Moving to Work Reform Act of 2015

To provide for extension of agreements between the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and public housing agencies participating in the Moving to Work Demonstration Program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Moving to Work Reform Act of 2015 2. Terms of moving to work agreements The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may not enter into or extend any Moving to Work agreement for any public housing agency for participation in the demonstration established under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 ( Public Law 104–134 (1) Evaluation of major policy changes A public housing agency may not newly establish any rent policy that raises rent burdens for a significant portion of participating families, any time limitation on the term of housing assistance, or any policy that conditions receipt of housing assistance from program funds on employment status, unless— (A) the policy change will be subject to a detailed evaluation using a rigorous research methodology which includes, at least in part, random assignment to treatment and control groups to compare the impact on assisted families (including families that cease to receive assistance during the term of the evaluation) to similar families not subject to such policy change; and (B) the Secretary determines that adequate Federal or other resources are available to undertake the required evaluation. (2) Use of tenant-based rental assistance funds A public housing agency may use funds appropriated for renewal of tenant-based rental assistance only for payments to or on behalf of eligible families that assist such families with housing costs, except that up to 10 percent of such funds may be used for other eligible purposes, subject to such requirements as the Secretary shall establish. (3) Determination of tenant-based rental assistance funding A public housing agency shall receive funding for renewal of tenant-based rental assistance determined using the same formula applied to public housing agencies that do not participate in the demonstration, except that up to 10 percent of such funds may be renewed by adjusting the prior year’s funding by an inflation factor determined by the Secretary. (4) Prohibition of reduction in number of families assisted A public housing agency shall provide ongoing housing assistance resulting in average cost burdens no higher than those of families assisted under sections 8 and 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f (5) Housing choice If the Secretary determines that a disproportionately low share of families assisted by a public housing agency using funds appropriated pursuant to sections 8 and 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 lives in neighborhoods with low crime, high-performing schools, or other indicators of high opportunity, the public housing agency shall develop and implement a plan to expand families’ access to such neighborhoods. (6) Determination of public housing operating funding A public housing agency shall receive funding for operation and management of public housing determined using the same formula applied to public housing agencies that do not participate in the demonstration, except that, for an agency that currently receives such funding under an alternative formula established by its Moving to Work agreement, the Secretary shall phase in the requirements of this paragraph in a manner sufficient so as to avoid reducing funding by more than 10 percent per year. (7) Retained provisions The Secretary shall not waive any of the following provisions of the United States Housing Act of 1937: (A) Subsections (a)(2)(A) and (b)(1) of section 16 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437n (B) Section 2(b) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437(b) (C) Section 3(b)(2) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(2) low-income families very low-income families extremely low-income families (D) Section 5A(e) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437c–1(e) (E) Sections 6(f)(1) and 8(o)(8)(B) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437d(f)(1) (F) Section 6(k) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437d(k) (G) Section 7 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437e (H) Sections 8(ee) and 6(u) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(ee) (I) Paragraphs (3) and (4)(i) of section 6(c) and sections 982.552 and 982.553 of the Secretary’s regulations ( 42 U.S.C. 1437d(c) (J) Section 6(l) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437d(l) (K) Subparagraphs (C) through (F) of section 8(o)(7) and section 8(o)(20) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o) (L) Section 8(o)(13)(B) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)(B) (i) A public housing agency that, pursuant to a Moving to Work agreement in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, is using or has committed voucher funds as of such date of enactment for project-based vouchers in excess of the 20-percent cap may continue to use such funds in excess of such cap, but not in excess of the percentage in use or committed as of such date of enactment pursuant to such agreement, or as specified in clause (ii), whichever is higher. (ii) A public housing agency may use voucher funds for project-based vouchers in excess of the 20-percent cap, but not to exceed 35 percent, if such use meets one of the following criteria: (I) The project-based vouchers serve homeless or other special needs families, as defined by the Secretary. (II) The project-based vouchers are used in a low-poverty area, as defined by the Secretary. (III) The project-based vouchers are used in connection with a demonstration of a project-based program that is subject to evaluation by the Secretary. (M) Section 8(o)(13)(E) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)(E) (N) Section 8(r)(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f(r)(1) (O) The following requirements applicable to resident councils and jurisdiction-wide resident organizations: (i) Establishment of resident councils and resident organizations under section 20 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437r (ii) Minimum amount of public housing agency support for such councils and organizations under section 20. (iii) Involvement of such councils and organizations in public housing agency operations, as authorized under sections 3(c)(2), 6(c)(5)(C), and 9(e) ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(c)(2) 3. Assessment of demonstration The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Moving to Work demonstration and, upon completion of the evaluation, submit to the Congress a report— (1) describing and analyzing the risks and potential benefits of expanding the Moving to Work demonstration program to additional agencies compared to those of maintaining the demonstration program at its current size; and (2) identifying reforms, and selection criteria in case the demonstration program is expanded, that would improve the program’s effectiveness in testing innovative policies while minimizing adverse effects on low-income families and ensuring efficient use of Federal funds to meet the most pressing housing needs.

Summary: Moving to Work Reform Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from entering into or extending any Moving to Work agreement for any public housing agency (PHA) for participation in the Moving to Work Demonstration Program, unless the agreement is subject to specified terms and conditions set forth by this Act for its entire duration. (Under the Moving to Work Demonstration Program up to 30 selected PHAs, including Indian housing authorities, may administer the public or Indian housing program and the Section 8 housing assistance payments program in ways designed to reduce costs and achieve greater cost-effectiveness in federal expenditures, provide incentives for heads of households to become economically self-sufficient, and increase housing choices for lower-income families.) Under such an agreement a PHA: may not establish any new rent policy that raises rent burdens for a significant portion of participating families, or causes specified other results, unless certain conditions are met; may use funds appropriated for renewal of tenant-based rental assistance only for payments assisting eligible families with housing costs; shall receive funding for renewal of tenant-based rental assistance under the same formula applied to nonparticipating PHAs; must provide ongoing housing assistance to substantially the same number of eligible low-income families as it could assist ordinarily but with average cost burdens no higher than those of families assisted under Sections 8 (low-income housing assistance) and 9 (Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds) of the United States Housing Act of 1937; and develop and implement a plan to expand families' access to neighborhoods with low crime, high-performing schools, or other indicators of high opportunity, if a disproportionately low share of PHA-assisted families lives in such neighborhoods. HUD may not waive specified housing-related requirements. HUD must conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Demonstration Program to: analyze the risks and potential benefits of expanding it to additional agencies; and identify reforms, and selection criteria in case the Demonstration Program is expanded, that would improve its effectiveness in testing innovative policies while minimizing adverse effects on low-income families and ensuring efficient use of federal funds to meet the most pressing housing needs.