Moving to Work

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Moving to Work Demonstration Program provides public housing authorities with the opportunity to develop and test innovative, locally designed strategies that use Federal dollars more efficiently, help residents find employment and become self-sufficient, and increase housing choices for low-income families.

Moving to Work (MTW) encourages an entrepreneurial spirit to think of and create solutions in a new way. MTW agencies have directly influenced national policy for 25 years, paving the way for the future delivery of federally assisted housing. Agencies in the MTW demonstration have pioneered several innovative policy interventions that have been successful at the local level, and subsequently rolled out to the rest of the country’s PHAs.

Selection Process

In 2022, Housing Catalyst was among 29 agencies selected to the Landlord Incentives Cohort of the Moving to Work (MTW) Demonstration Program. The Landlord Incentives Cohort of the MTW Expansion will evaluate landlord incentives and their effect on landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. Agencies selected for the cohort demonstrated excellent work and the desire to be even more effective in supporting low-income individuals and families.

• Housing Catalyst MTW Selection Letter

Housing Catalyst’s 2026 Moving to Work Activities

• Two-year recertifications: Most voucher participants only have to complete the full recertification process every two years instead of every year, although they still need to report certain household or income changes.
• Different tenant rent calculation: Housing Catalyst is seeking to set the tenant portion of rent at 35% of adjusted monthly income for affected households, with exceptions and a hardship policy.
• Changes to utility reimbursements: Housing Catalyst would no longer issue a utility reimbursement when a household’s utility allowance is greater than its tenant rent payment.
• Simpler utility allowances: Housing Catalyst can use a more standardized utility allowance, making it easier for participants to understand whether a home fits within their voucher payment standard.
• Longer validity for application documents: Documents submitted during the eligibility process can remain valid for 120 days instead of 60 days.
• Simplified asset verification: Participants with assets up to $50,000 can self-certify those assets instead of providing as much supporting documentation.
• More flexible JumpStart/FSS incentives: The Family Self-Sufficiency program can provide incentives based on progress toward goals, such as completing a GED, reaching a savings goal, or meeting employment milestones.
• $500 landlord incentives: Housing Catalyst can offer up to $500 to landlords who are new to the Housing Choice Voucher program or have not recently rented to a voucher holder.
• Landlord damage claims: Housing Catalyst can reimburse landlords for certain tenant-caused damages not covered by the security deposit.
• Third-party housing inspections: Housing Catalyst can use outside inspectors for some required voucher housing inspections.
• Third-party rent reviews: Housing Catalyst can use an outside provider to help determine whether rents charged through the voucher program are reasonable.
• Longer portability requirement for some project-based voucher participants: Some participants may need to remain in a Project-Based Voucher unit for 24 months instead of 12 months before becoming eligible for a tenant-based voucher.

Public Housing Agency Plan & MTW Supplemental

The Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan is a comprehensive guide to agency policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. As an MTW agency, Housing Catalyst submits a supplement to the agency plan which details MTW activities and waivers the agency hopes to implement in the coming year.

• • • 2026 Agency Plan Housing Catalyst and LCHA and MTW Supplement