A recent revision to EIV, now effective, requires PHAs to report information about alleged debts to a PHA owed by a former tenant and the reasons for any termination of a tenant family from a HUD assisted housing program.HUD says that this information will be used to create a “national repository” of PHA debtor and terminated families within the EIV system to “determine a family’s suitability for rental assistance.”(See October 2, 2009 Federal Register Notice, at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-23846.pdf). HUD has prepared and submitted for approval to the Office of Management & Budget a form notice to applicants and participants in its rental housing programs about this new feature, including dispute rights.

Advocates are already reporting problems with this EIV debt reporting feature, including PHAs reporting alleged debts that are older than the statutory limitations period and alleged debt claims that were dismissed with prejudice in summary proceedings cases.