§ 5.218 Penalties for failing to disclose and verify Social Security and Employer Identification Numbers.

(a) Denial of eligibility of assistance applicants and individual owner applicants. The processing entity must deny the eligibility of an assistance applicant or individual owner applicant in accordance with the provisions governing the program involved, if the assistance or individual owner applicant does not meet the applicable SSN disclosure, documentation, and verification requirements as specified in § 5.216. (b) Denial of eligibility of entity applicants. The processing entity must deny the eligibility of an entity applicant in accordance with the provisions governing the program involved; if: (1) The entity applicant does not meet the EIN disclosure, documentation, and verification requirements specified in § 5.216; or (2) Any of the officials of the entity applicant referred to in § 5.216(d) does not meet the applicable SSN disclosure, and documentation and verification requirements specified in § 5.216. (c) Termination of assistance or termination of tenancy of participants. (1) The processing entity must terminate the assistance or terminate the tenancy, or both, of a participant and the participant's household, in accordance with the provisions governing the program involved, if the participant does not meet the applicable SSN disclosure, documentation, and verification requirements specified in § 5.216. (2) The processing entity may defer termination and provide the participant with an additional 90 calendar days to disclose a SSN, but only if the processing entity, in its discretion, determines that: (i) The failure to meet these requirements was due to circumstances that could not have reasonably been foreseen and were outside the control of the participant; and (ii) There is a reasonable likelihood that the participant will be able to disclose a SSN by the deadline. (3) Failure of the participant to disclose a SSN by the deadline specified in paragraph (c)(2) of this section will result in termination of the assistance or tenancy, or both, of the participant and the participant's household. (d) Cross reference. Individuals should consult the regulations and administrative instructions for the programs covered under this subpart B for further information on the use of SSNs and EINs in determinations regarding eligibility.