CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY 2017 MOVING TO WORK ANNUAL PLAN APPROVED BY HUD

CHICAGO (Feb. 3, 2017) – (RealEstateRama) — Chicago Housing Authority CEO Eugene Jones, Jr. announced today that CHA’s 2017 Moving to Work (MTW) Annual Plan has been approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), allowing the agency to move forward with its proposals outlined in the Plan.

The 2017 Annual Plan includes innovative activities that would make it easier for residents to enroll in Family Self Sufficiency programming, provide incentives to landlords in Opportunity Areas to provide voucher holders with greater access to the rental market and provide program-based assistance to help families access affordable housing and remain stably housed.

“The approval of our Annual Plan is good news for all of our residents who stand to benefit from CHA’s new and innovative programs and policies,” Jones said. “We remain committed to increasing housing choices, promoting self-sufficiency and achieving cost effectiveness and this Plan will allow us to deliver quality housing and services that not only enhance the quality of life for our residents but help to strengthen Chicago’s neighborhoods for everyone.”

Some key programs outlined in CHA’s 2017 Annual Plan include:

• Incentive Payments for Landlords in CHA Opportunity Areas: CHA is proposing to provide new landlords in opportunity areas a one-time incentive payment to coincide with the first month’s HAP payment.  This activity will expand housing options in Opportunity Areas and encourage landlords to join the program.

• Time Limit Demonstration Program for Housing Choice Voucher Participants: CHA proposes to implement an eight-year time limit demonstration program for a total of 100 families.  Through this program, CHA will provide mandatory family self-sufficiency and social services to 100 participants to study what factors serve to encourage self-sufficiency and reduce or eliminate the need for a subsidy.

• Modified Family Self-Sufficiency Program for HCV and Public Housing: CHA received authorization for an exemption from the requirement that FSS enrollments must take place within 120 days of an annual or interim recertification of income process.   This will increase the operational efficiency of CHA’s family self-sufficiency program and eliminate a barrier to enrollment.

• Elimination of Assets in Income Calculation after Initial Eligibility for HCV Program (2017- 01): CHA proposes to reinstate this activity. Upon implementation, the calculation of assets will only be done at intake and is no longer necessary at re-examination. This proposed activity will increase the efficiency of CHA’s largest housing program, the HCV program, which is responsible for providing vouchers for 47,000 households annually.

• Funding for City of Chicago Housing Assistance Programs: CHA will provide program-based assistance through the City’s Department of Family and Support Services and the Low-Income Housing Trust Fund to help families access and remain stably housed. Social services will be linked to the housing assistance to ensure that families achieve stability.

The CHA is one of 39 agencies granted MTW status by HUD which enables the agency, with stringent oversight from HUD, to use its federal dollars flexibly to ensure the agency’s goals of creating housing – through building, acquisition, co-investment and leasing of vouchers – that provide the greatest opportunity for those in need.

The MTW program was created by HUD so agencies like the CHA can have flexibility in the use of its resources to create better opportunities for low-income residents – particularly those who need more than housing to become self-sufficient, including veterans, the homeless, the disabled and others with special needs.

CHA was first invited to participate in HUD’s MTW Program in 2000, and in April 2016, HUD extended CHA’s MTW agreement through 2028 because of the Authority’s demonstrated ability to creatively meet the needs of Chicago’s unique neighborhoods. Through CHA’s Housing Choice Voucher and Administrative Plan and Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) the Agency is able to design and implement creative demonstration programs and special initiatives that expand mobility, work to end

Press contacts:
Office of Communications – Chicago Housing Authority
Molly Sullivan: (312) 786-3344; msullivan (at) thecha (dot) org
Matthew Aguilar: (312) 935-2646; maguilar (at) thecha (dot) org