HARDSHIP POLICY

Note: The Hardship Policy is included in our Tenant Selection Plan. However, you may purchase it as a standalone policy as well.

Regardless of your HUD Program type, HOTMA introduced a new requirement for all Multifamily Owners to develop Hardship (also referred to in HUD guidance as General Relief) Policies. These written policies must outline, under what conditions, an assisted household can request a financial hardship exemption to decrease the portion of expenses they would be responsible for paying prior to a HUD 50059 deduction being applied to the rental calculation. These hardships are not the same category as those granted to households that do not pay the Section 8 minimum rent of $25 total tenant payment. These policies must outline prerequisites to qualify for the hardship, how and when owners will notify households of approval or denial, how owners will review circumstances for potential renewal of hardship exemptions, and in what circumstances households must report changes impacting their continued eligibility for the exemption.

Don’t have the time or energy to develop this policy in-house? That’s where we come in. DHG will provide you with a fully customized policy for your staff to follow and disseminate to your resident population. Included within the product will be templates for resident requests for hardship, approval/denial notification letters, and verification records for renewals of hardships, as permitted by your policy. Pre-order this today and enjoy the satisfaction of checking this task off your HOTMA To-Do List.