Moving to Work (MTW) - Lawrence-Douglas Housing Authority

General Information

Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority (LDCHA) manages 369 public housing units and administers a Section 8 program with 550 certificates/vouchers. LDCHA encompasses the City of Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas. The LDCHA MTW plan is predicated upon the belief that current Section 8 and public housing program rules distort the realities of the marketplace and do not prepare nor encourage tenants to address the challenges and responsibilities of an economically independent life.

The Lawrence - Douglas County Housing Authority (LDCHA) MTW program is mandatory for all non-elderly, non-disabled residents. Elderly and disabled residents may choose to participate. It involves minimum and maximum rents; mandatory work or training requirements for non-student adults; a merged public housing and Section 8 waiting list; and an updated self-sufficiency program.

LDCHA's MTW program is intended to mimic the incentives of the private housing market. LDCHA believes that their rent policy will promote work among residents and encourage higher income residents to seek rental housing in the private market.

LDCHA's MTW program began March 30, 1999.

Status

LDCHA reports that MTW has positively impacted many residents, and that tenants seem able to adjust to the rent structure imposed by MTW.

Goals

LDCHA's MTW goals are:

• Reduce costs.
• Increase housing choice.
• Increase FSS participation.
• Eliminate rules that encourage abuse, misuse, fraud, duplication, administrative burden, or permit people to be less than they can be.
• Establish an assisted housing program that is based upon real world norms that require and permit people to behave in conformance with social and economic convention.

Agreement

Rent Policies

• LDCHA's MTW program was designed to offer tenants the benefit of more generous income deductions, homeownership opportunities, increased housing choice, and a social service support network in exchange for greater rent responsibility.
• Established same income limit for all public housing properties (80 percent of income).
• No income exclusions and no limit on eligible contract rents.
• Tenants pay the highest of the minimum rent or 30 percent of their income, not to exceed ceiling rents.
• When the family reaches 80 percent of area median income, the family will pay the MTW contract rent.
• If the family reaches 100 percent of the median income, the family pays income-based rent for up to three years, after which housing assistance is suspended.

Occupancy Policies

• LDCHA has restricted portability such that participants may not port out of LHA unless they need to accommodate a disability or employment.
• Participants must work or go to school for at least 20 hours per week, participate in the FSS program, or take part in any approved work related activity, such as a training program or education.
• LDCHA's MTW program is mandatory for all non-elderly, non-disabled residents. Elderly and disabled residents may choose to participate.
• Participants must attend renter certification program.
• Residents can transfer between the public housing and Section 8 programs.
• LDCHA maintains one waiting list for public housing and Section 8 programs.
• After three years at 100 percent of median income, family must leave the LDCHA program.

Self-sufficiency Policies

MTW families can participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency program in order to meet their work requirements.

LDCHA's FSS program includes two components:

• Renter Certification Program-to educate families in obligations and responsibilities of rental housing.
• Homeownership Preparation Course-to assist families in transitioning to homeownership.

Funding-related Issues

Public housing and Section 8 programs has been merged into one housing assistance program called general housing assistance with one waiting list and two forms of assistance - project-based and tenant-based assistance.

Support

Kansas Missouri Regional Office
Office of Public Housing
Gateway Tower II
400 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101-2406
(913) 551-5582
F (913) 551-6981
Andrew Boeddeker
Andrew.L.Boeddeker@hud.gov

Contact

Lawrence - Douglas County Housing Authority
1600 Haskell Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66044-4399
(785) 842-8110
F (785) 842-9596
 www.ldcha.org

MTW Contact Staff
Barbara Huppee, Executive Director
(785) 842-8110, ext. 2250
F (785) 842-9596
bhuppee@ldcha.org