NHC urges HUD to withdraw proposed mixed-status eligibility rule

National Housing Conference (NHC) President and CEO David Dworkin is urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to withdraw a proposed rule that would tighten eligibility verification requirements for federally assisted housing — make prorated assistance temporary for mixed-status households.

Dworkin said the policy will create new problems while increasing family instability, raising costs and worsening homelessness.

“It would force tens of thousands of people, including children who are American citizens, into an impossible choice between staying together and keeping a roof over their heads,” he said. “HUD’s concerns about immigration can and should be addressed through enforcement of existing laws, not by effectively evicting families who are here legally.

“That’s not sound housing policy. It’s a step backward that undermines decades of policy precedent that already balanced statutory compliance, family stability, administrative feasibility and prudent stewardship of scarce federal housing resources.”

Dworkin also argued the proposed changes would drive up costs for taxpayers while reducing the number of households served.

“The proposal isn’t just misguided housing policy; it is also bad budget policy,” he said. “By pushing out mixed-status families who receive partial assistance and replacing them with households requiring full subsidies, the policy would cost taxpayers more while helping fewer people. At the same time, it would saddle housing providers with new bureaucratic burdens that distract from their core mission of providing safe, stable homes and discourage the partnerships we depend on to expand supply.

“At a moment when housing instability is rising across the country, we should be focused on solutions that expand access and strengthen communities, not policies that predictably increase homelessness.”

The proposed rule — announced in February by HUD Secretary Scott Turner — would require every resident in HUD-funded housing to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, including those in “mixed-status households” where some members are eligible for assistance and others are not.

Current policy allows such households to receive prorated assistance based on the number of eligible residents.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the days of illegal aliens, ineligibles and fraudsters gaming the system and riding the coattails of American taxpayers are over,” Turner said when the proposal was announced. “HUD’s proposed rule will guarantee that all residents in HUD-funded housing are eligible tenants. We have zero tolerance for pushing aside hardworking U.S. citizens while enabling others to exploit decades-old loopholes.”

HUD said the rule is intended to close loopholes and ensure taxpayer-funded housing assistance does not benefit undocumented individuals or ineligible noncitizens living in assisted units.

This article was written by Jonathan Delozier and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation. It was reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication. The system helps convert company announcements and industry data into HousingWire-style news coverage.