Are participants in the Housing Choice Voucher Program, which is also known as Section 8, required to be vaccinated to maintain their eligibility? No, that's not true: A spokesperson with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) confirmed to Lead Stories that there is no vaccination requirement for Section 8 residents.
The claim appeared in an Instagram post (archived here) on October 1, 2021. The post reads:
Now they're saying you have to be Vaccinated to keep section 8.
This is how the post looked on Instagram on October 7, 2021:
(Source: Instagram screenshot taken on Thu Oct 7 19:56:47 2021 UTC)
Section 8 is a federal housing assistance program for low-income, disabled and elderly individuals and families. In an email to Lead Stories on October 7, 2021, a HUD spokesperson said:
This is false. HUD has no policy requiring vaccination among residents.
Although the claim in the Instagram post does not specify what vaccination it was referring to, HUD has publicly supported COVID-19 vaccination access for its residents and staff. According to its "Guidance for Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) on Supporting Access to COVID-19 Vaccinations for Residents and Staff" published on April 7, 2021:
Once the vaccine is widely available, PHAs may consider policies that require current vaccinations for workers who interact with residents. PHAs may also consider incentive compensation in accordance with 2 CFR 200.430(f) for staff to get vaccinated. PHAs can allow staff to use PHA-provided devices and internet service to register online for a vaccine appointment. Personnel policies related to COVID-19 and the vaccination must comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and any related state laws. Based on guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers can have a qualification standard that includes 'a requirement that an individual shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace.'
At the time of writing, federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID by November 22, 2021.
