A report from The Urban Institute - What Happens to Housing Assistance Leavers - compares how participants in HUD’s Moving to Opportunity (MTO) program fare after losing assistance. It looked at those who stopped receiving assistance for “positive” reasons (e.g. income increase), those who stopped for negative reasons (e.g. eviction, unable to find voucher unit) and those who continued to have housing assistance. Those who left for positive reasons had higher incomes, were more likely to be married and lived in lower poverty neighborhoods but many continued to experience financial difficulties and housing instability. Those leaving for negative reasons were worse off than assisted households and many experienced homelessness. The report recommends targeted strategies to assist both groups (see blog) including reaching out to those at risk of losing assistance and providing financial counseling and other help to those nearing income limits.
