Proposed Federal Rule Could Displace Nearly 1,500 Fresno County Residents in Mixed-Status Families

A proposed federal rule from the Department of Housing and Urban Development would bar mixed-status families from federally assisted housing, directly affecting 353 households in Fresno County — approximately 839 adults and 653 children.

The proposal would eliminate the current policy that allows U.S. citizen children and other eligible family members to receive prorated housing assistance even when living with undocumented relatives. Under the new rule, every household member would need eligible immigration status for the family to qualify for HUD assistance, forcing otherwise eligible residents — including U.S. citizens — to choose between housing and family.

“We’re anticipating that should a rule like this come into play, that many of these families are going to have a challenge finding housing,” said Tyrone Roderick Williams, CEO of the Fresno Housing Authority. “That could lead to doubling up, contributing to people falling into homelessness, it could reach a lot of other things that we won’t be able to control.”

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The Fresno Housing Authority oversees about 11,000 voucher holders countywide. Williams noted that some families already spend more than six months searching for affordable housing, with options even more limited in rural communities. Children make up nearly half of those in the affected mixed-status households.

The Fresno Housing Authority submitted a public comment urging HUD to provide “a minimum transition period of at least 12 months” if the rule moves forward, warning that eliminating current protections “raises significant concerns given their role in preventing family displacement and housing instability.”

Joseph Haydock, a member of the leadership council of Fresno Fair Housing Advocates, said the proposal would not save federal money because noncitizens deemed ineligible already do not receive federal housing funds. Instead, local housing agencies and nonprofits would face additional administrative burdens while families lose stable housing.

“My biggest concern about it is the families that are going to be left really without a place to go,” Haydock said. “We know there are not enough nonprofit organizations. There’s not enough bandwidth among the nonprofit organizations to pick up the slack.”

Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro said the proposed rule would disproportionately impact regions like the Central Valley, where mixed-status households are more common than in many other parts of the country. “This proposed rule would create an impossible choice for a lot of families,” Castro said. “Choose having a roof over your head, but put part of your family out on the street or live out on the street together.”

The proposal would also require everyone in the household to share information with the Department of Homeland Security for immigration status checks through the SAVE verification system. A February investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found the system has produced repeated errors, particularly for people born outside the United States whose citizenship status later changed.

The proposed rule is currently under review following the close of the public comment period on April 21. Nationwide, HUD estimates nearly 79,600 people in more than 20,000 mixed-status households could lose assistance if prorated aid is eliminated.

The Breakdown

• Current policy allows U.S. citizens and eligible immigrants to receive prorated HUD assistance even when living with undocumented family members — subsidies cover only the eligible members
• The proposed rule would require every household member to have eligible immigration status, eliminating assistance for entire families if anyone is undocumented
• In Fresno County, 353 mixed-status households (839 adults and 653 children) would be affected
• Mixed-status families would have 90 days after a final rule takes effect to provide documentation; other tenants would submit documents during annual reviews
• The changes would apply to public housing, Section 8 assistance, and housing development grant programs
• All household members would need to share information with Department of Homeland Security for SAVE system verification

What This Means for You

If this rule takes effect, nearly 1,500 Fresno County residents — including U.S. citizen children — could lose their housing assistance solely because they live with undocumented family members. With Fresno families already facing months-long searches for affordable housing and limited options especially in rural areas, displaced families would face serious risk of homelessness or overcrowding. The Fresno Housing Authority has warned this could contribute to family separation and housing instability across the county, with lasting effects on children’s education, health, and economic mobility. Landlords who accept Section 8 vouchers may also face difficult decisions if families lose assistance and can no longer afford rent.