What is the difference between “Making Transitions Work” and “Moving to Work?”

“Making Transitions Work” is the name Oakland Housing Authority gave its local version of the national HUD program known as “Moving to Work.” Both are known as “MTW,” and both allow for the designing and testing of new ways to run HUD programs.

How long can OHA participate in MTW?

Housing authorities are allowed to be in MTW for seven years. OHA and HUD executed an MTW Agreement to start on March 31, 2004 and end on March 31, 2011.

How can I help OHA design and test new ways of providing housing and services?

OHA staff and the Board of Commissioners have asked the Resident Advisory Board (RAB), community and service organizations and the general public to work with the Authority in crafting new policies and programs. If you are interested in attending future meetings to help plan MTW changes, please continue to check the OHA website for announcements of upcoming events.

Will MTW change my housing subsidy?

The federal government has reduced funding for housing programs all across the nation. As you can see in its 2006 Annual Plan, OHA funding is projected to shrink by $7.6 million between 2005 and 2006.

OHA is committed to covering as much of this shortfall as possible through even more efficient operations. However, multi-million dollar funding cuts means that no amount of administrative efficiency will likely spare tenant subsidies from changing. In response to that, OHA may use MTW to adopt and implement new rent setting policies that help close the funding deficit, are fair and help residents move toward work and self sufficiency, and provide safeguards for those families that are elderly, disabled, or unable to work.

How does OHA know if its locally designed policies are an improvement over the standard national policies?

The SPHERE Institute, a not-for-profit policy firm established by scholars from Stanford University, will begin studying OHA this year. SPHERE will collect data and set up a system for OHA to follow changes in its operations and tenant population throughout the seven years of the MTW program.

Please submit additional questions to mtw@oakha.org.