Welfare to Work Voucher Demonstration

Program Purpose

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has long maintained that stable, affordable housing is a critical but often missing factor in a family's transition from welfare to economic independence. The large number of working families that continue to have worst case housing needs suggests that simply obtaining a job will neither resolve a family's housing problems nor provide economic stability.

Welfare to Work Voucher Demonstration Overview

To address the lack of stable, affordable housing available to families attempting to transition from welfare to self-sufficiency, HUD awarded approximately 50,000 additional housing choice vouchers to housing agencies throughout the country through its Welfare to Work (WtW) Voucher Program demonstration in 1999. Specifically, the vouchers targeted families who had a critical need for housing in order to obtain or retain viable employment. Housing agencies were required to develop their plans in partnership with welfare and workforce development agencies to ensure that the housing assistance was combined with job training, childcare, and other services families needed to make the successful transition from welfare to economic independence. Phase out of the demonstration program began on March 11, 2004. Housing agencies may use turnover WtW vouchers for local WtW voucher programs if they choose. See the policy guidance document to view the March 11, 2004 phase-out memo and the related questions and answers on program changes.

Materials Available on This Site

This site includes information that was provided to demonstration housing agencies and their partners to help them develop effective WtW voucher programs. Topics on this site include:

	WtW Resources Find information on key WtW topics including voucher program basics, housing search assistance, program implementation, job training, partnerships, funding, selection and termination criteria, outreach, supportive services, monitoring and evaluation, and transportation.
	Promising Program Practices Read "lessons learned" and practical ideas about what works and what doesn't when administering the WtW Housing Voucher Program.
	Technical Assistance View this page for information on HUD's technical assistance initiative for the WtW Voucher Program.
	Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) View responses to questions on family eligibility/selection, portability, family outreach, and other WtW topics.