County Offices to Close for Labor Day Holiday

Rental Assistance

Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA)

HOTMA Implementation Date

The Housing Authority of the County of San Diego (HACSD)’s compliance date for HOTMA is January 1, 2027. All certifications effective January 1, 2027, and later will be processed under HOTMA policies. HOTMA changes apply to all current participants and new applicants.

Please note, HUD may change this date. If the implementation date changes, HACSD will notify all clients.

Federal Changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Program

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has updated the rules that Public Housing Authorities use to determine eligibility, income, assets and rent calculations. These changes are known as HOTMA.

HACSD is implementing these new federal requirements. This page explains what HOTMA is and what it means for your household.

Please see HOTMA Resident Fact Sheet that goes over the changes.

HOTMA Fact Sheet | HOTMA Fact Sheet: Spanish | HOTMA Fact Sheet: Arabic

What is HOTMA?

The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) is a federal law that updates how housing agencies determine:

Asset Reviews

A family may be ineligible for assistance if they own a real property that is suitable for their occupancy or if they have assets above the limit.
Families who are receiving Section 8 assistance cannot have more than $109,797 in total net assets (this amount changes every year). If you exceed this limit, you will be given the option to cure, or fix, the issue.
For families whose net assets are at or below the asset limit ($54,898, this amount changes every year), HACSD will accept self certification of the value of family assets. HACSD will fully verify their net assets at the time of admission. During re-examinations, the family may self-certify the value of their assets and expected asset income. Families will need to submit full verification every three years.

Income Reviews

When HACSD reviews your case each year, we must check your family’s income from the past 12 months, unless we use streamline determination (for example, using your Social Security income).

Fixed Income Reviews

HACSD will use a streamlined income reexamination only for:

Elderly families; and
Disabled families,
When 100% of their income is from fixed-income sources. The term “fixed income” includes income from:
- Social security payments to include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Security Disability Insurance (SSDI);
- Federal, State, local, and private pension plans; and
- Regular payments from annuities, insurance policies, retirement funds, disability or death benefits.
- and any similar predictable, recurring payments.

How Streamlined Reexams Work:

HACSD does not re-verify all income sources.
Instead, HACSD updates last year’s verified income by applying the appropriate cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) published for that fixed-income source.
COLA increases may vary. HACSD will need to review the specific COLA rates applicable to each fixed-income source.

Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor allows Public Housing Authorities to use income determinations from other federal means‑tested programs. HACSD will accept these Safe Harbor income determinations only for annual reexaminations. They cannot be used for new admissions or interim reexaminations. HACSD will continue to require third‑party verification for all deductions, such as medical, health care, and childcare expenses.

To use a Safe Harbor income determination, the documentation must:

Be dated within the past 12 months of the effective date,
State the family size,
Cover the entire family (the individuals listed must match the assisted household composition), and
Provide the total annual income amount (listing each income source is not required).

Before applying any Safe Harbor income determination, HACSD will confirm with the family that they agree with the income information. Families may give verbal consent or sign a self‑certification form. If the family disagrees with the income amounts, HACSD will complete standard third‑party verification of all income sources and assets, if applicable.

Hardship Relief

There are hardship exemptions for families that qualify for unreimbursed health and medical care expenses and/or disability assistance expenses.

A family will benefit from this hardship exemption only if the family has eligible expenses that can be deducted in excess of 5 percent of their annual income.

When will these changes take effect?

HUD has an implementation date of January 1, 2027.
Participants will begin seeing changes in their certifications effective January 1, 2027.
These changes apply to:
- Annual reexaminations effective Janury 1, 2027, and after
- Interim reexaminations effective January 1, 2027, and after
- New admissions effective January 1, 2027, and after