by the Office of Housing.

III. Regulatory waivers granted by the Office of Public and Indian Housing.

I. Regulatory Waivers Granted by the Office of Community Planning and Development

For further information about the following regulatory waivers, please see the name of the contact person that immediately follows the description of the waiver granted.

Regulation: Sections II, III, and IV of the Federal Register notices at 87 FR 6364 published on February 3, 2022 (the “February 2022 Notice”), at 87 FR 31636 published on May 24, 2022 (the “May 2022 Notice”), and at 88 FR 3198 published on January 18, 2023 (the “January 2023 Notice”), and the Consolidated Notice (Appendix B in the February 2022 Notice, May 2022 Notice, and January 2023 Notice), as modified. HUD provided a waiver and alternative requirement to the State of Tennessee that applies the requirements of sections I, II, and III and appendices A, B, and C of the Universal Notice (published at 90 FR 1754 on January 8, 2025, as may be amended), in lieu of the Consolidated Notice and sections II, III, and IV in the February 2022, May 2022, and January 2023 Notices.

Project/Activity: Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds allocated to the State of Tennessee pursuant to Public Law 117-43 for disasters in 2020 and 2021, as provided under the allocations announced in the February 2022 Notice and May 2022 Notice, and Public Law 117-180 for a disaster in 2021, as provided under the allocation announced in the January 2023 Notice. This waiver and alternative requirement is applicable to all CDBG-DR funds provided under Public Law 117-43 and Public Law 117-180 for the State of Tennessee only.

Nature of Requirement: The February 2022 Notice, May 2022 Notice, and January 2023 Notice (collectively, the “Allocation Announcement Notices”) announced the State of Tennessee's CDBG-DR allocations for 2020 and 2021 disasters, set out requirements in Sections II, III, and IV, and incorporated the Consolidated Notice in Appendix B. The Consolidated Notice, as amended by the Allocation Announcement Notices, sets forth applicable CDBG-DR waivers and alternative requirements, relevant regulatory provisions, the grant award process, criteria for Action Plan approval, and eligible disaster recovery activities.

After receiving initial CDBG-DR funds for the 2020 and 2021 disasters, the State was impacted by disasters in 2023 and 2024 and received an additional CDBG-DR allocation under Public Law 118-158, subject to the requirements of the Universal Notice. The Universal Notice similarly establishes CDBG-DR waivers and alternative requirements, relevant regulatory provisions, the grant award process, criteria for Action Plan approval, and eligible disaster recovery activities. The State requested HUD approval to apply the requirements of the Universal Notice (published at 90 FR 1754 on January 8, 2025, as may be amended), in lieu of the corresponding provisions in the Allocation Announcement Notices, including the Consolidated Notice, as modified.

Granted By: Ronald J. Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

Date Granted: February 3, 2026.

Reason Waived: The State demonstrated good cause that the application of the Universal Notice to its CDBG-DR funds provided under Public Law 117-43 and Public Law 117-180 would reduce administrative burden by aligning the requirements of its allocations for disasters occurring in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

Contact: Gerilee W. Bennett, Acting Director, Office of Disaster Recovery, Office of Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-3587.

Regulation:24 CFR 576.203(b).

Project/Activity: The State of Hawaii's Department of Human Services (DHS) requested a waiver of the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program requirement at 24 CFR 576.203 (b) for its Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) grant. DHS requested that the original expenditure deadline of November 23, 2025, be extended to December 31, 2026.

Nature of Requirement: The ESG regulation at 24 CFR 576.203 (b) provides that the recipient must draw down and expend funds from each year's grant not less than once during each quarter of the recipient's program year. All of the recipient's grant must be expended for eligible activity costs within 24 months after the date HUD signs the grant agreement with the recipient. For the purposes of this requirement, expenditure means either an actual cash disbursement for a direct charge for a good or service or an indirect cost or the accrual of a direct change for a good or service or an indirect cost.

Granted By: Ronald J. Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

Date Granted: March 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: On July 10, 2025, DHS submitted a request for the Department to waive the ESG Program requirement at 24 CFR 576.203 (b) for its Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing grant. DHS requested that the original expenditure deadline of November 23, 2025, be extended to December 31, 2026. On November 21, 2025 HUD provided a response, stating that:

1. The 24-month expenditure deadline would limit the State's ability to strategically use RUSH funding to address the needs of individuals affected by the Maui Wildfires.

2. Requiring that rental assistance expenditures end on the original period of performance end date of November 23, 2025, could result in program participants returning to homeless situations in a community still recovering from the natural disaster.

In that memorandum, the Department granted a one-month extension through December 31, 2025, requiring DHS to submit a spending plan to HUD on or before December 31, 2025, for consideration of a full-year extension. DHS submitted the spending plan to HUD on December 23, 2025, showing projected monthly expenditures by subrecipient through December 31, 2026. The spending plan provided detailed accounting of upcoming expenditures, giving a strong indication that this disaster response funding is greatly needed to continue street outreach activities and prevent currently housed program participants from returning to homeless situations in the wake of the Maui Wildfires. Based on the circumstances described above, pursuant to waiver authority provided at 24 CFR 5.110, that there is good cause to waive, the waiver of 24 CFR 576.203 (b) of the ESG Program regulations was granted, so long as the State complies with the expenditure deadline of December 31, 2026.

Contact: Norm Suchar, Director, Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, Office of Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, Washington, DC 20410, telephone number (202) 708-4300.

