The Trump administration formally published a final rule Thursday requiring everyone in households receiving certain federal housing benefits to prove U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, including children.
The changes take effect December 14 and end indefinite partial subsidies for most households that include ineligible residents.
The new regulation affects public housing and Section 8 rental assistance nationwide.
In Texas, approximately 575,100 people lived in federally subsidized housing in 2025, according to a USAFacts analysis of federal housing data.
What Is HUD, And How Does It Help?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the federal agency that oversees housing programs, including rental assistance for low-income families, older adults, and people with disabilities. Its programs help eligible residents afford housing through federal payments that reduce what they owe in rent.
HUD describes three main forms of rental aid: public housing operated by local housing agencies, vouchers that help residents rent privately owned homes, and subsidies attached to specific rental properties.
Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, commonly known as Section 8, the local housing agency pays part of the rent directly to the landlord. A household generally contributes 30% of its adjusted monthly income, although the amount can be higher depending on the rental unit and program rules.
How Many Texans Receive Housing Assistance?
The 2025 HUD data analyzed by USAFacts show that about 1.8% of Texans lived in subsidized housing. Assisted households paid an average of $412 per month in rent, while HUD contributed an average of $1,009 per household monthly.
In North Texas, DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, reported on May 18 that its voucher program served 47,102 people in 16,251 households. The Dallas-based agency operates across Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties.
The new verification requirements apply to DHA’s covered programs and other housing providers throughout Texas. The statewide housing figure includes programs beyond the rule’s scope and does not establish how many residents lack eligible status.
What Changes Under The New Rule?
Federal law already restricts specified housing subsidies to U.S. citizens and certain noncitizens. Existing rules, however, permit families with both eligible and ineligible members to receive reduced assistance based on the eligible members of the household.
The final rule generally limits that arrangement to the period during which eligibility is being verified, subject to statutory exceptions. It also requires electronic verification of citizenship rather than relying solely on a declaration. Noncitizens must submit evidence of eligible immigration status.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the finalized rule Tuesday. “American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill,” Turner said in the announcement.
HUD said a joint audit with the Department of Homeland Security identified nearly 200,000 tenants whose eligibility records were incomplete or unverified.
What Texas Tenants Should Know
Housing providers must notify existing tenants with outstanding citizenship or immigration documentation within 30 days after the December 14 effective date, according to the regulation.
Residents in mixed-status households who have not submitted the required evidence generally have 90 days from December 14 to do so. Other affected existing tenants submit documentation at their next scheduled annual or interim eligibility review. Providers may grant qualifying residents extensions of up to 60 days to obtain records.
Citizens whose status cannot be confirmed electronically may need to provide an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, a naturalization certificate, or another document accepted by HUD. The rule also provides for further verification and hearings before certain adverse decisions.
Texans receiving assistance should contact their housing provider about any required records and deadlines.
Potential Impact On Families
HUD estimated that about 20,000 mixed-status households received assistance nationwide as of December 2024. About 16,000 included children, and the agency expects those families would generally leave subsidized housing together rather than separate.
The department said the overall effect on homelessness is uncertain: Some households could lose their housing, while other eligible families could receive assistance that becomes available. HUD did not provide a Texas-specific estimate in the final rule.
The federal changes come as Texas lawmakers consider a separate state-funded benefit.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) filed Senate Bill 297 on November 9, proposing $1,500 payments to qualifying Texas households without expressly requiring citizenship or lawful immigration status. The proposal remains separate from federal housing assistance and has not authorized payments.
Provided by Dallas Express
