What we verified in “Section 202: HUD housing for older adults 62 and up”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. According to HUD, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program expands the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for older adults; it provides funding, called a capital advance, to build, buy or rehabilitate multifamily properties that serve very-low-income people 62 or older; properties also receive a renewable Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) that covers reasonable operating expenses beyond the tenant's share of the rent; this usually includes a service coordinator who links residents to community services so they can live independently, with supports such as cleaning, cooking and transportation; and owners can use up to $15 per unit per month for supportive services.

   Sources 1 · Multifamily Programs, 'Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly : S202Eld', Program Description: 'helps expand the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly'; 'The program provides funding, called a capital advance, to construct, acquire, or rehabilitate multifamily properties that serve very-low-income individuals 62 years of age or older'; 'properties receive a renewable Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) which covers reasonable and necessary operating expenses beyond the tenant’s portion of the rent'; 'This usually includes a service coordinator who links residents at Section 202 properties to supportive services in the community'; 'supports such as cleaning, cooking and transportation'; 'owners can utilize up to $15 per unit per month for providing supportive services' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. According to HUD, to live in a Section 202 property at least one adult member of the applying household must be at least 62; the household must make less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) where the property is, and HUD publishes what 50% of AMI is in each area; residents are typically charged 30% of their adjusted income for rent, with the federal government covering the rest; to apply you contact the property owner or manager directly, because HUD does not manage the leasing; and you can find Section 202 properties near you with HUD's Resource Locator, under the option to find affordable elderly and special needs housing.

   Sources 1 · Multifamily Programs, Section 202, 'Information for Tenants': 'To qualify to live in a Section 202 property, at least one adult member of the household applying must be at least 62 years old'; 'The household must make less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) of the location of the property'; 'You can find what 50% AMI is in your area here'; 'Residents at Section 202 properties are typically charged 30% of their adjusted income for rent, with the remaining costs covered by the federal government'; 'you should contact the property owner or manager directly'; 'HUD does not manage the leasing of 202 properties'; 'visiting the HUD Resource Locator and selecting the “Find Affordable Elderly and Special Needs Housing” option' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. According to HUD, for information about existing Section 202 properties you can contact your local HUD Multifamily Office.

   Sources 1 · Multifamily Programs, Section 202: 'For information about existing 202 projects, contact your local HUD Multifamily Office' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. According to HUD, the Section 202 program is open to nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) designation or a nonprofit consumer cooperative.

   Sources 1 · Multifamily Programs, Section 202: 'The Section 202 program is open to nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)3 or a 501(c)4 designation or a nonprofit consumer cooperative' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.205), for Section 202 an 'elderly person' is a household of one or more people at least one of whom is 62 or older at the time of initial occupancy; a 'frail elderly' person cannot perform at least three activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, bathing, grooming or household management; and owners may set additional eligibility requirements acceptable to HUD based on local supportive services programs.

   Sources 3 · 24 CFR §891.205: 'Elderly person means a household composed of one or more persons at least one of whom is 62 years of age or more at the time of initial occupancy'; 'Frail elderly means an elderly person who is unable to perform at least three activities of daily living'; 'Activities of daily living (ADL) means eating, dressing, bathing, grooming, and household management activities'; 'Owners may establish additional eligibility requirements acceptable to HUD based on the standards in local supportive services programs' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.205), a Section 202 owner is a private nonprofit organization that receives the capital advance and rental assistance payments to run the housing; its purposes must include the welfare of older adults; and it may not be controlled by people or firms seeking profit.

   Sources 3 · 24 CFR §891.205, 'Owner': 'a single-asset private nonprofit organization'; 'that will receive a capital advance and project rental assistance payments to develop and operate supportive housing for the elderly'; 'The purposes of the Owner must include the promotion of the welfare of the elderly'; 'The Owner may not be controlled by or be under the direction of persons or firms seeking to derive profit or gain therefrom' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.210), Section 202 apartments are efficiencies or one-bedroom units, except that two-bedroom units are allowed if a portion of the units is financed by other sources.

   Sources 4 · 24 CFR §891.210(a)–(b): 'resident units in Section 202 projects are limited to efficiencies or one-bedroom units'; 'Resident units in Section 202 projects may be two-bedroom units if a portion of the units are financed by other sources' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.220), Section 202 projects may not include infirmaries, nursing stations or spaces for overnight care.

   Sources 5 · 24 CFR §891.220: 'Projects may not include facilities for infirmaries, nursing stations, or spaces for overnight care' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.225), HUD must make sure Section 202 housing provides supportive services; HUD-approved service costs are paid from project rental assistance up to $15 per unit per month; the rest comes from other sources, which may include a co-payment by the tenant receiving the service; and that co-payment is not included in the Total Tenant Payment.

   Sources 6 · 24 CFR §891.225: 'HUD shall ensure that housing assisted under this part provides services'; 'The HUD-approved service costs will be an eligible expense to be paid from project rental assistance, not to exceed $15 per unit per month'; 'The balance of service costs shall be provided from other sources, which may include co-payment by the tenant receiving the service'; 'Such co-payment shall not be included in the Total Tenant Payment' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.105), 'very low-income families' has the meaning in section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. §1437a).

    Sources 2 · 24 CFR §891.105: 'Very low-income families shall have the same meaning provided in section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a)' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.410(a)), the owner must have written, nondiscriminatory tenant selection procedures reasonably related to program eligibility and the ability to meet lease obligations; must promptly tell any rejected applicant the grounds in writing; and must keep a written, chronological waiting list with the date of each application.

