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Public housing work requirements during the Biden administration
This page features information on public housing work requirements during the Biden administration.
Background of public housing work requirements
Federal public housing programs were created by the Housing Act of 1937, which authorized federal subsidies to local housing agencies to provide housing and improve living conditions for low-income families. Public assistance is provided through public housing units, rental assistance, or Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), which are vouchers used to purchase individual homes. The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 altered Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937 and created the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program. The Section 8 Housing Voucher Program created a tenant-based rental assistance program wherein federal housing subsidy recipients are given a monthly voucher to be used as rent payment to private landlords.[3][4]
Work requirements for public housing assistance
Public housing work requirements are mandated work-related activities that public housing recipients must complete to maintain eligibility for housing assistance administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), such as applying for a job, interviewing for a job, or participating in job training or volunteer activities. The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 requires eight hours of community service per month for adult residents of public housing who are not elderly, disabled, or already working.[5]
Public housing work requirements are permitted through the MTW Demonstration Program, authorized by the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996. The MTW program provides PHAs the flexibility to design and implement local strategies aimed at using funds more efficiently, helping public housing recipients become self-sufficient or find employment, and providing better options for low-income residents. If HUD approves waivers for state or local housing agencies participating in the MTW program, those agencies may use federal funds flexibly “to implement activities that otherwise would not be allowable” or “combine activities in order to create more comprehensive initiatives.”[6][7]
Public housing authorities with work requirements
Public housing work requirements during the Biden administration
This section provides information on activities affecting public housing work requirements during the Biden administration.
HUD expands MTW program to evaluate the effect of work requirements
HUD expanded the MTW program with a second cohort called the Flexibilities for Smaller PHAs cohort in January 2021 with the goal of evaluating "whether work requirements promote self-sufficiency or how incentives could encourage landlords to participate in HUD's Housing Choice Voucher program." Some PHAs in this cohort, including the following examples, implemented work requirements or only accepted working individuals into the program:
- The Housing Authority of Fort Mill in South Carolina stated that it would select no new residents who are not employed and working 30 hours or more a week.
- The Ripley Public Housing Agency in Missouri required residents to work at least 15 hours a week to maintain benefits.
- The Ozark Housing Community in Alabama implemented work requirements and included an impact analysis for work requirements in its application to the MTW program.[1][8][9]
HUD proposes, rescinds the new MTW cohort focused on work requirements
HUD accepted applications to expand the MTW program with a third cohort called the Work Requirement Cohort in January 2021. The Work Requirement Cohort proposed to "test the impact of implementing a work requirement policy on both the agency and the residents it serves," according to HUD.[1]
HUD rescinded the Work Requirements cohort on June 17, 2021, arguing that the program did not consider "economic realities and current needs of low-income families; therefore, the Work Requirements Cohort has been rescinded." HUD further stated in an open public meeting that the department would "explore alternative policies to study through the MTW Expansion to ensure that there are 100 designated MTW PHAs." As of October 2023, of the 124 current MTW agencies, only 18 have work requirements.[10][11][12]
Noteworthy events
Arkansas passes work requirements for public housing (2023)
The Arkansas legislature passed House Bill 1196 on February 27, 2023, which requires able-bodied adults to work, volunteer, or participate in a workforce training program for at least 20 hours per week. The law requires local public housing authorities (PHAs) to seek approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by January 1, 2025, to implement the work requirements.[13]
The new law applies to adults from ages 19-64 who are not pregnant, disabled, receiving unemployment compensation, or participating in a drug treatment program, and do not have kids under five. If the work requirements are unmet, the law requires PHAs to terminate the lease agreements after 60 days. Local PHAs receive federal funding and must meet guidelines set by (HUD). [13]
Representative Kendon Underwood (R), the bill’s lead sponsor, argued that the law would promote self-sufficiency. “If you can work, you should work, and by getting those people to work, that gets [them] out of government dependency.” House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough (D) and other Democratic colleagues argued in part that the bill conflicts with federal law[14][15]
See also
- Arguments about work requirements for public assistance programs
- Court cases related to work requirements for public assistance programs
- Scholarly work related to work requirements for public assistance programs
- Medicaid work requirements
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Federal Register, January 2021 MTW expansion, accessed June 5, 2023
- ↑ HUD, 2021, third cohort rescinded, accessed June 5, 2023
- ↑ FDR Library, Wagner-Steagall Housing Act of 1937, accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ HUD, Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, "Summary of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998," December 1998
- ↑ HUD, Moving to Work frequently asked questions, accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ HUD, Moving to Work Standard Agreement, accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ HUD, Ozark Housing Community, accessed June 5, 2023
- ↑ HUD, Ripley Public Housing, accessed June 5, 2023
- ↑ HUD, 2021, third cohort rescinded, accessed June 5, 2023
- ↑ Gov Info, Agenda and Notice of Public Meetings of the Moving to Work Research Advisory Committee, accessed June 7, 2023
- ↑ Ballotpedia performed research in 2023 on MTW programs with work requirements.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Arkansas Legislature," "House bill 1196," accessed October 31, 2023"
- ↑ "News From The States," "Arkansas House approves work requirement for public housing recipients," accessed November 1, 2023
- ↑ "Arkansas Times," "House passes work requirement for public housing," accessed October 31, 2023
