Determine the tenant’s eligibility for a rental assistance payment by including the total gross household income received for a 12-month period from all sources (earned and unearned) including, but not limited to wages, salary, child support, alimony, unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation, social security or the net income from a business. It shall not include income received or earned by dependent children

under 18, or full-time students who are students for at least 5 months of the year and are under the age of 24.

Documentation of income may be provided by IRS income tax returns, W-2 forms, paycheck stubs, accountant certified profit and loss statements or other documentation TxDOT deems appropriate.

When there are two or more persons living together without an identifiable head of household, each of the displaced persons will attest to his/her own annual gross income or current monthly income. Base the rent supplement on the combined financial means of all occupants of the displaced household.

If a displacee cannot or will not provide reasonable verifiable documentation of his/her income or financial means, the cost of comparable housing shall be considered within the displacee’s financial means, and base monthly rent shall be considered as the average cost of rent and utilities and the displacement dwelling, or “fair market rent” if applicable. For example, when a person’s mode, manner of living or assets indicate a higher than reported income from cash payments, or the displacee’s monthly rent and utility payments are exceptionally high in relation to his/her reported income, the cost of comparable replacement housing will be considered within the displacee’s financial means.

If the displacee will receive a housing subsidy after displacement, compute the rental assistance payment based on the person’s actual out-of-pocket costs for replacement housing. If a displacee is dependent upon family or outside sources for the majority of his/her living expenses, base monthly rent will be considered as the average cost of rent and utilities at the displacement dwelling.