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Public housing work requirements in the states
- See also: Public housing work requirements
This page features information about public housing work requirements in the states. Of the 123 public housing authorities (PHAs) authorized to establish work requirements under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Move to Work (MTW) Demonstration Program, 17 had work requirements as of January 9, 2024.
Background
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.[1][2]
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.[3]
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.”[4][5]
Public housing authorities with work requirements
PHAs with work requirements
The following table features information about PHAs with work requirements and their approved Move to Work plans:
| Local public housing work requirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Public housing authority | Annual MTW plan | Work requirement | |
| Atlanta Housing | Atlanta Housing (2023) | 20 hours per week | |
| Chicago Housing Authority | Chicago Housing Authority (2023) | 20 hours per week | |
| Delaware State Housing Authority | Delaware State Housing Authority (2023) | 30 hours per week | |
| Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority | Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority (2023) | 32 hours per week | |
| Housing Authority of Champaign County | Housing Authority of Champaign County (2024) | 15 hours per week (individuals)/ 30 hours per week (households) | |
| Housing Authority of Columbus, Georgia | Housing Authority of Columbus, Georgia (2024) | 20 hours per week (foster youth only) | |
| Housing Authority of Fort Mill | Housing Authority of Fort Mill (2024) | 30 hours per week | |
| Housing Authority of New Haven (Elm City Communities) | Elm City Communities/Housing Authority (2022) | Depends on the Individual Services Plan (ISP) | |
| Housing Authority of Ruston | Housing Authority of Ruston (2022) | 15 hours per week | |
| Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh | Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (2022) | Does not specify | |
| Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority | Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority (2023) | 15 hours per week (individuals)/ 35 hours per week (households) | |
| Lincoln Housing Authority | Lincoln Housing Authority (2024) | 25 hours per week | |
| Orlando Housing Authority | Orlando Housing Authority (2024) | 28 hours per week | |
| Ozark Housing Community | Ozark Housing Community (2024) | 15 hours per week (individuals)/ 30 hours per week (households) | |
| Philadelphia Housing Authority | Philadelphia Housing Authority (2024) | 20 hours per week | |
| Ripley County Public Housing Agency | Ripley County Public Housing Agency (2024) | 15 hours per week | |
| Rockville Housing Enterprises | Rockville Housing Enterprises (2022) | 30 hours per week | |
Text of PHA work requirements
This section features selected text from MTW plans related to work requirements.
Atlanta Housing
Atlanta Housing Moving to Work Annual Plan 2023
| “ | AH requires work-able participants to be employed an average of 20 hours per week to meet program compliance.[6] | ” |
Chicago Housing Authority
Chicago Housing Authority FY 2023 MTW annual plan
| “ | In FY2009, CHA implemented a work requirement as a condition of occupancy across its PH portfolio that requires applicable adult members of PH households be engaged in employment or employment-related activities for at least 20 hours per week unless the resident is eligible for an exemption or granted Safe Harbor.[6] | ” |
Delaware State Housing Authority
Delaware State Housing Authority Moving to Work Annual Plan 2023
| “ | Participants who do not successfully complete the MTW program within five (5) years (under MTW Tier I) will continue to be required to work at least thirty (30) hours per week, earning no less than minimum wage, for the remaining two (2) years while under the MTW Tier II.[6] | ” |
Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority FY 2023 Moving to Work Plan
| “ | 3. Establish a Work Requirement for Family Self-Sufficiency Participants
|
” |
Housing Authority of Champaign County
Housing Authority of Champaign County Moving to Work Annual Plan 2022
| “ | Adult Requirements
|
” |
Housing Authority of Columbus, Georgia
| “ | Foster youth must meet 20-hour/week work requirement.
|
” |
Housing Authority of Fort Mill
The Housing Authority Of Fort Mill Moving-to-work application 2020
| “ | No new residents (including ports) that are not employed working 30 hours or more a week or classified as elderly/disabled.[6] | ” |
Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (Elm City Communities)
Elm City Communities Moving to Work Annual Report
| “ | Individual Services Plan (ISP)
|
” |
Housing Authority of Ruston
FYB 07/01/2022 MTW Supplement to the Annual PHA Plan
| “ | The RHA will implement a mandatory work requirement for all non-elderly and non-disabled individuals between the ages of 18 and 62. These individuals must work a minimum of 15 hours per week or the equivalent number of hours in one year (780 hours). The requirement applies to all eligible households, the maximum requirement will be 30 hours per week per household. Individuals that work less than 15 hours a week are required to do at least 8 hours of community service per month. [6] | ” |
Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh FY 2023 MTW annual plan
| “ | This activity requires that any non-elderly, able-bodied head of household who is not working to either participate in the FSS Program or pay a minimum rent of $150 per month. Hardship exemptions are permitted. This policy provides additional incentives for families to work or prepare for work. The HACP’s objectives for this program include increased participation in the FSS Program, increased rent collections, and increased level of families working.[6] | ” |
Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority
Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority 2022 MTW annual plan
| “ | This Activity establishes an MTW work requirement which applies to all households in the General Housing program with a non-elderly non-disabled adult in the household. The work requirement mandates that all able-bodied adults age 18 and older work a minimum of 15 hours a week. For a two-adult household with minor children, the work requirement can be met if one adult works 35 hours per week. [6] | ” |
Lincoln Housing Authority
| “ | The minimum amount of earned income for families with one eligible adult will be based on 25 hours per week of employment at the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater. [6] | ” |
Orlando Housing Authority
The Orlando Housing Authority FY 2023 Moving to Work annual plan
| “ | The implementation of the minimum rent now includes a referral to the MTW Resource Center for non-elderly and non-disabled heads or co-heads of households that are not employed by April 1, 2020, not employed the minimum number of hours (28 hrs/wk or 20 hrs/wk if full-time student), or experiencing an employment related hardship.[6] | ” |
Ozark Housing Community
MTW Supplement to the annual PHA plan 2024
| “ | Each family member aged 19-61 years of age is required to be employed a minimum of 15 hours per week (30 hours per week minimum for households with multiple eligible members) or meet a qualifying work activity such as participation in a work readiness program or GED Classes; through a partnering agency or attending school full time. This activity will move participant families toward self-sufficiency and financial independence thereby breaking the cycle of poverty and dependence on subsides.[6] | ” |
Philadelphia Housing Authority
Philadelphia Housing Authority Moving to Work annual plan fiscal year 2023
| “ | The pilot program policy will require all non-disabled adults age 18-54 in the household to complete at least 20 hours per week of employment – or participation in an approved education or job training program - as a condition of continued occupancy.[6] | ” |
Ripley County Public Housing Agency
FYB 07/01/2022 MTW Supplement to the Annual PHA Plan
| “ | Each eligible individual living in the household will be required to obtain a minimum of 15 hours of work or school per week, documented by submission of payroll check stubs or semester grade sheet from a secondary education institution submitted during the quarterly review process with FSS.[6] | ” |
Rockville Housing Enterprises
Rockville Housing Enterprises FYB 10/01/2021 MTW Supplement to the Annual PHA Plan
| “ | In order for non-elderly and non-disabled family to continue being assisted, they must continue to fulfill the employment requirement of an average of a minimum of 30 hours per week or meet the minimum income/mortgage qualification standards.[6] | ” |
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
- Public housing work requirements
- Public housing work requirements during the Biden administration
- Public housing work requirements during the Trump administration
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