II. Regulatory Waivers Granted by the Office of Housing—Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

For further information about the following regulatory waivers, please see the name of the contact person that immediately follows the description of the waiver granted.

Regulation:24 CFR 242.16(a)(2)(i).

Project/Activity: Care New England Health System, Providence, Rhode Island.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 242.16(a)(2)(i) requires that a proposed Section 242 Borrower have an aggregate operating margin equal to or greater than 0.00% when calculated from the three most recent annual audited financial statements.

Granted By: Frank Cassidy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.

Date Granted: January 30, 2026.

Reason Waived: Care New England Health System's lender applied for Section 242 mortgage insurance. 24 CFR 242.16(a)(2)(i) requires that a proposed Section 242 Borrower have an aggregate operating margin equal to or greater than 0.00 when calculated from the three most recent annual audited financial statements. While the proposed ( printed page 67600) Borrower did not meet the specific criteria in the Regulation, its overall financial performance and credit profile mitigates default risk. The waiver was needed to close the proposed FHA-insured loan.

Contact: Paul Giaudrone, Underwriting Director, Office of Hospital Facilities, Office of Healthcare Programs, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, telephone: (202) 402-5684.

Regulation:24 CFR 242.17(c)(2).

Project/Activity: Medical University Hospital Authority, Charleston, South Carolina.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 242.17(c)(2) requires that Section 242 Commitments expire no more than 180 days after issuance.

Granted By: Frank Cassidy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.

Date Granted: March 16, 2026.

Reason Waived: FHA issued a commitment to insure a loan on behalf of the Medical University of South Carolina on September 30, 2025. Due to factors outside the Borrower and Lender's control (local permitting delays) the Lender was unable to close the loan 180 days post Commitment. The waiver allowed FHA to extend the deadline to close the loan.

Regulation: Temporary, Partial Waiver of 24 CFR 200.926d(c)(4) Project/Activity: Nationwide—New Construction—FHA SF Mortgage Insurance.

Nature of Requirement: Single Family Minimum Property Standards Drainage and flood hazard exposure, which addresses new construction requirements for residential structures under HUD's mortgage insurance programs. The regulation requires that the lowest floor in newly constructed structures located within the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain be built at least two feet above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE).

Granted By: Frank Cassidy, Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner.

Date Granted: February 20, 2026.

Reason Waived: To assist in ensuring the continued availability of FHA new construction financing options to expand the housing supply and deliver emergency housing price relief, a partial waiver of the requirement was granted.

Contact: Brian Faux, Director, Office of Single Family Program Development, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, telephone: (202) 402-5684, email Brian.Faux@hud.gov.

Regulation:24 CFR 891.100(d) of Section 202 and Section 811 which does not permit projects to receive additional funds prior to initial closing.

Project/Activity: Spires Senior Village II is a 66-unit senior housing development located in Oldenburg, Indiana. RDoor Housing Corporation (the Sponsor) was awarded $6,000,000 in Capital Advance funds for the project. The Sponsor requested additional Capital Advance funds due to increased development costs. These increases are attributable to:

The project's rural location and the limited availability of subcontractors with the required experience, qualifications, and capacity, resulting in higher bid costs.
Additionally, the project is now required to comply with the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Rehabilitation, which has increased both design and construction costs to address the project's historic elements.
To mitigate these increased costs and reduce the amount of additional Capital Advance funds requested, the Sponsor redesigned the building. This redesign presented challenges, as the project involves the adaptive reuse of historically significant structures and is subject to Historic Tax Credit requirements and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) standards. As a result of these efforts, the Sponsor reduced its request for Capital Advance amendment funds to $2,714,911. Granting this waiver would increase the project's total Capital Advance award to $8,714,911, allowing the project more flexibility.

Nature of Requirement: Please refer to the “Regulation” section.

Granted By: Frank Cassidy, Assistant Secretary for Housing—FHA Commissioner.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: Preserving affordable housing units. The risk of not granting the waiver could result in the loss of 34 affordable housing units for seniors in a particularly high cost area, resulting in long lasting political and reputational challenges.

Contact: Shalonda Kelly, Program Analyst, Office of Asset Management, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Shalonda.M.Kelly@hud.gov.

III. Regulatory Waivers Granted by the Office of Public and Indian Housing

For further information about the following regulatory waivers, please see the name of the contact person that immediately follows the description of the waiver granted.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.161(a)(1), Sections 13(b) and (d) of Form HUD-52641.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 982.161(a)(1) prohibits a Public Housing Agency (PHA) or any of its contractors or subcontractors from entering into any contract or arrangement in connection with the Housing Choice Voucher program in which any present or former member or officer of the PHA (except a participant commissioner) has any interest, direct or indirect, during tenure or for one year thereafter. Section 13(b) pertains to a conflict of interest within a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract. Section 13(d) states that the owner certifies and is responsible for assuring that no person or entity has or will have a prohibited interest, at execution of the HAP contract, or at any time during the HAP contract term.

Project/Activity: Ripley County Public Housing Agency (RCPHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 14, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing RCPHA's explanation of the tenant's particular circumstances, the hardship that the tenant would face in moving, and the tight rental market in Ripley County. Prior to being issued a Housing Choice Voucher, the tenant resided in a property owned by an elected official. The RCPHA submitted a legal opinion that stated that the official, by virtue of the office the official holds, is a member of the Regional Planning Commission Board as well as the RCPHA. This waiver grants prospective relief to allow the tenant to remain in the tenant's current unit and begin receipt of Housing Choice Voucher assistance in that unit, for the good cause cited.

