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Browse Questions and Answers
What is MTW?
MTW stands for Moving To Work, a pilot program authorized by Congress
in 1996 for a limited number of agencies to try out new ways of
delivering housing service more efficiently. There are currently
about 25 agencies participating, many of them very large ones such
as Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Seattle and
King County in the state of Washington.
How is MTW different from Form 50058?
MTW agencies do not submit as much data for each household as Form
50058 agencies. The MTW format is simplified and excludes all rent
calculation data because MTW agencies are testing alternative, more
efficient ways of establishing rents and subsidies.
What format(s) can I use to upload MTW data?
MTW offers three ways to input tenant data into IMS-PIC. Users
can download a standard 2-tabbed spreadsheet (one tab household
data, one tab member data). They can also submit pipe-delimited
*.csv files for each tab. MTW also offers an on-screen
data entry option.
Where can I find the upload formats?
The upload formats can be downloaded from the MTW Data Collection
submodule, Data Upload tab, Upload Data subtab. Choose one of the
two formats and it will download to your computer. The *.csv
is intended for the more IT-knowledgeable users.
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Why is there a separate upload for MTW?
MTW is an opportunity for about 25 PHAs to individually experiment
with advanced prototypical ideas for running an agency more efficiently.
Therefore, many of the standard HUD regulations and procedures do
not apply. Therefore, PIH needed a simplified tenant data format
that is flexible enough for each of these MTW agencies to use in
their different situations.
Can any PHA use the MTW format?
No, only agencies that have assigned an MTW agreement with HUD
may use it.
How often do I need to upload MTW data?
The upload frequency, accuracy, and reporting rate generally apply
to MTW agencies just as they do other agencies.
How often can I upload?
You can upload multiple times in one day as needed. Each upload
will receive a different upload ticket number and a separate error
report.
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What is a fatal error?
What is a warning error? IMS-PIC MTW Form recognizes two types
of errors. A fatal error is the kind of error that is
so serious it stops processing of the submission for that household.
A warning error does not stop processing of the household
and is considered to be a heads up to the user to ensure
that the value submitted is correct. Example: Head of household
date of birth indicates she is 109 years old. Possible but not likely
so it gets a warning error. It is processed but if the user checks
and finds that the year of birth was reversed 1988 to
1898(which would account for the 109 years instead of
the correct 19 years), the user should submit a correction to the
tenant date of birth.
Do I have to correct warning errors?
Warning errors are processed normally by IMS-PIC MTW Form. The
warning is calling the users attention to an unusual value
that may be incorrect. If it is incorrect, it should be corrected.
Are there any errors I dont need to
correct?
Almost all fatal errors must be corrected because the form with
the fatal error was not processed. Exceptions to the correction
requirement are situations where the IMS-PIC data already is saying
what the MTW Form is trying to make it say. Example: Required household
record for End of Participation could not be found. The user was
trying to do an EOP but the tenant is already moved out in IMS-PIC
so no further action is required. These generally occur when there
are duplicated submissions (forms submitted more than once).
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What if the other PHA wont void an error?
This is a difficult situation. We recommend you get the HUD Field
Office Director and the other Executive Director involved in clearing
up the matter. State your problem in writing to the HUD Field Office
Director. Ask for help.
How do I correct an error?
To correct a current record, submit an MTW Form with
the same effective date, field 2c = Y and field 2d indicates
which type of correction is being made and replace the incorrect
information with the correct information. This only works for the
current record. This cannot be used to correct the HOHs
(head of households) SSN or Alternate ID number. The HOH SSN
or AID can be corrected in one of two ways:
- If it is the first report for the HOH, the user can VOID and
resubmit a corrected MTW Form,
- When the HOH appears in the Invalid Tenant ID Report, change
all instances of the incorrect SSN or AID using the Tenant ID
Management tool.
Do MTW Form errors count against our PHA?
MTW errors do not count against your agency per se but fatal errors,
which mean that a household has not been reported, can count against
your agencys reporting rate and data accuracy.
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How quickly do I need to correct errors?
There is no required timing but the sooner the better because you
do not want subsequent uploads to further confuse the situation
before you make the corrections for the previous upload. In addition,
since IMS-PIC must receive things in chronological order for a household,
nothing else should be processed with a later effective date for
the household until the present record is corrected and successfully
submitted.
What are PHA-use fields in Form 50058?
There are five fields in the MTW Form that are free for each HA
to use as it pleases. Fields 2q through 2u are fields that may be
used by HAs to upload any information and they are available for
download using the Adhoc Reporting. The fields are of varying sizes.
HAs may use them in any way that supports or enhances their business
process. The field sizes are defined in the Technical Reference
Guide.
Where can I find the technical details?
The MTW Technical Reference Guide (TRG) can be downloaded from
the MTW TRG page.
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Why isnt there an MTW Instruction Book?
Since the MTW form only applies to about 25 PHAs, it was not practical
to prepare a separate instruction book. The Form 50058 is a useful
resource for understanding the common fields in the MTW Form.
Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?
If you mean within your own organization, generally MTW agencies
are all-MTW. If you mean from another non-MTW agency to your MTW
agency, yes but the other agency must process an EOP before you
can admit them.
Can I move a non-MTW tenant to MTW?
If you are an MTW agency, all of your tenants should have already
been either converted or cleared from 50058 to MTW. If you are porting
someone in from a 50058 agency, the other agency must first process
the port out. If you are admitting a tenant to public housing, the
other agency must do an EOP. The overlapping date functionality
(automatic EOP and Port Out) does not work between 50058 and MTW
agencies.
Can I cancel an MTW submission?
No, once it has been uploaded, you must wait until it has been
processed. At that point, you may submit a VOID for any or all of
the data you uploaded.