CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM & PLAN
1.1 Moving to Work Demonstration
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has been designated a Moving to Work Demonstration site, provided under Section 204(a) of the 1996 Appropriations Act. The Moving to Work designation was effective April 1, 2001 and is expected to continue until the end of PHA’s 2018 Fiscal Year (FY), unless such term is otherwise extended by HUD.
PHA’s MTW Agreement provides that PHA shall have flexibility to design and test various approaches for providing and administering housing assistance that reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures; give incentives to families with children whose heads of household are either working, seeking work, or are participating in job training, educational, or other programs that assist in obtaining employment and becoming economically self-sufficient; and increase housing choices for low income families.
Pursuant to its MTW authority, PHA is exempt from many of the provisions of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 and it’s implementing regulations. This allows PHA to design and test innovative methods of providing housing and delivering services to low-income families in an efficient and effective manner. Among its authorized activities, PHA may adopt and implement reasonable policies for admission and occupancy, eligibility, selection and assignment, hardships, change in income, definition of elderly, recertifications, establishing rents, lease requirements, and other specific criteria. The policies PHA implements pursuant to MTW authority are included in this Admission and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), PHA’s MTW Agreement with HUD, and/or PHA’s Annual Plans.
This ACOP includes policies which have been developed and implemented under the MTW program. These MTW policies will remain in force through the term of the Agreement or such longer term agreed to by HUD and will supersede existing and applicable HUD policies.
Program policies related to Public Housing (PH) and not addressed in this ACOP are governed by PHA’s MTW Agreement, PHA’s Annual Plans and, as applicable, applicable federal statutes, regulations, and other applicable laws.