Contact: Melissa West, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Office of Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Melissa.West@hud.gov, telephone (303) 672-5352.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.401(b), 24 CFR 5.703(d)(2).

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 982.401(b) pertains to the inclusion of properly operating, adequate, and private sanitary facilities within a dwelling unit. 24 CFR 5.703(d)(2) similarly requires a unit's inclusion of a properly operating, private sanitary facility that must include a sink, bathroom or shower, and interior flushable toilet.

Project/Activity: Cheyenne Housing Authority (CHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 21, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that CHA is making the request to enable HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) veterans to lease units in Evergreen Studios, a motel conversion property located in Sheridan, Wyoming. These units are extremely important for the HUD-VASH program given the severe shortage of affordable housing in Wyoming and the limited options for HUD-VASH veterans who rely on accessing services from Veterans Affairs. The Evergreen Studios property consists of 40 small, converted motel-style studio/efficiency units. Except for the lack of a sink located in the bathroom, these units have been reported to be in decent condition and in high demand among single veterans in the area. As of the date of the letter, CHA is using the legacy Housing Quality Standards and has not yet adopted the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE).

Contact: Molly Allen, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, 451 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email at Molly.K.Allen@hud.gov.

( printed page 67601)

Regulation:24 CFR 983.52(c), 24 CFR 983.251(a)(2), 24 CFR 983.258, 24 CFR 983.211, 24 CFR 983.301, and 24 CFR 983.353(b)(1).

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 983.52(c) prohibits placing a selected unit under a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract if the unit is occupied by a family ineligible for participation in the Project Based Voucher (PBV) program. 24 CFR 983.251(a)(2) pertains to PBV participant selection and requires Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to select only families deemed eligible for admission at the commencement of assistance, using information received and verified by the PHA 60 days before said commencement. 24 CFR 983.258 requires that HAPs continue until tenant rent equals rent to owner. 24 CFR 983.211 provides requirements pertaining to the removal of a unit from a HAP contract based on a family's increased income. 24 CFR 983.301 provides requirements pertaining to determining the rent to owner amount. 24 CFR 983.353(b)(1) states that a family within a PHA is responsible for paying the tenant rent.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of the City of Passaic (HACP), Vreeland Village and Chestnut Gardens.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HACP seeks the waiver because the low Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) PBV contract rents prohibit a significant number of otherwise eligible families on the waiting list from being admitted to the projects because they do not require subsidy, which could consequently create an undue concentration of poverty at Vreeland Village and Chestnut Gardens. HACP demonstrated that the monthly two-bedroom RAD Gross Rent is less than 30 percent of the monthly income of a family of four at the midpoint between the Very Low Income HUD Income Limit and Extremely Low Income HUD Income Limit for the area in which Vreeland Village and Chestnut Gardens are located.

Contact: Kristin Baugh, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Kristin.M.Baugh@hud.gov, telephone (913) 551-5573.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 982.204 pertains to a public housing authority's (PHA's) administration of a waiting list. 24 CFR 982.206 requires a PHA to provide public notice of the opening of a waiting list.

Project/Activity: Lynchburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority (LRHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that LHRA is requesting this waiver to ensure that the participants of the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program will maintain uninterrupted rental assistance. Many of these families include individuals who are elderly, disabled, fleeing violence or who face imminent homelessness. The waiver would support a streamlined approach; avoiding barriers a new application process would create and prevent duplicative paperwork burden on families and LRHA staff. Without this waiver, LHRA would experience a higher administrative burden, diverting staff from critical functions like rent reasonableness, inspections and recertifications. Delays in admission could result, leaving households that cannot be transitioned in time stranded, and the potential for interrupted or terminated assistance of EHV families, increasing the risk of homelessness.

Contact: Jennifer LeGros, Management Analyst, Office of Housing Voucher Program Support Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Jennifer.L.Legros@hud.gov, telephone (212) 542-7833.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Victoria Housing Authority (VHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that VHA currently has 11 Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families. Without this waiver, EHV families would have to wait for the waiting list to open to apply and would miss the opportunity to transition to the Housing Choice Voucher program quickly and smoothly. EHV families also have additional barriers to applying to the waiting list, such as disabilities, limited English proficiency, lack of public transportation, and/or low digital literacy leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness.

