HUD Sharpens Its Policy Evaluation Rules
Published Date: 9/24/2026
Notice
Summary
HUD just updated its Evaluation Policy to make sure all research and program reviews are top-notch and super useful. This affects HUD staff and partners who do evaluations, starting September 24, 2026. The goal? Use solid evidence to shape better housing policies without wasting time or money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Policy Applies to HUD Contractors and Grantees
Starting September 24, 2026, HUD's Evaluation Policy applies to HUD staff, contractors, and grantees involved in evaluations, research, and regulatory impact analyses. If you are an applicant for HUD evaluation work, HUD will evaluate your team's experience and skillsets as part of eligibility and project oversight.
Faster Publication and Data Sharing Requirements
HUD will share interim and final reports within six months of completion and typically permits contractors to publish findings within six months after a contract ends. HUD will also publish final datasets, analytic code, and model documentation to the extent feasible and archive evaluation data for secondary use; external researchers may access archived data via data licenses, data use agreements, inter-agency agreements, or formal research agreements.
Privacy Protection: Rule of Eleven
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research enforces the 'Rule of Eleven,' which prohibits disaggregated disclosure of data for any group of individuals or households numbering fewer than eleven. The Rule of Eleven applies to PD&R staff, contractors, grantees, and data license recipients.
AI Disclosure and Conflict-of-Interest Rules for Researchers
HUD requires researchers to follow requirements about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in producing or informing evaluation findings and to disclose AI use in published reports; those requirements will be communicated through grant agreements, contract documents, or publication guidelines. All applicants must document they are free from conflicts of interest, and HUD reviewers must disclose and recuse when conflicts exist.
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Key Dates
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