Moving to Work (MTW) Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

General Information

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) administers approximately 5,846 public housing units and 6,237 Section 8 certificates and vouchers. In addition, HACP has 173 Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, 390 Section 8 New Construction, and 444 HOPE VI Units. HACP's MTW program began November 17, 2000 and will terminate December 31, 2008.

Status

HACP's MTW Plan is designed to provide improved housing and enhanced social services for public housing residents.

HACP has recently implemented site-based waiting lists, budgeting, and management at all LIPH developments.

Goals

The four new core functions of the HACP under the MTW program are:

• Preserve and protect HACP's successful housing stock.
• Transform HACP's distressed housing stock through strategic replacement in existing Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
• Enable low-income families to become active participants in the nation's economy through comprehensive case management.
• Shift HACP from a real estate operating company to a real estate asset management company with an allied human services endowment.
  

Agreement

	Amended and Restated MTW Agreement and First Amendment
	Original MTW Agreement
	Original MTW Agreement Amendment No 1
	Original MTW Agreement Amendment No 2

Occupancy Policies

HACP has implemented a site-based waiting list system for its public housing developments to allow applicants to select where they prefer to live. HACP may develop a web-based system for disseminating real-time information among all units receiving HACP subsidy. Applicants would be able to identify and apply for a unit (or join a site-based waiting list) online.

Self-sufficiency Policies

• HACP offers a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program for both public housing residents and Section 8 voucher holders. Services provided under FSS include (but are not limited to) life skills training, job readiness training, substance abuse counseling, mental and physical health services, remedial education, child care, transportation, and job placement.
  
• HACP coordinates with local service providers to assist FSS program participants in accessing non-HACP services.
  
• HACP established a Youth Services Investment Fund (YSIF), capitalized with $5 million in MTW funds, and administered by the Pittsburgh Foundation and Mellon Bank. Investment income generated by the YSIF is used to fund independently operated programs providing youth services, focusing on educational attainment, career development, and good citizenship.
  

Program Activities

HACP's MTW Plan is designed to better serve the needs of the low-income population and maximize the effectiveness of HACP's programs and operations. The plan focuses on both real estate strategies to improve HACP's provision of housing assistance and family support strategies to promote self-sufficiency.

The primary focus of the HACP MTW program is the improvement of the physical condition of the HACP housing stock. This includes the redevelopment of many sites, an extensive program of demolition, and an Agency-wide modernization effort.

Through the FSS program and related services, described above, HACP offers public housing residents and voucher holders the opportunity to achieve family stability and increases in employment quality.

HACP offers homeownership counseling services and has sold scattered-site public housing units to residents, as part of an ongoing program to facilitate resident homeownership.

Funding-related Issues

• The Pittsburgh MTW program is highly dependent upon the combining of all non-competitive funding into a single block grant. This single block grant will merge its operating subsidies, capital funds, and tenant-based Section 8 assistance for the purpose of improving resident quality of life and maintaining the financial health of HACP.
  
• HACP will consolidate budget submissions into one Annual MTW Plan prior to the start of each fiscal year and will consolidate various year end reports into one MTW Annual Report at the end of each fiscal year. The HACP will be evaluated by HUD on the basis of an Annual MTW Plan and Report submitted at the beginning and conclusion of the respective program year.
  

Support

Pittsburgh Field Office
Office of Public Housing
339 Sixth Avenue, 6th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2515
(412) 644-6523
F (412) 644-5486
James Cassidy, Director
James.D.Cassidy@hud.gov

Contact

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
200 Ross Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 456-5000
F (412)-456-5591

MTW Contact Staff
A. Fulton Meachem, Executive Director
David Weber, Primary Contact
(412) 456-5075
F 412-456-5259
David.Weber@hacp.org