Contact: Celia Carpentier, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Celia.Y.Carpentier@hud.gov, telephone (202) 402-7093.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Municipality of Juncos.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that the Municipality of Juncos currently has thirteen families in its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. Transitioning EHV families directly to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list ensures that these households who are already housed through the EHV program can continue to receive assistance when EHV funding expires, without disruption. These EHV families have already been determined eligible, are currently receiving rental assistance, and are residing in units that have passed HUD-required inspections. Therefore, their transition into the HCV program would not require the typical eligibility screening or initial Housing Quality Standards inspections process. This not only reduces the administrative burden on our staff but also expedites the process of maintaining assistance for these households. Furthermore, requiring each EHV household to reapply for HCV assistance would create unnecessary procedural barriers, which could delay or even jeopardize their continued housing stability. Many of these families have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity and are particularly vulnerable to administrative lapses in assistance.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Municipality of Arecibo Housing Department (MAHD).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that MAHD is requesting this waiver due to the risk that Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families will lose their housing assistance due to the imminent depletion of funds allocated to the EHV program. Furthermore, considering the number of EHV families currently served by MAHD, adequate dissemination and individual follow-up must be ensured to guarantee that all families are properly informed and can submit timely applications for inclusion on the HCV waiting list. This situation substantially increases the administrative burden and could negatively affect the continuity of assistance for eligible families. Therefore, in order to safeguard the housing stability of EHV families and ensure an orderly, equitable, and efficient transition ( printed page 67602) to the EHV program, MAHD is requesting authorization to include all EHV families on the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list through a simplified process, in accordance with the guidance and administrative flexibility established by HUD in Notice PIH 2025-19.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of Clackamas County (HACC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HACC is requesting this waiver in order to secure housing assistance for Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families and avoid barriers and challenges these vulnerable families would face were an individual application process required. HACC serves a sizeable population of EHV participants. Were a waiver not granted, staff would experience administrative burden, divert limited staff resources away from critical program functions and cause delay in placing families on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list, increasing the risk that families will exhaust their EHV assistance before securing placement in the HCV program. Without the waiver, there will be inevitable delay in the timeline for selection under the waiting list, which could result in a loss of housing assistance for families at risk of homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that SHA requests approval of this waiver to ensure that all Emergency Housing Voucher families are able to maintain their current housing and avoid the risk of homelessness. Without this waiver, SHA would be required to collect and process 35 individual applications from families dispersed throughout the county. This added administrative burden would significantly delay service delivery and disrupt the seamless support these families currently receive through the PHA. It would also increase the risk of terminations due to processing delays, time constraints, and limited program funding. Approval of this waiver is critical to protecting housing continuity and preventing unnecessary hardship for the families we serve.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Fairmont-Morgantown Housing Authority (FMHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that FMHA serves a very rural, four-county region covering a large geographic area with limited staff resources. Despite our commitment to supporting all Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families, our staffing capacity makes it unlikely that we can conduct individualized outreach and follow-up with every EHV household to ensure that each family is informed of their opportunity to be placed on the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list and submit an application in time. Additionally, our agency previously partnered with the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness to provide direct case management support for our EHV participants. Unfortunately, the Coalition's partnership ended due to a lack of funding to maintain the case manager position. This loss of dedicated case management has further reduced our capacity to provide individualized outreach and application assistance to EHV families.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HAMC is unlikely to be able to notify the 66 families in its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program of the opportunity to submit an application for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program prior to the exhaustion of EHV funds. HAMC is short-staffed and does not have available funds to support additional expenses to the EHV program to do the necessary outreach. Further, opening and closing any waitlist requires additional staff, IT support, and administrative oversight that HAMC does not currently have nor has budgeted. Our EHV participants were bridged from a State program, using the Move-On Strategy, that lost funding, making them more susceptible to homelessness without a pre-planned strategy from HAMC. This waiver request will minimize the ongoing programmatic interruption and facilitate a pre-planning for EHV families that want to transition to the HCV program.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: City of Santa Rosa Housing Authority (SRHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that SRHA is requesting the waiver to avoid the confusion and avoidable burden that a new application process would cause Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) participants. The EHV families that SRHA serves include elderly and disabled residents and are some of the most vulnerable in the community. SRHA previously verified all participants at initial enrollment and worked closely with Continuum of Care and Coordinated Entry during the launch of the EHV program. Streamlining the transition into the Housing Choice Voucher program will help ensure that these families remain stably housed. Were the waiver not granted, SRHA would experience administrative burden with the challenges EHV participants would ( printed page 67603) experience, difficulty understanding the need for a new application and support required throughout the transition. EHV families would have to complete duplicative steps to apply and would be at risk of losing housing assistance.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 982.204 pertains to a Public Housing Authority's (PHA's) administration of a waiting list. 24 CFR 982.206 requires a PHA to provide public notice of the opening of a waiting list.

Project/Activity: Santa Ana Housing Authority (SAHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that SAHA currently serves 70 households through its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, consisting of 101 individuals. These households represent some of the most vulnerable populations in Santa Ana. Without this waiver, each of these households would be required to submit a separate application for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. This process would create substantial administrative burden, requiring staff to coordinate outreach, provide application assistance, verify documentation, and process 70 new applications. Given current staffing levels and ongoing program demands, this would divert critical resources away from core functions such as lease-up support, inspections, and recertifications. For participants, the requirement to complete a new application introduces unnecessary barriers. Many EHV households face challenges such as disabilities, lack of internet access, or trauma histories that make navigating bureaucratic processes difficult. Requiring them to reapply could result in confusion, missed deadlines, or incomplete applications—potentially jeopardizing their future eligibility for HCV assistance.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: County of Maui.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that the County of Maui is requesting a waiver in order to prevent Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families from missing the opportunity to transition to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program because of the barriers they face. Many EHV families face challenges, including disability, limited English proficiency, and low digital literacy, which could lead to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness, were a separate application process required. If the waiver is not granted, efforts required by a renewed application process would leave County of Maui staff with an increased workload, diverting resources away from serving other households in need. Without the waiver, EHV families would experience delays in moving onto the HCV waitlist, which could exacerbate housing instability.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Springfield Housing Authority (SHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that SHA is requesting this waiver to ensure available Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) vouchers are issued to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)-assisted households, transitioning them to permanent housing assistance and reducing the risk of families becoming homeless. The waiver will position SHA to expeditiously transition EHV voucher holders to the HCV Program as vouchers become available. Without the waiver, SHA staff would experience administrative burden with the duplicative effort required to reprocess applications for participants who have remained in full compliance with the program rules and regulations. Were a new application process required, EHV voucher holders would face more barriers in successfully navigating the process and an increased risk of homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HACC is requesting a waiver to ensure that Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) participants receive timely assistance and housing opportunities without disruption. This waiver would allow HACC to transfer 57 current EHV participants and prevent these families from losing their housing. The waiver would lessen the burden on both vulnerable families and HACC staff, to ensure these families continue to receive assistance. Were the waiver not granted, HACC may be unable to meet critical program deadlines, including lease-ups, inspections and eligibility determinations. These delays would strain agency operations and jeopardize housing stability for EHV participants.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Hamilton Township Housing Authority (HTHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HTHA needs this waiver to ensure ten families enrolled in the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program transition smoothly into the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Without this waiver, some EHV families may miss the opportunity to transition to the HCV program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy, leading to the potential loss of housing assistance. The potential loss of the EHV could lead to increased homelessness, further complicating the very situations they escaped from. Without this waiver, families would face significant hardship, particularly during a period when they are most in need of support and stability.

