Rental Housing Integrity Improvement Project (RHIIP) Posting #267

January 4, 2012

Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) Existing Tenant Search Clarification

Recently we have been asked to clarify what documentation is needed in an applicant's file if the applicant household is rejected for a reason identified in an owner's Tenant Selection Plan. The policies for rejecting applicants have not changed with the addition of the EIV Existing Tenant Search screening criteria.

HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1, paragraph 4-9 allows an owner to reject an applicant if the applicant is ineligible for occupancy in a particular unit or property. There are several program and project eligibility requirements that must be met by an applicant household. If an applicant fails to meet one of these eligibility requirements, the applicant is considered ineligible for occupancy and must not be housed from the waiting list. Accordingly, once the applicant is determined to be ineligible for occupancy there is no need to continue screening the applicant household for any other eligibility factor including the EIV Existing Tenant Search. The applicant file must contain documentation demonstrating ineligibility but does not necessarily need to contain the EIV Existing Tenant Search.

If an applicant household is being housed from the waiting list, the EIV Existing Tenant Search, along with all other program and project eligibility requirements, must be performed and the documentation must be retained in the tenant file.

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