ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN - San Antonio Housing Authority

Payment standard is defined as “the maximum monthly assistance payment for a family assistedin the voucher program (before deducting the total tenant payment by the family)” [24 CFR982.4(b)].The payment standard for a family is the lower of (1) the payment standard for the family unitsize, which is defined as the appropriate number of bedrooms for the family under the PHA’ssubsidy standards [24 CFR 982.4(b)], or (2) the payment standard for the size of the dwellingunit rented by the family.If the PHA has established an exception payment standard for a designated part of an FMR areaand a family’s unit is located in the exception area, the PHA must use the appropriate paymentstandard for the exception area.The PHA is required to pay a monthly housing assistance payment (HAP) for a family that is thelower of (1) the payment standard for the family minus the family’s TTP or (2) the gross rent forthe family’s unit minus the TTP.If during the term of the HAP contract for a family’s unit, the owner lowers the rent, the PHAwill recalculate the HAP using the lower of the initial payment standard or the gross rent for theunit [HCV GB, p. 7-8].Changes in Payment StandardsPayment standards are applied based on the effective date of the re-exam and/or admission ratherthan the date on which SAHA staff meets with the family. The date new payment standardsbecome effective will be set out in the Board Resolution. Generally, new payment standards willbe implemented 90 days from the date of the board resolution so that staff has adequate notice touse the correct payment standard and will not have to recalculate HAP calculations for files thathave already been worked. In cases where the Board elects to adopt a payment standardeffective date less than 90 days from the date of the board resolution, staff will recalculate tenantrents and provide updated notifications as needed to ensure that correct payment standards wereapplied (based on effective date of the revised payment standards and the effective date of eachfamily’s annual re-exam).”DecreasesIf the amount on the payment standard schedule is decreased during the term of the HAPcontract, the lower payment standard generally will be used beginning at the effective date of thefamily’s second regular reexamination following the effective date of the decrease in thepayment standard. The PHA will determine the payment standard for the family as follows:Step 1: At the first regular reexamination following the decrease in the payment standard, thePHA will determine the payment standard for the family using the lower of the payment standardfor the family unit size or the size of the dwelling unit rented by the family.Step 2: The PHA will compare the payment standard from step 1 to the payment standard lastused to calculate the monthly housing assistance payment for the family. The payment standardused by the PHA at the first regular reexamination following the decrease in the paymentstandard will be the higher of these two payment standards. The PHA will advise the family thatthe application of the lower payment standard will be deferred until the second regularreexamination following the effective date of the decrease in the payment standard.© Copyright 2008 Nan McKay & Associates, Inc. Page 6-41Revised/Approved 04/08/10 (Eff: 07/01/10)Unlimited copies may be made for internal use.