Contact: Michelle Daniels, Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, ( printed page 67604) Office of Public and Indian Housing, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Michelle.Daniels@hud.gov, telephone (202) 402-6051.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Arlington County Department of Human Services (ACDHS).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that ACDHS is requesting a waiver to immediately place all Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families on the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list after establishing an EHV preference. ACDHS needs this waiver as there would be a significant delay caused by having to require individual applications from EHV families and EHV families would be at risk of losing assistance in 2026. ACDHS focused its EHVs on housing our most at-risk families—typically, chronically homeless families. Obtaining applications from these families was a significant undertaking, and requesting additional applications/documentation is likely to impose additional hardships on them. It is anticipated that the EHV preference will be approved by the Board in early 2026.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of Okanogan County (HAOC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: January 26, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HAOC currently has nine families in its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. HAOC is close to running out of EHV funding and needs this waiver in order to transition EHV families to the regular Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program or Mainstream program prior to the exhaustion of EHV funds. HAOC's HCV waiting list is currently closed and if HAOC is required to follow the steps in its Administrative Plan to open its waiting list for EHV families it would put EHV families at risk of losing assistance due the exhaustion of EHV funds. HAOC has already amended its Administrative Plan to include a preference for EHV families.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.312(a).

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 982.312(a) provides that the family may be absent from the unit for a brief period.

Project/Activity: Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 4, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waiver on the basis of good cause, citing that MSHDA's request was made on behalf of a 71-year-old individual with disabilities. The individual was absent from their assisted unit for medical related reasons. They were hospitalized from May 14, 2024, to May 25, 2024, entered a rehabilitation facility upon release, then remained in the rehabilitation facility until April 30, 2025. They were absent from the unit for approximately 351 days. They returned to their unit in April of 2025; however, on March 24, 2025, MSHDA notified the individual that their rental subsidy was being terminated because they were absent from the assisted unit for more than 180 days. MSHDA is to resume Housing Assistance Payments for the individual no earlier than the first of the month following the date of the waiver lette.

Contact: Carmen Chow, Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher and Management Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Carmen.Chow@hud.gov, telephone (312) 913-8523.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Municipality of Mayaguez.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that this waiver is essential to ensure program continuity and housing stability to families who are already participating in the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. Transitioning EHV families directly to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program waiting list ensures that these households who are already housed and stabilized through the EHV program can continue to receive assistance when EHV funding expires without disruption. This waiver not only reduces the administrative burden on our staff but also expedites the process of maintaining assistance for these households. Furthermore, requiring each EHV household to reapply for HCV assistance would create unnecessary procedural barriers, which could delay or even jeopardize their continuing housing stability. Many of these families have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity and are particularly vulnerable to administrative lapses in assistance. This waiver will allow us to maintain support for our most at-risk population while maximizing voucher utilization and aligning with HUD's goals of reducing homelessness and improving program efficiency.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Chattanooga Housing Authority (CHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that CHA seeks to minimize the impact that the expiration of Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funding will have on its EHV families. Many EHV participants may qualify for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504. Some families face challenges such as limited literacy, disabilities, or trauma that hinder their ability to complete formal applications in a timely manner. Automatically transferring EHV families to Housing Choice Voucher may be considered a reasonable accommodation for the individuals to whom it applies. In addition, a waiver would allow EHV families uninterrupted, equitable access to long-term assistance.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA). ( printed page 67605)

