HUD Publishes Notice on Verifying SSNs for PHAs

HUD recently published Notice PIH 2018-24 entitled “Verification of Social Security Numbers (SSNs), Social Security (SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits; and Effective Use of the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) System’s Identity Verification Report.” This notice supersedes the previous notice PIH 2012-10. The full notice can be found at www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PIH/documents/PIH-2018-24_EIV_SSN_Notice_FINAL.pdf.

This notice is the administrative guidance that explains the procedures PHAs must use for verifying the Social Security numbers and Social Security benefits of applicants, participants, and household members at the time of application for rental housing assistance programs and during mandatory recertification of household income. This notice also includes the procedures for using the EIV system effectively to reduce subsidy payments and administrative errors.

This notice applies to the following HUD-PIH rental assistance programs: Public Housing, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, Project-Based Certificate, Project-Based Voucher, and Housing Choice Voucher programs. This notice also applies to all PHAs, including Moving-to-Work (MTW) PHAs that administer these programs. The notice includes the following updates from the previous notice:

• Updated website links and other references;
• Removal of the provision requiring a PHA to notify HUD Headquarters when the PHA determines the resident name or surname reported on the HUD 50058 is correct;
• Revisions to the “Authorized Workaround” section for overdue examinations not completed due to pending litigation;
• Clarification of the penalties for noncompliance with EIV’s Identity Verification Report and elimination of the right to appeal the imposition of penalties; and
• Elimination of attachments.