DHCD Posts Draft FY2019 MTW Plan & Public Meetings

Post date
March 15, 2018

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) posted its Draft Moving to Work (MTW) Program Plan for FY2019. To download the FY19 Draft Plan, click here.

The MTW Plan summarizes the planned activities and uses of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program that DHCD administers for the upcoming year. DHCD will accept written comments on the FY19 Draft Plan through Thursday, April 6, 2018.  Written comments should be addressed to:

Bureau of Rental Assistance
Department of Housing and Community Development
100 Cambridge St, Suite 300
Boston, MA 02114

DHCD also announced two public hearings on the FY19 Draft Plan:

  • March 21, 2018, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
    Springfield City Library
    220 State Street
    Springfield MA 01103
     

  • March 22, 2018, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
    Department of Housing Community Development, Conference Room B, 2nd Floor 
    100 Cambridge Street
    Boston MA 02114

For more information on the public hearing, including how to register, click here. 

Highlights of Planned FY2019 MTW Activities

DHCD projects that rental assistance and related services will be provided to 20,909 MTW households. Fourteen (14) new Project Based Voucher (PBV) contracts with 91 total units are projected to be placed under contract in FY 2019. An additional 741 households are projected to be served through the VASH and Mainstream programs.

In FY 2019, DHCD will implement the Pathways to Prosperity Activity (PTP). DHCD will fund the costs associated with this program for up to 400 youth for three years. The goal of the program is to connect low-income youth in the Boston area to services that help them obtain employment and a sustaining wage. Under PTP, DHCD will also provide an allocation of 100 vouchers for youth referred by the Year-Up program.

In FY 2019, DHCD will continue planning and implementation efforts for the nine new activities which were proposed and approved by HUD in the FY 2018 MTW Plan including:

  • Support for Secure Jobs: DHCD will fund targeted case management and employment supports, in tandem with voucher assistance for eligible low-income households participating in the Secure Jobs initiative. In FY 2019, DHCD will issue 25 of the projected 50 vouchers as well as begin to fund services for participants including, but not limited to, recruitment, referrals, intake and assessment.
     
  • Expanding Housing Opportunities: DHCD will continue implementation of this initiative, which supports major state investments in the redevelopment and preservation of state-aided public housing. In FY 2019, DHCD plans to select redevelopment projects which will receive MTW Block Grant funds to support short-term resident relocation.
     
  • Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT): Under the RAFT program initiative, short term financial assistance will be provided to eligible families with children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Planning for this program was completed in FY 2018. In FY 2019, DHCD will begin to provide benefits to approximately 300 households.
     
  • A Better Life (ABL): DHCD will provide funding to four local housing authorities to operate the ABL program. ABL, which is based on an existing successful program model, focuses on helping participants to achieve economic self-sufficiency through case management, education and training services.
     
  • Health Starts at Home: This program focuses on improving health outcomes for low-income children. The vouchers allocated to this program were issued in FY 2018, with a planned review of the results over a three year period to determine the effect of stable, affordable housing on children’s health outcomes.
     
  • Enhanced Local Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Program: DHCD will continue to implement the features of its enhanced PBV Program such as increasing the cap of PB units its portfolio from 20% to 40% and allowing 100% of units in a development to be project-based.
     
  • Equity Builder Program: In partnership with community development financial institutions and developers, DHCD plans to establish a Lease-to-Own program to support the goal of providing pathways to homeownership for low-income families. In FY 2019, DHCD will continue to develop and refine the program parameters to determine if the proposed model is sustainable.
     
  • Affordable Housing Preservation & Development Fund: DHCD will utilize MTW funds to support the development and preservation of affordable rental housing. It is anticipated that development will begin on at least 100 affordable units in FY 2019.

In FY 2019, DHCD plans to launch the Supporting Neighborhood Opportunity in Massachusetts mobility program, including development of targeted outcomes as well as overarching goals and objectives. DHCD has chosen two Regional Administering Agencies (RAAs) to pilot this program, which facilitates mobility to areas of high opportunity.

DHCD will continue to encourage participant self-sufficiency through implementation of the Family Economic Stability Program. In FY 2019, DHCD may increase the housing subsidy by 10% in response to changes in the Boston rental market. Also in FY 2019, DHCD will expand the use of support funds to include incentive payments for completion of established program goals.

DHCD will continue to operate the Youth Transition to Success program in FY 2019, and will decouple its plans to include another referral provider under this activity. Instead, DHCD will increase the number of youth assisted under this activity from ten (10) to thirty five (35) and will continue its referral partnership with DCF.

DHCD included an allowance for other electricity and will conduct discretionary periodic reviews of utility allowance schedules to determine if and when adjustments are needed.

DHCD will continue to operate its MTW FSS program in FY 2019, and will work to implement MTW activities designed to enhance the FSS Program and promote asset development and savings among HCV participants. DHCD anticipates that 70 new FSS participants will enroll in the FSS program in FY 2019.

Under DHCD’s rent simplification activity, DHCD will adopt a streamlined approach to determining allowable medical expenses which will provide for a more concise and accurate method for calculating this deduction. There are no changes to the cap on allowable medical expenses.

DHCD will continue to work with HUD, developers, tenant groups and other stakeholders to identify additional appropriate sites and enter into long-term project based contracts thereby preserving affordability.

Previously approved MTW activities related to the owner incentive fund, reasonable rent, biennial recertifications, and payment standard exceptions will continue to be implemented.

For more information on Moving to Work, visit DHCD's website by clicking here.