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that PHA is requesting this waiver to ensure an orderly and equitable transition of Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families into the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program as EHV funding winds down. Many EHV households required intensive support during their initial admission to the EHV program. Requiring an individual application from each of the 750 EHV households that PHA currently serves would create a substantial administrative burden for both PHA and the families. Were a waiver not granted, the substantial support required with a complex HCV application process would divert significant staff resources, elevate anxiety among EHV families, and increase risk of delays or gaps in assistance. The administrative and communication challenges could result in unintended loss of housing stability for vulnerable EHV families.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Northeast Oregon Housing Authority (NEOHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that NEOHA currently has 17 families in its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. Without this waiver, some EHV families may miss the opportunity to transition to the Housing Choice Voucher program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy, leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness. NEOHA is located in rural Oregon where travel to its main office can be difficult, especially in the winter months, posing a barrier to providing EHV families with the assistance that they would need to submit individual applications. Delays caused by requiring individual applications may prevent vulnerable families from being successfully transitioned before EHV funding ends.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Albany Housing Authority (AHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that if this waiver is not approved, AHA anticipates adverse impacts on both Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program administration and assisted households. Requiring individual applications would impose a significant administrative burden, diverting limited staff capacity from core EHV functions, such as housing stabilization, landlord engagement, inspections, and compliance activities. This would reduce operational efficiency and delay assistance at a time when EHV funding is finite and time limited. EHV households may also face access barriers, including limited access to technology, disabilities, language needs, and housing instability, increasing the likelihood that eligible families are unable to timely complete application requirements. These procedural delays would heighten the risk that EHV funds could be exhausted before households are successfully transitioned or stabilized. Absent the waiver, eligible EHV families may lose assistance due to administrative constraints rather than eligibility or need, undermining HUD's intent to promote housing stability and prevent homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: INLIVIAN.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that INLIVIAN seeks this waiver to ensure the long-term housing stability of its most vulnerable residents as Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funding sunset provisions approach. This waiver would allow INLIVIAN to maintain data integrity by utilizing existing verified eligibility records to populate the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list and ensure the prioritization of EHV participants is executed swiftly and accurately. Without this waiver, INLIVIAN faces a significant risk of service gaps that could lead to the loss of housing assistance once EHV funding expires. EHV households often face persistent barriers to navigating administrative systems, including lack of reliable communication channels and the lasting impacts of trauma. Requiring a separate individual application process presents these households with a significant risk of housing displacement and a return to homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Grand Rapids Housing Commission (GRHC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that without this waiver, GRHC would be unable to seamlessly absorb eligible Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) households into the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) portfolio due to the closed status of our HCV waiting list. This would create an administrative barrier that is not reflective of program needs or participant eligibility and would undermine HUD's goal of housing stability for vulnerable households served under EHV. If this waiver is not approved, EHV households who are eligible for continued assistance may face termination of subsidy solely due to procedural limitations, increasing the risk of housing stability or homelessness. The approval of this waiver would allow us to responsibly manage program resources, maintain housing stability for assisted households, and ensure compliance with HUD's broader policy objectives while minimizing disruption to both participants and program operations.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Lafayette Housing Authority (LHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that LHA currently has 24 families in its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. As EHV funds are projected to run out by the end of calendar year 2026, time is critical. Delays caused by requiring individual applications may prevent vulnerable families from being successfully transitioned before funding ends. Without this waiver, some EHV families may miss the opportunity to transition to the Housing Choice Voucher program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Burbank Housing Authority (BHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that BHA currently administers approximately 51 Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) households. Based on current expenditure rates and leasing activity, BHA projects that EHV funding will be exhausted by approximately October 2026. Once EHV funding is exhausted, households that have not successfully transitioned to Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) assistance will face an immediate loss of rental assistance. Requiring EHV families to individually apply to the HCV waiting list would create delays that would place these households at significant risk of losing assistance. Many EHV families face substantial barriers that make individual application submission impracticable such as limited internet access, disabilities that impair the completion of applications without assistance, and unreliable transportation. Due to these barriers, BHA would be unable to timely conduct individualized outreach and follow up with each EHV household to ensure completion of the application. Allowing BHA to place all EHV households directly onto the HCV waiting list with the appropriate preference will ensure an orderly and equitable transition, reduce administrative delays, and prevent otherwise avoidable terminations of assistance for extremely vulnerable households.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that HHA currently serves 81 Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families. Since receiving assistance, many of these families have demonstrated increased self-sufficiency and have successfully stabilized their households after securing permanent housing. If EHV families are required to submit individual applications, it may increase the risk of these families losing their housing assistance due to the depletion of EHV funds. Due to the volume of EHV families and limited staffing resources, it will be a challenge for staff to conduct the necessary outreach to ensure that each family is informed about their opportunity to be placed on the waiting list in a timely manner before the EHV funds are exhausted. If this waiver is not granted, these families risk returning to prior circumstances, and without continued support, these 81 EHV families could face homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of Cochise County (HACC).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that without this waiver, some Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families may miss the opportunity to transition to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness. Manually collecting and processing HCV applications from every EHV household would place an unsustainable burden on staff, particularly at a time when the agency is winding down EHV, preparing for funding reductions, or operating under staffing shortages. As EHV funds are projected to run out by the end of calendar year 2026, time is critical. Delays caused by requiring individual applications may prevent vulnerable families from being successfully transitioned before funding ends. This waiver would support HUD's goal of maintaining housing stability for vulnerable populations without unnecessary administrative barriers.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that after careful analysis of its Two-Year Tool, BHA has determined that it would be able to absorb Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)-assisted households into its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and/or Mainstream programs at this time. Without this waiver, some EHV families may miss the opportunity to transition to the HCV and/or Mainstream program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness. Some EHV families may not follow through with completing an individual application and ultimately have their EHV assistance terminated. BHA needs this waiver because manually collecting and processing individual applications from every EHV household would also place an unsustainable burden on staff, particularly at a time when the agency is operating with lower administrative fee funding prorations and its impacts.

