The HUD-52517, Decoded.

The voucher is a one-page document (HUD-52646) with the tenant's name, bedroom size approved, and voucher expiration date.

• Bedroom size. The number on the voucher is what the PHA will subsidize. If your unit is a 2BR but the voucher is for 1BR, payment standard uses 1BR.
• Expiration date. Most vouchers are 60–120 days. If the RFTA isn't submitted before expiration, the tenant has to re-apply.
• Portability. If the voucher shows a different city/state on the "Issued By" line, it's a portable (porting-in) voucher. Rules are the same but the PHA handling your HAP may change.

Before signing anything, ask the tenant for these three numbers so you can project your actual income on the unit.

• Payment standard for their voucher bedroom size. Look it up on our payment standard lookup using the unit's ZIP.
• Utility allowance for this unit type. The PHA publishes a schedule — it depends on unit size, building type, and which utilities the tenant pays.
• Tenant's TTP. The tenant knows this from their PHA briefing. It's 30% of adjusted income. Use our rent calculator to project your HAP.

The form has 13 sections. These are the ones that cause delays if wrong.

• Unit address — must exactly match the lease and the HQS inspection address. Apartment number matters.
• Year constructed — if pre-1978, triggers lead-based paint disclosure. Common cause of rejection if missing.
• Proposed rent — the monthly rent BEFORE subsidy. Do not pre-split this into HAP/tenant.
• Utilities included — check every utility the landlord pays. Wrong answer here changes the utility allowance.
• Appliances provided — refrigerator and stove are the big two. If tenant provides, it changes the UA.
• Owner tax ID / SSN — required for HAP payments. The PHA will not issue HAP without a completed W-9.
• Requested lease start date — set this at least 2 weeks out to give the PHA time to inspect.

Your standard lease — plus HUD's required Tenancy Addendum (form HUD-52641-A), which supersedes any conflicting lease terms.

• Term must be at least 12 months (most PHAs).
• Rent in the lease must equal the rent on the RFTA.
• Security deposit cannot exceed what a non-voucher tenant would pay.
• The Tenancy Addendum is always attached — the tenant doesn't sign a separate thing; it's automatically part of the lease.

Submit via whatever channel the PHA prefers — most have an online portal now; some still require fax or in-person drop-off.

The PHA compares your asking rent to 3+ unassisted comparable units in the neighborhood. Required by 24 CFR 982.507.

• The PHA considers: bedroom size, year built, square footage, condition, amenities, and neighborhood.
• If your rent exceeds rent reasonableness, the PHA will ask you to lower — or will cap HAP at the reasonable amount.
• You can provide your own comps (3 similar rentals in the neighborhood, same bedroom size) to support your number.

HUD Housing Quality Standards inspection, 24 CFR 982.401, across 13 performance areas.

The inspector visits, checklist in hand, and flags fails. If the unit fails, you get a list of fixes, usually with 30 days to correct. After correction, re-inspection is scheduled. HAP can't start until the unit passes.

Full 13-area inspection checklist →

Once the unit passes HQS and rent is reasonable, the PHA issues a HAP contract (form HUD-52641) for your signature.

• HAP is backdated to the effective lease date — so the first check usually includes a prorated amount plus the first full month.
• Most PHAs pay HAP on the 1st of the month via ACH (set up a W-9 and direct deposit).
• The tenant pays their portion directly to you on the same schedule as the lease.