(a) HUD shall have access to all records, reports, and other documents or items of the recipient that are maintained to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this part, or that are maintained in accordance with the regulations governing the specific HUD program by which the Section 3 project is governed, or the public housing financial assistance is provided or otherwise made available to the recipient, subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor.

(b) Recipients must maintain documentation, or ensure that a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor that employs the worker maintains documentation, to ensure that workers meet the definition of a Section 3 worker or Targeted Section 3 worker, at the time of hire or the first reporting period, as follows:

(1) For a worker to qualify as a Section 3 worker, one of the following must be maintained:

(i) A worker's self-certification that their income is below the income limit from the prior calendar year;

(ii) A worker's self-certification of participation in a means-tested program such as public housing or Section 8-assisted housing;

(iii) Certification from a PHA, or the owner or property manager of project-based Section 8-assisted housing, or the administrator of tenant-based Section 8-assisted housing that the worker is a participant in one of their programs;

(iv) An employer's certification that the worker's income from that employer is below the income limit when based on an employer's calculation of what the worker's wage rate would translate to if annualized on a full-time basis; or

(v) An employer's certification that the worker is employed by a Section 3 business concern.

(2) For a worker to qualify as a Targeted Section 3 worker, one of the following must be maintained:

(i) For a worker to qualify as a Targeted Section 3 worker under subpart B of this part:

(A) A worker's self-certification of participation in public housing or Section 8-assisted housing programs;

(B) Certification from a PHA, or the owner or property manager of project-based Section 8-assisted housing, or the administrator of tenant-based Section 8-assisted housing that the worker is a participant in one of their programs;

(C) An employer's certification that the worker is employed by a Section 3 business concern; or

(D) A worker's certification that the worker is a YouthBuild participant.

(ii) For a worker to qualify as a Targeted Section 3 worker under subpart C of this part:

(A) An employer's confirmation that a worker's residence is within one mile of the work site or, if fewer than 5,000 people live within one mile of a work site, within a circle centered on the work site that is sufficient to encompass a population of 5,000 people according to the most recent U.S. Census;

(B) An employer's certification that the worker is employed by a Section 3 business concern; or

(C) A worker's self-certification that the worker is a YouthBuild participant.

(c) The documentation described in paragraph (b) of this section must be maintained for the time period required for record retentions in accordance with applicable program regulations or, in the absence of applicable program regulations, in accordance with 2 CFR part 200.

(d) A PHA or recipient may report on Section 3 workers and Targeted Section 3 workers for five years from when their certification as a Section 3 worker or Targeted Section 3 worker is established.