{"id":"usda-section-521-rental-assistance","name":"USDA Section 521 Rental Assistance","provider":"USDA Rural Development and participating rural rental properties","entitlement_type":"government-benefit","entitlement_type_label":"Government benefit","entitlement_type_context":{"definition":"A government-funded or administered benefit, service, coverage program, assistance program, or public access route.","domain":"public-benefits","archetype":"direct-program","agent_instruction":"Identify the administering jurisdiction and disclose income, household, age, disability, immigration, residence, renewal, fee, and capacity rules that apply."},"summary":"USDA Section 521 provides project-based rent assistance on behalf of eligible low- and very-low-income tenants in participating USDA-financed rural apartments, Rural Rental Housing, and Farm Labor Housing properties.","benefit":{"description":"A payment to the property owner that covers the eligible difference between the approved housing charge and the tenant contribution, generally limiting a qualified assisted tenant's housing payment to about 30% of income.","estimated_value_usd":null},"discovery":{"focus":"public-service","has_estimated_dollar_value":false},"access":{"relationships":["Eligible tenant or applicant at a participating USDA rural rental property","Low- or very-low-income household assigned an available Section 521-assisted unit"],"requirements":"The household must qualify under current low- or very-low-income, occupancy, immigration or citizenship, student, asset, and tenant-selection rules and be admitted to a participating USDA-financed property with a rental-assistance unit available. Very-low-income households receive priority; being income-eligible or living at a USDA property does not guarantee assistance.","activation":"Use USDA's Rural Housing Rentals search to identify properties, contact each property directly, ask specifically about Section 521 rental-assistance availability and waitlists, and submit the property's application and income, household, asset, identity, and eligibility documents. Apply to multiple suitable properties when permitted.","cost_basis":"discounted","cost_basis_label":"Discounted access","cost_basis_context":{"classification":"reduced-cost","definition":"The user pays a reduced price rather than receiving the core benefit at no charge.","agent_instruction":"State the known discounted price or reduction and any full-price items, add-ons, or eligibility conditions.","variation_patterns":null,"does_not_mean":null},"fees":"This is a rent subsidy, not universally free housing. The tenant generally contributes income-based rent and may owe deposits, utilities, damages, optional services, or other lawful charges. Assistance is property- and unit-based, funding and vacancies are limited, waitlists are common, and eligibility must be recertified.","personalized":false,"regions":["US","Participating USDA-financed Rural Rental Housing and Farm Labor Housing properties"],"expires":null},"status":"verified","last_checked":"2026-08-04","claim_url":"https://www.rd.usda.gov/highlight/find-rural-housing-rentals","source_url":"https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/multifamily-housing-programs/multifamily-housing-rental-assistance","source":{"primary_url":"https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/multifamily-housing-programs/multifamily-housing-rental-assistance","evidence":[{"source":"USDA Rural Development and participating rural rental properties","url":"https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/multifamily-housing-programs/multifamily-housing-rental-assistance","kind":"provider","checked_at":"2026-08-04"}]},"parent":null,"coverage":{"level":"national","family":"housing-and-disaster","jurisdiction":"United States","maturity":"direct"},"web_url":"/benefits/usda-section-521-rental-assistance","taxonomy":{"version":"1.0","url":"/api/v1/taxonomy"}}