On August 10, HUD published Notice PIH 2026-20, “Revision to Emergency Housing Voucher and Stability Voucher Program Requirements Related to Payment Standards.” The notice terminates a waiver available to HAs administering the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) and Stability Voucher (SV) programs that allowed agencies to set payment standards up to 120 percent of the applicable Fair Market Rent (FMR).
The notice states that HAs using this waiver must revise their Admin Plans within 60 days of publication of the notice (by October 9, 2026) to comply with the notice. However, per existing regulations, impacted agencies will not recalculate a family’s Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) for 2 years. Interested members should consult 24 CFR 982.505(c)(3) for more information regarding procedures for decreased payment standards.
PHADA continues to press the Department to publish its notice on how it intends to utilize flexibilities enacted in the FY 26 HUD appropriations bill to fund EHVs. As a reminder, Congress appropriated $601 million in Tenant Protection Voucher (TPV) funding in FY 26 and included language allowing HUD to use this funding to cover EHV HAP through December 31, 2026. While the Department has repeatedly told PHADA that publication of this notice was imminent, it has not yet been released. HAs facing EHV funding concerns should contact their Field Office and may also reach out to: policy@phada.org.