    Sources 7 · 24 CFR §891.410(a): 'The Owner shall adopt written tenant selection procedures that ensure nondiscrimination in the selection of tenants'; 'reasonably related to program eligibility and an applicant's ability to perform the obligations of the lease'; 'Owners shall promptly inform in writing any rejected applicant of the grounds for any rejection'; 'Owners shall maintain a written, chronological waiting list showing the name, race, gender, ethnicity, and date of each person applying for the program' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.410(b)–(c)), the owner accepts applications on the form HUD prescribes and, in Section 202, must confirm the information you give; the household completes a certification of eligibility; to be admitted, the applicant must be an elderly person under the program's definition, be a very low-income family, meet the Social Security number disclosure and verification requirements of 24 CFR part 5, subpart B, and sign consent forms for wage information; and the owner decides who is eligible and who is selected.

    Sources 7 · 24 CFR §891.410(b)–(c)(1): 'The Owner must accept applications for admission to the project in the form prescribed by HUD'; 'is obligated to confirm all information provided by applicant families on the application'; 'must complete a certification of eligibility as part of the application for admission'; 'The Owner is responsible for determining whether applicants are eligible for admission and for the selection of households'; 'must meet the disclosure and verification requirements for Social Security Numbers, as provided by 24 CFR part 5, subpart B'; 'must sign and submit consent forms for the obtaining of wage and claim information'; 'and must be a very low-income family' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.410(d)), if you are eligible and a unit is available, the owner assigns you one of the right size; if none is, it places you on the project's waiting list and notifies you when a unit may become available; and if the list is so long that you are not likely to be admitted in the next 12 months, the owner may tell you it is not taking more applications for that reason.

    Sources 7 · 24 CFR §891.410(d): 'If the Owner determines that the household is eligible and is otherwise acceptable and units'; 'the Owner will assign the household a unit'; 'If no suitable unit'; 'the Owner will place the household on a waiting list for the project and notify the household when a suitable unit'; 'If the waiting list is so long that the applicant would not be likely to be admitted for the next 12 months, the Owner may advise the applicant that no additional applications for admission are being considered for that reason' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.410(e)), if the owner finds you ineligible or does not select you for other reasons, it must promptly tell you in writing, with the reasons and your right to request a meeting to review the rejection; the review cannot be done by the staff member who made the decision; and you may also use other rights, such as those under civil rights laws, if you believe you were discriminated against.

    Sources 7 · 24 CFR §891.410(e): 'the Owner will promptly notify the applicant in writing of the determination, the reasons for the determination, and the applicant's right to request a meeting to review the rejection'; 'The review, if requested, may not be conducted by a member of the Owner's staff who made the initial decision to reject the applicant'; 'The applicant may also exercise other rights'; 'if the applicant believes he or she is being discriminated against on a prohibited basis' · Checked October 31, 2026

15. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.410(g)), the owner reexamines household income and composition at least every 12 months and adjusts what you pay; you must report income changes under HUD's rules; and you remain eligible for the subsidy until your total tenant payment equals or exceeds the gross rent, although losing the subsidy does not affect your other rights under the lease.

    Sources 7 · 24 CFR §891.410(g)(1)–(3): 'The Owner must reexamine the income and composition of the household at least every 12 months'; 'must make appropriate adjustments in the total tenant payment'; 'The household must comply with the provisions in § 5.657 of this title regarding interim reporting of changes in income'; 'A household shall remain eligible for subsidy until the total tenant payment equals or exceeds the gross rent'; 'The termination of subsidy eligibility will not affect the household's other rights under its lease' · Checked October 31, 2026

16. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.415), the household must pay what it owes under the lease, provide required documents and consents, allow inspections at reasonable times after reasonable notice, give notice before moving out and use the unit only as its principal residence; and it may not assign the lease or receive assistance from another federal housing program, such as Section 8, at the same time.

    Sources 8 · 24 CFR §891.415(a)–(b): 'Pay amounts due under the lease directly to the Owner'; 'Supply such certification, release of information, consent, completed forms or documentation'; 'Allow the Owner'; 'to inspect the dwelling unit or residential space at reasonable times and after reasonable notice'; 'Notify the Owner'; 'before vacating the dwelling unit'; 'principal place of residence'; 'Assign the lease or transfer the unit or residential space'; 'while occupying, or receiving assistance for the occupancy of, another unit assisted under any Federal housing assistance program, including any section 8 program' · Checked October 31, 2026

17. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §5.2003), Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly is one of the programs covered by VAWA protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.

    Sources 10 · 24 CFR §5.2003, 'Covered housing program': 'Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly (12 U.S.C. 1701q), with implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 891' · Checked October 31, 2026

18. Under HUD's regulation (24 CFR §891.190), providers must have an emergency transfer plan for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, and when a safe unit is not immediately available they must check when the next vacancy may be and give a list of nearby HUD-subsidized rental properties and the local HUD field office's contact information.

    Sources 9 · 24 CFR §891.190(a)–(c): 'Covered housing providers must develop and implement an emergency transfer plan that meets the requirements in 24 CFR 5.2005(e)'; 'when a safe unit is not immediately available'; 'Review the covered housing provider's existing inventory of units and determine when the next vacant unit may be available'; 'Provide a listing of nearby HUD subsidized rental properties'; 'contact information for the local HUD field office' · Checked October 31, 2026

19. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has a search tool: you enter an address or city and it shows an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you.

    Sources 11 · I Need Legal Help: 'enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you' · Checked October 31, 2026