HUD extended to May 18 the deadline for public input regarding specific policy proposals and the research and evaluation methods to be implemented as part of the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration expansion. An April 4 Federal Register notice originally sought recommendations for 30 days (see Memo, 4/4). HUD has also announced it will establish a MTW Advisory Committee for the MTW expansion.
The “2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act” authorized HUD to expand the MTW demonstration by an additional 100 high performing public housing agencies (PHAs) over a period of seven years. PHAs will be added to the MTW demonstration in annual cohorts, and each year’s cohort will be directed by HUD to test one specific policy change (see Memo, 12/21/15). HUD also clarified that certain MTW flexibilities will be provided to all new MTW PHAs when they are designated, while other MTW flexibilities will be available only to specific cohorts, depending on which policy will be tested and evaluated by that cohort.
HUD plans to post a Federal Register notice soliciting applications for the first cohort of new MTW PHAs this fall. That notice will include all of the policies to be studied throughout the MTW expansion. The initial cohort of new MTW PHAs will be announced in the spring or summer of 2017, and additional cohorts will be added through 2020.
In announcing the new MTW Advisory Committee, HUD stated that it will balance the deregulation desired by the industry with the need for a strong evaluative component. The committee will advise HUD on:
- Specific policy proposals and evaluation methods for the MTW demonstration,
- Rigorous research methodologies that will effectively measure the impact of the policy changes,
- Policy changes adopted by MTW PHAs that have proven successful and that can be applied more broadly to all PHAs, and
- Statutory and/or regulatory changes necessary to implement policy changes for all PHAs.
The committee will have no role in reviewing or selecting the MTW PHAs. The committee will be comprised of fourteen individuals, including HUD program and research experts, staff from MTW PHAs, current and former residents of MTW PHAs, and independent housing policy research experts. The committee will operate each year during the expansion.
The Federal Register notice about the extended comment period is at: http://1.usa.gov/1WbSLEq
The Federal Register notice about the MTW Advisory Committee is at: http://1.usa.gov/1UCdVcZ