Income and Rent Limits in TDHCA-Supported Properties

• The income limit is the maximum income households can earn. You cannot live in a program unit if your income is over the income limit for a particular program unit.
• Income limits vary by the number of household members.
• The federal government releases new income limits every year.
• Income limits are based on what other people in your area make. This is called the Area Median Income or “AMI”.
• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about income limits.

• The rent limit is the maximum rent the property may charge for the program units.
• The rent limit is a percentage of the income limit.
• Rent limits vary by the number of bedrooms in an apartment.
• Rent limits for TDHCA rental programs are not based on your individual household income.
• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about rent limits.

Why Rents Go Up

• When people in your area make more money, the income limit for your apartment may go up.
• Because the rent limit is a percentage of the income limit, when the income limit goes up the rent limit may go up.
• Your rent may go up even though your personal or household income does not change.
  

  People in your area make more money (Area Median Income goes up)

  →

  The income limit for your apartment may go up

  →

  Your rent may go up

• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about your rent.

Why Rents Are Different

• Each property has its own, unique Land Use Restriction Agreement or “LURA”.
• The LURA sets the number of apartments that must be leased at certain income and rent limits.
  • Income and rent limits may be different for apartments with the same floor plan on the same property.
  • Other properties in the same area can have different income and rents limits.
    

    Property

    →

    LURA

    →

    Number of apartments at certain income and rent limits

• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about the LURA.

Annual Data Collection

• Some properties may have to get information from you every year. This is known as the Annual Data Collection or Income Recertification process.
• You may be asked to give the number of people in your household, household income and other information.
• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about the Annual Data Collection.

If your rent goes up to more than you can afford you may want to:

• Ask your property manager if there are any lower rent apartments for you.
  • If a lower rent apartment is not available, ask to be put on a waiting list if you qualify.
• Look for other lower rent properties that may better fit your budget. Below are some resources to help you find reduced rent properties in your area.
  • TDHCA TDHCA-supported Properties:
    https://hrc-ic.tdhca.state.tx.us/hrc/VacancyClearinghouseSearch.m
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Project-Based Properties:
    https://www.hud.gov/apps/section8/step2.cfm?state=TX%2CTexas
  • U.S.D.A. Rural Development Properties:
    https://rdmfhrentals.sc.egov.usda.gov/RDMFHRentals/select_state.jsp
• See your property manager or owner if you have questions about your rent.

• See your property manager or owner if you have questions, concerns or complaints.
• If you are not happy with the response from your property manager or owner, contact TDHCA.
  • Contact TDHCA only if you live in a TDHCA-supported property.
  • TDHCA cannot help you if you do not live in a TDHCA-supported property.

Complaints

Step 1:   Call or write your property manager and state your complaint.

Step 2:   Give your property manager time to respond to your complaint.

Step 3:   Call or write your property owner if the manager has not responded to your complaint. Your property owner’s contact information is available online.

• Look for your TDHCA-supported property in TDHCA’s database at https://hrc-ic.tdhca.state.tx.us/hrc/VacancyClearinghouseSearch.m.
• Click on your property’s name to view the property owner’s name, phone number and email address.
• If your property is not in TDHCA’s database, TDHCA cannot help with your complaint.

Step 4:   Give your property owner time to respond to your complaint.

Step 5:   Make sure you live in a TDHCA-supported property.

• Look for your property in TDHCA’s database at https://hrc-ic.tdhca.state.tx.us/hrc/VacancyClearinghouseSearch.m
• If your property is not in TDHCA’s database, TDHCA cannot help with your complaint.

Step 6:   File a written complaint with TDHCA

• Mail: TDHCA, Attn: Housing Resource Center, P.O. Box 13941, Austin, Texas 78711-3941
• Fax: 800-733-5120
• Online: www.tdhca.state.tx.us/complaint.htm

Note: TDHCA may take up to 15 working days to respond to your complaint.