Payment Standards

Payment Standards are "the maximum monthly assistance payment for a family assisted in the voucher program (before deducting the families total tenant payment)," 24 CFR 982.4(b). The Total Tenant Payment (TTP) represents 30% of the family's monthly adjusted income.

The Payment Standard for the family is the lower of:

• The payment standard for the family unit size, which is defined as the appropriate number of bedrooms for the family under the PHA's subsidy standards
• The payment standard for the size of the dwelling unit rented by the family

For example, a family is eligible to lease a three bedroom unit but selects a two bedroom unit. The voucher payment standard for a two bedroom unit would be used to calculate the housing assistance payment because that would be the lower of the two methods. However, if the family is eligible to lease a three bedroom and finds a three bedroom unit, the three bedroom voucher payment standard would apply.

Note: The voucher payment standard includes a utility allowance for the unit. The utility allowance is based on the lower of the family voucher size or the unit size selected by the family.