Moving To Work

Background Information

Moving To Work is a program started in 1996 to design and test innovative, locally designed strategies using Federal dollars more efficiently. The program has three overarching goals: to help residents find employment and become self-sufficient, to increase housing choices for low-income families, and to reduce cost and greater efficiency. On March 23, 2022, AHA was designated as an MTW agency under the Landlord Incentive Cohort. Since AHA was selected under the Landlord Incentive Cohort, we are required to implement activities that improve landlord participation in the HCV Program and are prohibited from implementing activities that curb landlord participation.

AHA’s MTW designation has several benefits including: the ability to operate more efficient programs by designing agency-specific initiatives and policies, the addition of new tools and incentives to enhance community outreach with prospective landlords to ultimately provide more housing options, the ability to invest directly into projects to create new affordable housing units, and funding flexibilities that will allow us to reallocate funds towards programs and activities with more funding needs.

At this time MTW activities will pertain to all participants of AHA’s voucher programs EXCEPT those in the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program, Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, Stability Voucher (SV) program, Moderate Rehabilitation (SRO) program, and Shelter Plus Care program. Please note that the AHA has received a waiver from HUD to apply Activity 2022-01 2.b. Payment Standards – FMR to VASH, EHV, and SV which allows the AHA to increase payment standards up to 120% FMR for these three special programs. Participants to whom the MTW activities pertain cannot choose to opt-out of changes as a result of MTW activities.

Announcements

September 23, 2024: The AHA received approval from HUD for its MTW Supplement for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. Please note that the AHA rescinded its 3 proposed agency-specific activities and revised its approved Activity 2022-02 Alternative Reexamination Schedule and the corresponding Hardship Policy as required by HUD.

June 27, 2024: Effective August 1, 2024, the AHA will implement activities 2023-03 Project-Based Voucher First Year Moves, 2023-05 Flexible Subsidy Standards in Project-Based Voucher Admissions, and 2022-13 Allow Owner Referrals Under PBV Program.

February 22, 2024: The AHA implemented activities 2022-14: Project-Based Voucher Right Sizing and 2023-02: Project-Based Voucher Contract Rent Increases.

December 18, 2023: The AHA received approval from HUD for the following activities (to learn more about the following activity look under the “Document” heading below under Fiscal Year 2022-2023 and Fiscal Year 2023-2024):

2022-14: Project-Based Voucher Right Sizing
2023-02: Project-Based Voucher Contract Rent Increases

Additionally, Activity 2022-01: 2.b. Payment Standards – Fair Market Rents (HCV) was revised so that if the payment standard amount is increased during the term of the HAP contract, the increased payment standard amount can be used at the effective date of the family’s first regular reexamination on or after the effective date of the increase in the payment standard amount.

November 29, 2023: The AHA received approval from HUD to be able to increase the payment standard up to 150% of FMR for its VASH, EHV, and SV programs.

July 1, 2023: The AHA implemented all of its approved MTW activities.

June 16, 2023: The AHA has received conditional approval for the MTW Supplement for FY 2023-2024 and is approved for the following activities (to learn more about the following activity look under the “Document” heading below under Fiscal Year 2023-2024):

2022-15: 1.w. Alternative Income Inclusions/Exclusions (HCV)

April 4, 2023: The AHA has received conditional approval for the MTW Supplement for FY 2022-2023 and is approved for the following activities (to learn more about the following activities look under the “Document” heading below under Fiscal Year 2022-2023):

2022-01: 2.b. Payment Standards – Fair Market Rents (HCV)
2022-02: 3.b. Alternative Reexamination Schedule for Households
2022-03: 3.d. Self-Certification of Assets
2022-04: 4.a. Vacancy Loss
2022-05: 4.c. Other Landlord Incentives
2022-06: 5.a. Pre-Qualifying Unit Inspections
2022-07: 5.d. Alternative Inspection Schedule
2022-08: 9.a. Increase PBV Cap
2022-09: 9.b. Increase PBV Project Cap
2022-10: 9.c. Elimination of PBV Selection Process Cohort
2022-11: 4.2 Front-End Vacancy Loss Payment

Upcoming Meetings

The Housing Authority of the City of Alameda will be holding a meeting of the Resident Advisory Board to discuss its proposed Annual Plan, MTW Supplement and 5-Year Plan for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025. The meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. This will be an in-person meeting held at Independence Plaza, Ruth Rambeau Community Center, 703 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501. The draft Annual Plan and 5-Year Plan are available under the “Agency Documents” section of this website and the draft MTW Supplement can be found under the “Moving to Work” section of this website. All draft documents can also be requested at the AHA office located at 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda CA.

Interpreters will be available on request. Please contact Jasmine Polar, Executive Assistant, at 747-4325 voice or 711 TDD at least 48 hours before the meeting to request an interpreter.
Agenda materials are available in large print, tape, or disk form upon request.
Persons in need of any other special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact (510) 747-4325 (voice), TTY/TRS: 711, or jpolar@alamedahsg.org. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility.

Currently Implemented Activities

The AHA began implementing the conditionally approved activities under the MTW Supplement for FY 2022-2023 and FY 2023-2024 starting on August 1, 2024:

2023-03 Project-Based Voucher First Year Moves
2023-05 Flexible Subsidy Standards in Project-Based Voucher Admissions
2022-13 Allow Owner Referrals Under PBV Program

The AHA began implementing the conditionally approved activities under the MTW Supplement for FY 2022-2023 and FY 2023-2024 starting on February 22, 2024:

2022-14: Project-Based Voucher Right Sizing
2023-02: Project-Based Voucher Contract Rent Increases

The AHA began implementing the conditionally approved activities under the MTW Supplement for FY 2022-2023 and FY 2023-2024 starting on July 1, 2023:

2022-01: 2.b. Payment Standards – Fair Market Rents (HCV)
2022-02: 3.b. Alternative Reexamination Schedule for Households
2022-03: 3.d. Self-Certification of Assets
2022-04: 4.a. Vacancy Loss
2022-05: 4.c. Other Landlord Incentives
2022-06: 5.a. Pre-Qualifying Unit Inspections
2022-07: 5.d. Alternative Inspection Schedule
2022-08: 9.a. Increase PBV Cap
2022-09: 9.b. Increase PBV Project Cap
2022-10: 9.c. Elimination of PBV Selection Process Cohort
2022-11: 4.2 Front-End Vacancy Loss Payment
2022-15: 1.w. Alternative Income Inclusions/Exclusions (HCV)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are landlord incentives paid with the regular monthly payments to the landlord or are they paid separately?

A: They are paid separately.

Q: What is the process to apply for the landlord incentives?

A: At this time, staff will apply and process the incentives on the landlord’s behalf. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these incentives you can reach out to the landlord liaison or MTW team.

Q: Are the landlord incentives paid by direct deposit?

A: Incentives and vacancy loss payments are paid using the same method as the HAP payments.