We completed a limited review concerning college students living in Section 8 subsidized housing. We conducted the review in response to media and congressional attention and subsequent issuance of new regulations and policy guidance by HUD that restricted the eligibility of the students. The media had reported that taxpayer subsidized housing was being occupied by students to offset the high price of college. It also reported concerns by the National Low Income Housing Coalition that the college students were misusing HUD's Section 8 Program.

The objectives of our review were to determine: the extent of college student participation in the Section 8 program; and whether the public housing authorities and multifamily property owners had started certifying/recertifying college students under HUD's new regulations and policy guidance.

We determined that the public housing authorities (PHAs) and the multifamily property owners were not in full compliance of HUD's new regulations and policy guidance. We estimated that a substantial number of college students were using HUD's Section 8 program. However, we could not determine the exact extent of student participation because PHAs and/or some multifamily property owners did not solicit student status for all adult household members. In addition, the PHAs had not updated their administrative plans to incorporate HUD's new requirements for college students. Also, multifamily property owners either did not solicit or did not verify if college students were independent from their parents and if their parents were income-eligible. Additionally, the owners did not verify the students' non-tuition portion of educational financial assistance.