Tenant-Based Rental Assistance

What Is Tenant-Based Rental Assistance?

Tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) is a rent subsidy tied to a household instead of to a specific building. The household finds a unit in the private market, and the program pays part of the rent to the landlord. If the family moves, it can generally keep the assistance, subject to the program’s rules on where it can be used.

The term covers several programs. The best known is the Housing Choice Voucher program, often called Section 8. NLIHC, citing HUD data, reports that it assisted more than 2.3 million households as of September 30, 2025. Rental help in rapid re-housing programs is also generally tenant-based.

How Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Works

The general pattern is similar across programs:

1. An agency confirms that the household’s income is eligible.
2. The household searches for a unit. A voucher family generally has 60 days to find one, and the agency can extend that time.
3. The agency checks that the unit meets quality standards and that the rent is reasonable.
4. The household pays a set share, often about 30% of adjusted income, and the agency pays the landlord the rest up to a limit such as a payment standard.

HOME TBRA is a locally designed version funded by the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Under HUD’s rules, a state or local “participating jurisdiction” can use HOME funds for rent and security deposits for very low- and low-income families. It can also pay utility deposits, but only alongside rent or security deposit help. Contracts last up to 24 months and may be renewed if HOME funds are available. The jurisdiction sets its own rent standard and minimum tenant contribution, and it decides whether families can use the assistance outside its boundaries. NLIHC’s 2026 guide reports that HOME has funded more than 422,000 TBRA contracts since 1992, based on the most recent data HUD published.

Tenant-Based vs. Project-Based Assistance

Criticisms and Limitations

Tenant-based help depends on the local rental market. When vacancies are scarce or rents exceed program limits, families may be unable to use their assistance at all. Some landlords decline subsidized tenants, which is why some jurisdictions ban source-of-income discrimination. Because TBRA uses existing housing rather than adding units, it does not by itself increase supply where too few homes exist. Finally, short-term forms of TBRA end on a schedule whether or not a household’s income has risen.