Rental Assistance recipients are required to report all changes in the makeup of the household, including additions and move-outs, within 10 calendar days of when the change occurred.
This includes the addition of adult household members and of children added due to birth, adoption, or court-awarded custody.
The changes must be reported in writing to the household’s assigned San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) Housing Assistant:
- Email a completed Interim Application – Income and Household Changes Form to the assigned Housing Assistant.
- Or mail a letter to:
San Diego Housing Commission
Rental Assistance Division
1122 Broadway, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92101
Please include the name of the head of household, an address, an email address, the Housing Assistant ID, and an account number.
Add an Adult to the Household
A Household Addition Packet is required to add an adult to the household. This is in addition to the Interim Application – Income and Household Changes Form.
- Request the packet from the assigned Housing Assistant.
- The landlord and SDHC must both approve the addition of the adult member before they move into the unit.
- All forms in the Household Addition Packet must be completed, signed, and returned to the Housing Assistant for review.
- The income of new household member(s) must be verified and will be used to recalculate the portion of the rent that is paid by the household.
- Every adult applicant must also pass a sex offender and background check. The approval process requires the declaration and verification of criminal background and the verification of U.S. citizenship and/or eligible immigrant status of each person added to the household.
- Once the review is complete and a determination has been made, SDHC staff will send the rental assistance participant and the landlord a letter approving or disapproving the addition.
- The Housing Assistant will also send a Rent Portion Letter if there is a change in the tenant’s rent portion.
- Household additions that are not reported within 10 calendar days will be considered unauthorized household members. This is a serious program violation and may result in termination of rental assistance.
Note: Adults are only allowed to return to the household once within a 12-month period.
Add a Child to the Household
The addition of a child or children under 18 to the household must be reported in writing within 10 calendar days to the assigned Housing Assistant.
Children may be added to the household through birth, adoption, or court awarded custody/guardianship.
The income of a new household member must be verified and will be used to recalculate the portion of the rent that will be paid by the household.
In addition, the approval process requires the declaration and verification of U.S. citizenship and/or eligible immigrant status of each child added to the household.
In the cases of custody, guardianship will be verified with a copy of a court-ordered assignment, an affidavit from parent, or verification from a social service agency or school records, etc.
Once the approval process is complete and a determination has been made, SDHC staff will mail the participant and the landlord a letter approving or disapproving the addition of the household member(s).
The Housing Assistant will also send a Rent Portion Letter if there is a change in the tenant’s rent portion.
Decrease in Household Size
If a household member moves out, the assigned Housing Assistant must be notified in writing within 10 calendar days. Upon receiving the notification, the Housing Assistant will send a “Personal Declaration Reduced Household Size” form.
The head of household’s signature on this form will be sufficient verification to certify, under penalty of perjury, that the person has moved from the unit.
The items that must be completed on the form are:
- The name of the person being removed
- The move-out date
- The person’s new address
- The head of household’s signature.
The Housing Assistant will process the move-out upon receipt of these items.
Once the Housing Assistant has received the required documentation to process the change, they will mail the participant and the landlord the “Notification of Household Change” specifying the household member(s) who has moved out. In addition, a Rent Portion letter will be sent if there is a change in the tenant’s rent portion.
If there is a decrease in the household’s portion of the rent, it becomes effective on the first of the month following the month that the change was reported.
Forms and Documents
Interim Application - Income and Household Changes
Owner Approval of Adult Household Member
