ACOP - San Antonio Housing Authority

VI. OCCUPANCY STANDARDS
A. The PHA’s occupancy standards for determining unit size must be applied in a manner consistent with
fair housing requirements.
1. Each unit shall be used solely as a residence for the family as represented in the
application and on the lease. The following standards will govern the number of bedrooms
required to accommodate a family of a given size and composition:
Number of Number of Persons Number of Persons
Bedrooms Minimum
Maximum
0 1 1
1 1 2
2 2 4
3 4 6
4 6 8
5 8 12
* Plus for a child under the age of 5, at least one adult in the household must be the
parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of the child.
2. The PHA will use the same occupancy standards for each of its developments. The
PHA’s occupancy standards are as follows:
a. The PHA will assign one bedroom for each two persons within the
household, except in the following circumstances:
i. Persons of the opposite sex (other than spouses, and children under age 5)
will not be required to share a bedroom.
ii. Persons of different generations will not be required to share a bedroom.
iii. Live-in aides will be allocated a separate bedroom. Only 1 additional bedroom
shall be provided for any Live-In Aide.
iv. Families (with one person) will be allocated a zero or one bedroom.
v. Foster children will be included in determining unit size.
vi. An unborn child will not be counted as a person in determining unit size. A
single pregnant woman may be assigned to a one-bedroom unit.
B. EXCEPTIONS TO OCCUPANCY STANDARDS
1. The PHA will consider granting exceptions to the occupancy standards at the
family’s request if the PHA determines the exception is justified by the relationship,
age, sex, health or disability of family members, or other personal circumstances.
2. When evaluating exception requests the PHA will consider the size and configuration
of the unit. In no case will the PHA grant an exception that is in violation of local
housing or occupancy codes, regulations or laws.
3. Requests from applicants to be placed on the waiting list for a unit size smaller than
designated by the occupancy standards will be approved as long as the unit is not
overcrowded according to local code, and the family agrees not to request a transfer
for a period of two years from the date of admission, unless they have a subsequent
change in family size or composition.
4. To prevent vacancies, the PHA may provide an applicant family with a larger unit
than the occupancy standards permit. However, in these cases the family must
agree to move to a suitable, smaller unit when another family qualifies for the larger
unit and there is an appropriate size unit available for the family to transfer to.
5. When it is found that the size of the dwelling is no longer suitable for the family in
accordance with these standards, the family shall be required to move as soon as a
dwelling unit of the appropriate size becomes available, subject to a waiting list, if
any. The family has a choice of unit size within the acceptable range.
SAHA ACOP Page 28 of 46 1/2012