Learning from a Crisis: Strategies to Increase Flexibility in Housing Choice Voucher Implementation

Teaming from and incorporating flexibilities from pandemic-era initiatives, such as ERA, the Emergency Housing Voucher program, and waivers authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, into the HCV program could allow public housing agencies to address these challenges, i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCityscape (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 257 - 274
Main Authors Gallagher, Sarah, Glover, Sophie, Calabro, Alayna, Bourret, Victoria, Aurand, Andrew
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development 01.05.2024
Subjects
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Households
Vouchers
United States > US
Texas
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Summary:Teaming from and incorporating flexibilities from pandemic-era initiatives, such as ERA, the Emergency Housing Voucher program, and waivers authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, into the HCV program could allow public housing agencies to address these challenges, improving access to and utilization of the program. Only 61 percent of initial voucher recipients use their vouchers within 180 days, indicating that too many households fail to successfully lease an apartment (Ellen, O'Regan, and Strochak, 2021). A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-funded study of voucher discrimination found that voucher holders were rejected in 78 percent of tests in the Fort Worth, Texas metropolitan area, 76 percent of tests in Los Angeles, California, and 67 percent of tests in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Cunningham et al., 2018). At least 18 states and more than 100 localities have source-of-income (SOI) discrimination laws prohibiting landlord discrimination against voucher holders (Poverty and Race Research Action Council, 2023).
ISSN:1936-007X
1939-1935