Moving To Work (MTW) is a demonstration program created by Congress in 1996 which permits HHA and other participating PHAs to combine Public Housing Operating Fund, Capital Fund and Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) funding into a single, agency-wide block grant and to design and test flexible, locally-tailored approaches to administering its low-income housing programs. Subject to HUD approval, MTW agencies are allowed to and encouraged to promote one or more of the following MTW statutory objectives:

• To reduce cost and achieve greater effectiveness in administering federally funded housing assistance programs;
• To provide incentives to families with children to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and,
• To increase housing choices for eligible low-income families.

HHA is one of only 39 agencies across the country that is fortunate enough to participate in the MTW Program.  This flexibility allows us the opportunity to develop and implement innovative programming as a unique response to the needs of the Holyoke community.  We have successfully implemented several different internal processes here at HHA which have allowed us to streamline and reduce operation costs, resulting in overall agency cost savings.

Currently, we are in the process of expanding our partnership with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department to provide a shallow subsidy to assist those folks transitioning back into the community with obtaining permanent and affordable housing. We hope to expand this endeavor to other demographics and agencies in the area in the future.

Click here to view the Authority’s Approved FY 2018 Annual Plan.