The Moving To Work (MTW) program, authorized by section 204 of the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, offers a limited number of housing authorities the opportunity to design and test innovative strategies for addressing the needs of their tenants and communities.
MTW agencies have the flexibility to find new approaches that accomplish three primary statutory goals:
- Reducing cost and achieving greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures;
- Giving incentives to families with children where the head of household is working, is seeking work, or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and
- Increasing housing choices for low-income families.
There are currently 39 housing authorities with MTW status. Each has an agency-specific MTW agreement with HUD, detailing the flexibilities granted in order to meet program goals. All existing agencies have had their agreements extended through the end of 2028. Each year, the housing authority completes an annual plan, to be approved by HUD, and an annual report on the outcomes achieved. Congress authorized the expansion of the MTW program to 100 additional agencies in the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act. HUD anticipates the first cohort of new agencies will be added in 2019.