What documentation will an O/A be required to submit with a utility analysis and request for approval of a utility allowance (UA)?

FAQ Content

The O/A shall submit backup information that demonstrates how s/he calculated the new utility allowance(s). HUD/CA has discretion to determine the documentation needed to support the utility allowances.

Some examples of backup information include:

  1. Copies of the tenant data received from utility providers, this is typically in summary format; or
  2. Copies of the printouts indicating a summary of monthly data if the tenant was able to obtain data online from their utility provider for the previous 12 months, or 10 months if the case may be; or
  3. If the O/A obtained actual monthly utility bills from a tenant, the O/A may submit a spreadsheet summarizing the average of the monthly bills. Actual utility bills may be requested at the discretion of HUD/CA. These bills, regardless of whether they are provided to HUD/CA, must be retained by the owner for three years;
  4. At the discretion of HUD/CA, there may be cases where a combination of the above will need to be performed.