January 2000 Update to the Center's
Paper on the
Impact of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act
of 1998 on Welfare Reform Efforts
PHA Plan Process (pp. 5-6)
HUD has delayed the required submission date of the first annual PHA Plan until January 31, 2000 (for PHAs with fiscal years beginning January 1, 2000) and February 29, 2000 (for PHAs with fiscal years beginning April 1, 2000). For the remaining PHAs - those with fiscal years beginning July 1 and October 1, 2000 - plans must be submitted to HUD at least 75 days before the beginning of the PHA's fiscal year. See 64 Fed. Reg. 66, 106 (Nov. 24, 1999). HUD issued final regulations on the PHA Plan on October 21, 1999 (64 Fed. Reg. 56,844). The rules are found at 24 C.F.R. Part 903.
Rent Policies (pp. 9 - 17)
It has not yet been determined whether PHAs will be reimbursed by HUD for any revenue lost as a result of adopting public housing rent policies that support work. The negotiated rulemaking concerning the public housing operating subsidy, which will decide this question, is still underway.
Section 8 Voucher Payment Standards (pp. 17 - 18)
The merger of the Section 8 certificate and voucher programs took effect on October 1, 1999. Families already participating in these programs will be transitioned into the new merged program over the course of the next two years. Families admitted to the program on or after October 1, 1999, and participating families who move into a new unit after that date, will receive vouchers that are governed by the new rules. HUD issued the final rules for the new voucher program on October 21, 1999 (64 Fed. Reg. 56,894).
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program (pp. 20 - 21)
According to 1999 HUD data, approximately 55,000 families are enrolled in FSS and about 1,400 PHAs have FSS programs. Under the law, there should be at least 140,000 families enrolled in FSS. For more information on FSS, see the Center's fact sheet available on the Internet at https://www.cbpp.org/5-5-99hous.htm.