Selection and Termination Criteria Resources - Welfare to Work Vouchers

Program Obligations and Termination

While HUD does not identify any mandatory family obligations under the program, PHAs can choose to establish such obligations. The final Merger Rule requires that the PHA inform WtW families, both orally and in writing, of any family obligations under the program and advise them that willful and persistent failure to meet these obligations is grounds for PHA denial of admission or termination of assistance. PHAs may opt, but are not required, to terminate assistance of WtW families based on their failure to meet WtW family obligations.

Within these general parameters, PHAs have the flexibility to design family obligations and establish termination policies under the WtW Voucher Program that best support the local goals and objectives of the program. When designing a family obligations policy, PHAs and their partners need to balance the following considerations:

• Target populations may have difficulties in obtaining or retaining employment and are likely to cycle in and out of jobs; and
  
  
• Families need to take the work obligations seriously. If they willfully or persistently fail to meet these obligations, they should be terminated.

The challenge, then, is to develop a policy that is forgiving but also enables the PHA to identify families who are abusing the program or in danger of abusing the program. Termination should be a measure of last-resort.

As in the regular voucher program, the PHA must communicate any denial or termination of assistance to the family in writing. In addition, the PHA must give the family the opportunity for an informal review or hearing before the PHA denies admission or terminates assistance.

PHAs and their partners also may determine that a WtW family no longer needs the supportive services associated with the WtW voucher program. In such a case, the family must continue to be assisted under the regular voucher program since time-limited assistance is prohibited.