FAIR HOUSING CHANGE ALLIANCE

By FHCA staff

FHCA submits formal public comment opposing removal of key tenant protections affecting public housing and federally assisted tenants.

Updated 2:30 AM EDT, Thu May 7, 2026

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued an interim final rule that removes federal protections requiring many public housing agencies and federally assisted housing providers to give tenants a 30-day notice before pursuing eviction for nonpayment of rent.

The rule restores shorter notice periods used before the pandemic-era reforms and removes several notice-detail requirements adopted in recent years.

Fair Housing Change Alliance (FHCA) submitted a formal public comment opposing the rollback and warning that the changes may increase preventable evictions, especially for disabled tenants, elderly tenants, and households facing administrative or financial hardship.

What the Rule Changes

According to HUD, the interim final rule removes the federal 30-day notice requirement adopted in 2024, restores shorter notice periods across several HUD housing programs, removes certain information previously required in termination notices, and returns many nonpayment procedures to standards that existed prior to 2021. Under the revised framework, some notice periods may return to 14 days in public housing, five working days in certain Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation programs, or timelines determined primarily by state law and lease language. HUD states that the purpose of the rule is to reduce administrative and financial burdens on housing providers while addressing increased rental arrearages experienced by public housing agencies and owners of federally assisted housing.

FHCA Concerns

FHCA’s public comment raised concerns that reducing notice periods may increase avoidable evictions caused by accounting disputes, ledger inaccuracies, delayed recertifications, temporary financial emergencies, disability-related hardship, or administrative processing errors. FHCA also expressed concern that shorter timelines may reduce tenants’ ability to seek rental assistance, request records, challenge incorrect balances, obtain legal assistance, or cure arrears before eviction proceedings begin. The comment further emphasized that stable housing is closely connected to health, disability management, employment stability, educational continuity, and access to medical and supportive care.

Administrative Participation Matters

FHCA believes participation in federal rulemaking is an important part of housing advocacy and public accountability. Public comments to HUD become part of the official administrative record and help document how proposed federal policy changes may affect tenants, disabled individuals, families, and local communities. FHCA will continue monitoring federal housing regulations involving tenant protections, disability access, public housing procedures, Section 8 programs, inspection standards, grievance rights, and other policies affecting housing stability and civil-rights protections.

FHCA’s public comment on this rule was submitted to HUD under Docket No. HUD-2026-0265 and posted publicly through Regulations.gov in April 2026.

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