Initial determination of family eligibility. (1) The PHA is responsible for receipt and review of applications, and determination of family eligibility for participation in accordance with HUD regulations (see 24 CFR parts 5, 750 and 760). The PHA is responsible for verifying the sources and amount of the family's income and other information necessary for determining income eligibility and the amount of the assistance payments.

PHA records on applicants and Families selected to participate must be maintained so as to provide HUD with racial, gender, and ethnic data.

Selection of Families for participation. When vacancies occur, the PHA will refer to the Owner one or more appropriate size Families on its waiting list. The PHA must select Families for participation in accordance with the provisions of the Program and in accordance with the PHA's application, including any PHA requirement or preferences as approved by HUD. The PHA must select Families eligible for housing assistance payments currently residing in units that are designated for rehabilitation under the Program without requiring that these Families be placed on the waiting list. Notwithstanding the fact that the PHA may not be accepting additional applications for participation because of the length of the waiting list, the PHA may not refuse to place an applicant on the waiting list if the applicant is otherwise eligible for partcipation and claims that he or she qualifies for a Federal preference as provided in 24 CFR part 5, unless the PHA determines, on the basis of the number of applicants who are already on the waiting list and who claim a Federal preference, and the anticipated number of admissions under this part, that—

There is an adequate pool of applicants who are likely to qualify for a Federal preference and

It is unlikely that, on the basis of the PHA's system for applying the Federal preferences, the preference or preferences that the applicant claims, and the preferences claimed by applicants on the waiting list, the applicant would qualify for assistance before other applicants on the waiting list.

Owner selection of Families. All vacant units under Contract must be rented to Eligible Families referred by the PHA from its waiting list. However, if the PHA is unable to refer a sufficient number of interested applicants on the waiting list to the Owner within 30 days of the Owner's notification to the PHA of a vacancy, the Owner may advertise or solicit applications from Low-Income Families and refer such Families to the PHA to determine eligibility. Since the Owner is responsible for tenant selection, the Owner may refuse any family, provided that the Owner does not unlawfully discriminate.However, the owner must not deny program assistance or admission to an applicant based on the fact that the applicant is or has been a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, if the applicant otherwise qualifies for assistance or admission. Should the Owner reject a Family, and should the Family believe that the Owner's rejection was the result of unlawful discrimination, the Family may request the assistance of the PHA in resolving the issue. If the issue cannot be resolved promptly, the Family may file a complaint with HUD, and the PHA may refer the Family to the next available Moderate Rehabilitation unit.

Briefing of Families. (1) When a Family is initially determined to be eligible for housing assistance payments or is selected for participation in accordance with this section, the PHA must provide the Family with information as to the Tenant Rent and the PHA's schedule of Utility Allowances. Each Family must also, either in group or individual sessions, be provided with a full explanation of the following:

Family and Owner responsibilities under the Lease and Contract;

Significant aspects of the applicable State and local laws;

Significant aspects of Federal, State and local fair housing laws;

The fact that the subsidy is tied to the unit and the Family must occupy a unit rehabilitated under the Program;

The Family's options under the Program should the Family be required to move due to an increase or decrease in Family size; and

The advisability and availability of blood lead level screening for children under 6 years of age and HUD's lead-based paint requirements in part 35, subparts A, B, H, and R of this title.

For all Families to be temporarily relocated, the briefing must include a discussion of the relocation policies.

Continued participation of Family when Contract is terminated. If an Owner evicts an assisted family in violation of the Contract or otherwise breaches the Contract, and the Contract for the unit is terminated, and if the Family was not at fault and is eligible for continued assistance, the Family may continue to receive housing assistance through the conversion of the Moderate Rehabilitation assistance to ten-

Families determined by the PHA to be ineligible. If a Family is determined to be ineligible in accordance with the PHA's HUD-approved application, either at the application stage or after assistance has been provided on behalf of the Family, the PHA shall promptly notify the Family by letter of the determination and the reasons for it and the letter shall state that the Family has the right within a reasonable time (specified in the letter) to request an informal hearing. If, after conducting such an informal hearing, the PHA determines, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that the Family is ineligible, it shall notify the Family in writing. The procedures of this paragraph do not preclude the Family from exercising its other rights if it believes it is being discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, familial status, or national origin. The informal review provisions for the denial of a Federal selection preference under § 882.517 are contained in paragraph (k) of that section. The informal hearing requirements for denial and termination of assistance on the basis of ineligible immigration status are contained in 24 CFR part 5.