Section 0770-01-05-.14 - SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER PROVISION(1) Each member of a household for applicants and participants that is claiming citizenship or eligible immigration status must provide adequate verification of the member's social security number (SSN) at the time of admission or at the next interim or other reexamination for participants who have not provided the documentation previously, with the exception of the following individuals: (a) Individuals who do not contend to have eligible immigration status (they may be unlawfully present in the United States) and have not been assigned SSN; 1. A family that consists of two or more household members where at least one household member has eligible U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status and an individual that does not or individuals that do not contend to have eligible immigration status, the THDA will not deny assistance, but will classify the family as a mixed family and will prorate assistance.(b) Existing program participants as of January 31, 2010, who have previously disclosed their SSN and HUD has determined the SSN to be valid; and(c) Existing program participants as of January 31, 2010, who are sixty-two (62) years of age or older (born on or before January 31, 1948), and had not previously disclosed a valid SSN. The exemption continues even if the individual moves to a new assisted unit.(2) Applicant Households.(a) Every applicant household member must provide their complete and accurate social security number (SSN), as well as verification of the SSN, at the eligibility determination briefing to qualify for admission to the HCV Program or they must be able to show proof that they applied for a SSN and they will be given up to sixty (60) days. Further extension will require director approval.(b) If a household is unable to fulfill this obligation within the deadline for legitimate, verified reasons that are outside of their control, the household must choose to either remove the member from the household prior to admission or the household must be returned to the waiting list by date and time of the pre-application.(c) If the household otherwise just fails to provide the documentation, the applicant will be denied admission.(3) Participant Households. (a) Any new member sought to be added to the household must disclose a SSN. The participant must disclose the SSN and provide the THDA with verification at the time of the request for assistance or before the member is added to the household through an interim or regular reexamination. The THDA is not authorized to generate an alternative identification.(b) If the household requests to add a new member who is under the age of 6 and does not have a SSN, the child is to be added as part of the assisted household and is entitled to all benefits of being a household member during the allotted time for compliance, which is ninety (90) calendar days from the child being added to the household. Within that time the family must request a SSN, provide the new SSN to the THDA, and provide the proper verification. In the meantime, the THDA will generate an alternate identification to use for the new member. (i) If the family is unable to disclose the SSN and provide verification within the 90-day compliance term, the THDA will give the family an additional 90 calendar days to comply, but only if the family was unable to comply due to circumstances that could not have reasonably been foreseen and were outside of the control of the family, including, but not limited to, delay by the Social Security Administration (SSA), natural disaster, death in the family, etc.(ii) If the compliance term expires and the family has not complied with the SSN disclosure and verification, then the THDA must terminate the entire family's assistance.(4) If an applicant or participant is able to disclose their SSN, but cannot meet the verification requirements, the THDA will instruct them to obtain a duplicate card or other computer-generated verification from the local Social Security office within the timelines specified above.(5) Verification. Every member of an applicant or participant household, unless exempt under 0770-01-05-.14(1) above, must provide verification of each disclosed SSN by: (a) An original or a copy of a SSN card issued by SSA;(b) An original or a copy of a SSA-issued document, which contains the name and SSN of the individual; or(c) A document issued by a federal, state, or local government agency, which contains the name and SSN of the individual (e.g., welfare agency documents, military papers, unemployment insurance documents).Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0770-01-05-.14
Original rule filed May 16, 1980; effective June 30, 1980. Repeal filed September 28, 2004; effective December 12, 2004. Repeal and new rule filed June 4, 2015; effective September 2, 2015. Amendments filed June 11, 2024; effective 9/9/2024.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 13-23-104 and 13-23-115(18), 42 U.S.C. § 1437, and 24 C.F.R. 982.552(c)(1)(ii).