Housing authorities in Boulder, Colorado and Lexington, Kentucky to gain special status
WASHINGTON, DC – April 1, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Sandra B. Henriquez announced today that two public housing agencies– Boulder Housing Partners in Colorado and Lexington-Fayette Urban County in Kentucky – have been selected to participate in HUD’s Moving To Work Program (MTW). This program allows housing agencies to design and test innovative strategies to strengthen the delivery of services to families living in public housing or who are assisted through HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program.
The two agencies will join 33 others across the U.S. that participate in the MTW Program. The agencies were selected from five agencies that applied for MTW designation last year and will have this designation until 2018 (see attached summaries).
“These agencies have a long history of implementingnovel programs and forming successful partnerships that have improved the quality of life for families who need HUD’s assisted housing programs,” said Henriquez. “As MTW agencies, they will have more flexibility to build upon their success to use effectively scarce public dollars to maintain quality affordable housing that meets local needs.”
The MTW program was created in 1996 as a demonstration or “test project” to give housing authorities the opportunity to design and test innovative, locally developed housing and self-sufficiency strategies for low-income families participating in HUD’s public housing and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs. HUD waives certain reporting requirements and permits these agencies to combine multiple sources of HUD funding into a single agency-wide funding source. MTW agencies also get considerable flexibility in determining how to use their HUD funding. These agencies are, however, required to serve substantially the same number and type of households as they would without MTW designation. The program aims to accomplish three goals:
- Reduce costs and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures;
- Give incentives to families with children where the head of household is working, is seeking work, or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and
- Increase housing choices for low-income families.
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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
Contact:
Donna White
(202) 708-0685
