Utility Allowances

To keep assisted housing affordable for lower-income households, federal housing law directs that the resident's share of rent in federally assisted public housing should equal 30 percent of the household's adjusted monthly income. In interpreting the federal housing law, HUD has defined the Total Resident Payment for "rent" to include both shelter and the costs for reasonable amounts of utilities. The amount that is necessary to cover the resident's reasonable utility costs is the utility allowance.

Such allowances are estimates of the expenses associated with different types of utilities and their uses. The utilities for which allowances may be provided include electricity, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, wood or coal, and water and sewage service, as well as garbage collection. The functions, or end-uses, covered by an allowance may include space heating, water heating, cooling, refrigeration, lighting, or appliances. Allowances are not provided for telephone service.

The Utility Allowances below are effective as of October 2023.

Attached Dwellings

Gas

Wood

Propane

Electricity

Other Allowances

Detached Dwellings and Mobile Homes

Gas

Wood

Propane

Electricity

Other Allowances