Contact: Celia Carpentier, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, ( printed page 67607) Washington, DC 20410, email Celia.Y.Carpentier@hud.gov, telephone (202) 402-7093.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Vacaville Housing Authority (VHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that VHA anticipates that Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funding will be fully expended by August 2026. Without the ability to place all EHV families on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list in advance, EHV households may experience a loss or interruption of housing assistance due to timing constraints, administrative processing delays, or insufficient turnover in the HCV program at the time EHV funding ends. Requiring EHV families to apply individually to the HCV waiting list would create unnecessary administrative burden, increase the risk of processing delays, and result in inconsistent outcomes for similarly situated households. Allowing VHA to place all EHV families on the HCV waiting list ensures a uniform, transparent, and equitable transition process and supports HUD's stated goal of preventing gaps in assistance for vulnerable households.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Colorado Division of Housing (DOH).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that without this waiver, DOH staff would be required to manually process hundreds of redundant applications, perform duplicate data entry into the software system, and manage a massive influx of “new” files for families already in the system. This diverts resources from processing new applicants from the general waiting list. Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families—many of whom are elderly, disabled, or survivors of domestic violence—may struggle to navigate the application process. A missed deadline or incomplete form could result in the loss of their housing subsidy entirely as EHV funds expire. DOH would also need to open the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list to these families. If the list is otherwise closed, this creates a confusing “limited opening” that may be legally challenged or cause public confusion among other waiting list applicants. Any administrative delay in transitioning the Housing Assistance Payments contract from EHV to HCV could lead to late payments. This may cause landlords to opt-out of the program, further reducing the available affordable housing stock.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that as Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funds are projected to run out by the end of calendar year 2026, time is critical. Delays caused by requiring individual applications may prevent vulnerable families from being successfully transitioned before funding ends. A single, uniform administrative action (placing all EHV families on the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list with preference) ensures fair housing access to HCV, across all EHV participants, especially those with limited mobility, mental health conditions, or disabilities. Further, manually collecting and processing HCV applications from every EHV household would place an unsustainable burden on staff, particularly at a time when the agency is winding down EHV, preparing for funding reductions, or operating under staffing shortages. Without this waiver, some EHV families may miss the opportunity to transition to the HCV program, especially those with barriers like disabilities, limited English proficiency, or low digital literacy leading to potential loss of assistance and increased risk of homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Holyoke Housing Authority (HHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that as of January 13, 2026, 17 families are leased in HHA's Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. The limited remaining funding for the EHV program provides only a small window with which to transition EHV families to the Housing Choice Voucher program. When initially admitted to the EHV program, the majority of EHV families required significant support from the Continuum of Care to complete and submit their applications. HHA anticipates that, without such support, some families may not be able to complete their application before funding is fully expended, resulting in a loss or gap in housing assistance. Further, HHA anticipates that these challenges will be felt most acutely among the most vulnerable EHV families. As such, this waiver would allow HHA to prevent any loss or gap in housing assistance among EHV families.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Bernalillo County Housing Department (BCHD).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that BCHD seeks approval to place all Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families at the top of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list due to anticipated EHV funding shortages and current open availability on the HCV waiting list. At this time, the HCV waiting list has open availability, allowing for the prioritization of EHV families without negative impacting existing applicants or significantly increasing wait times. Granting this waiver would allow BCHD to act proactively rather than reactively, ensuring continuity of housing assistance and reducing the risk of homelessness among EHV participants once EHV funds are exhausted. BCHD's Administrative Plan ( printed page 67608) allows for a preference for insufficient program funding. If this waiver is not approved, BCHD anticipates significant operational and participant-level impacts. Without the ability to prioritize EHV families on the HCV waiting list, EHV families may experience interruptions or terminations of rental assistance as EHV funding is exhausted. This would place already vulnerable households at immediate risk of housing instability or homelessness, undermining the original intent of the EHV program.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Municipality of Yabucoa.

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that at this time, the Municipality of Yabucoa is facing a potential risk of funding shortfall, which has significantly impacted the pace at which Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) households can be transferred to the regular Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Due to funding limitations, staffing constraints, and the increased administrative requirements associated with managing both programs simultaneously, the transition process has been slower than anticipated. Granting this waiver will allow the Municipality of Yabucoa to continue providing stable housing assistance to EHV participants while ensuring an orderly and compliant transition to the EHV program. This additional time is critical to prevent interruptions in housing assistance for vulnerable families and to maintain program integrity while addressing current financial and operational challenges. If this waiver is not approved, the Municipality of Yabucoa may experience significant operational and financial strain. Without the additional flexibility provided by this waiver, the Municipality of Yabucoa could be forced to accelerate the transition process beyond its current administrative capacity, increasing the risk of errors, noncompliance, and potential termination of assistance for participating families. Furthermore, EHV participants may face housing instability, including the risk of losing assistance due to delays in processing transfers to the HCV program. This could result in increased displacement, hardship, and uncertainty for families who are already experiencing housing vulnerability.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Brazoria County Housing Authority (BCHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: February 24, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that despite specific outreach to Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families to apply to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list during the opening of the waiting list last fall, there are several EHV families that did not or were unable to submit applications to the HCV waiting list. These families now are at risk of losing assistance due to the exhaustion of EHV funds. This waiver is needed to mitigate the risk of these families losing their housing assistance and lapsing back into homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 983.52(c), 24 CFR 983.251(a)(2), 24 CFR 983.258, 24 CFR 983.211, 24 CFR 983.301, and 24 CFR 983.353(b)(1).

