H.R. 8814: HUD Data Privacy Act of 2026 (119th Congress) Bill Summary

The HUD Data Privacy Act of 2026 aims to regulate the sharing of information regarding individuals who receive housing assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Here's a summary of the key components of the bill:

Information Sharing Limitations

The bill establishes that the Secretary of HUD must create a policy that restricts the exchange of collected information about individuals receiving housing assistance. This information can only be shared with other agencies or third parties for the following specific purposes:

To verify the individual's eligibility for benefits.
To determine the benefits that the individual will receive.

Restrictions on Use of Information

Any agency or third party that obtains this information from HUD cannot use it for any purposes other than verifying eligibility or determining benefits. This limitation ensures that the information collected is not misused or accessed for unrelated reasons.

Exceptions to Restrictions

There are certain exceptions to these restrictions:

The sharing of deidentified information between HUD and other agencies or third parties is allowed for statistical or research purposes.
Data can also be shared as part of an ongoing criminal investigation or to prevent an immediate threat to life.

Definition of Housing Assistance

For the purposes of this bill, "housing assistance" is defined to include:

Federal financial assistance provided under section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
Tenant-based or project-based rental assistance provided under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

Implications for Immigration Enforcement

The bill clarifies that the information shared cannot be used for civil enforcement of immigration laws, as defined under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This means that the data will not be utilized to assist in immigration enforcement actions.

Overall Purpose

The primary aim of the bill is to protect the privacy of individuals receiving housing assistance by ensuring that their information is not inappropriately used or shared, particularly in relation to their immigration status.