Project/Activity: Edgewater Housing Authority (EHA), Oratam Court, Widnall Towers, Ostrowski Court, Barsalona Court, Harry Berkie Gardens (the Covered Projects).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 12, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that EHA has demonstrated the monthly two-bedroom Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Gross Rent is less than 30% of the monthly income of a family of four at the midpoint between the Very Low Income (VLI) HUD Income Limit and Extremely Low Income (ELI) HUD Income Limit for the area in which the Covered Projects are located through the following calculation: The applicable VLI limit is $68,550 and the ELI limit is $41,150 for a four-person household in the Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro Fair Market Rent Area in which the Covered Projects are located. The midpoint income is $54,850 ($68,550 + $41,150 = $109,700; $109,700/2 = $54,850). To calculate the affordable monthly rent, the midpoint income is divided by 12 and multiplied by 0.30 ($54,850/12 = $4,571; $4,571 * 0.30 = $1,371). The current RAD Rent for a two-bedroom unit at the Project is $1,099, which is less than the calculated affordable monthly rent of $1,371. Accordingly, the Covered Projects are eligible for the waiver.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Renton Housing Authority (RHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 12, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that RHA currently has an Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) portfolio of 60 households and projects that will exhaust its EHV funding by the end of July 2026. Additionally, RHA is currently in shortfall and unable to issue tenant-based vouchers. Therefore, RHA is requesting this waiver in order to transition EHV families to Project-Based Voucher (PBV) units. RHA is short-staffed, and it is unlikely that RHA would be able to do the necessary outreach and follow-up to ensure that all EHV families are informed of their opportunity to be placed on the RHA PBV waiting lists and are able to submit an application and be matched with appropriate units prior to the exhaustion of EHV funds, putting these families at risk of homelessness. RHA has eight PBV properties, and four of the waiting lists are closed. Therefore, RHA is requesting this waiver to re-open the four waiting lists below to add EHV families without providing public notice of the opening of the waiting lists. This waiver is needed to avoid going through ( printed page 67609) the process of publicly opening the PBV waiting lists and accepting applications from the public (who are not eligible for the EHV preference), which would delay the ability of EHV families to transition to PBV units and put them at risk of homelessness.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 17, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that NYCHA requests a waiver of 24 CFR 982.204 to enable it to place Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) families onto one or more Project-Based Voucher (PBV) waiting lists using existing participant information on file in lieu of individual applications. NYCHA is currently in HCV shortfall and unable to issue tenant-based vouchers. Therefore, this waiver is needed so that NYCHA can transition EHV households to vacant PBV units in its portfolio. NYCHA has more than 5,200 EHV households and this waiver would help reduce the administrative burden for households associated with completing an application and help streamline the transition of EHV households to the PBV waiting lists. NYCHA requests a waiver of the requirement to provide public notice of the opening of the waiting lists at 24 CFR 982.206. This waiver would help expedite the transition of EHV families to PBV. As funding for the EHV program is anticipated to be exhausted by the end of 2026, NYCHA must utilize the limited time and resources available to identify ways to continue to assist EHV households and to engage them and various stakeholders as part of this process. A waiver of the public notice requirement would help ensure that there is adequate time for this process.

Regulation:24 CFR 983.3.

Nature of Requirement:24 CFR 983.3 provides that a project can be a single building, multiple contiguous buildings, or multiple buildings on contiguous parcels of land. “Contiguous” in this definition includes “adjacent to,” as well as touching along a boundary or a point. A Public Housing Agency may, in its Administrative Plan, establish the circumstances under which it will define a project as only one of the following: a single building, multiple contiguous buildings, or multiple buildings on contiguous parcels of land.

Project/Activity: New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Moore Houses and East 152nd Street-Courtland Avenue (the Redevelopment).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 25, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that NYCHA is particularly impacted by the application of the regulatory definition of “project” as applied to the Redevelopment and through this waiver request seeks to provide continuity by maintaining the current management and administration structure of these projects under the public housing program to the greatest extent feasible. The consolidations have the potential to directly benefit residents ( e.g., help facilitate and expedite transfers between buildings under the same Rental Assistance Demonstration-Project-Based Voucher Housing Assistance Payment [RAD-PBV HAP] contract, noting the urgency of such transfer requests). The administrative efficiencies resulting from consolidating the RAD-PBV HAP contracts in the manner NYCHA proposed for the Redevelopment will significantly reduce the administrative burden on NYCHA staff, allowing more staff time to address the needs and concerns of residents.

Contact: Melissa West, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division, Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410, email Melissa.West@hud.gov.

Regulation:24 CFR 983.3.

Project/Activity: New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) J.L. Elliott Houses Building 1, the Chelsea Addition, and the Chelsea building 2 (the Redevelopment).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 25, 2026.

Regulation:24 CFR 982.204, 24 CFR 982.206.

Project/Activity: Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA).

Granted By: Benjamin Hobbs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

Date Granted: March 30, 2026.

Reason Waived: HUD grants the waivers on the basis of good cause, citing that SFHA anticipates that Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funding will be exhausted by September 2026. Additionally, SFHA projects a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) shortfall for calendar year (CY) 2026, which prohibits the SFHA from issuing HCVs for EHV transitions. Project-Based Voucher (PBV) placements are the only available option for preventing subsidy termination and preserving housing stability for over 920 assisted EHV families. Many EHV families face barriers such as limited technology access, disabilities, language barriers, or unstable contact information, which would make individual PBV applications impractical and potentially discriminatory in effect. The San Francisco housing market is composed of high rents (90% higher than the national average and have increased by 13% since July 2024) and extremely limited affordable units.

[FR Doc. 2026-21886 Filed 10-26-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210-67-P

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Federal Register Citation

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91 FR 67598

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“Notice of Regulatory Waiver Requests Granted for the First Quarter of Calendar Year 2026,” thefederalregister.org (October 27, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-21886/notice-of-regulatory-waiver-requests-granted-for-the-first-quarter-of-calendar-year-2026.