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PHA Name (And Link to Relevant MTW Plan)Initiative NameTime Period
Status as of 2022
Approximate Number of Households Receiving Time-Limited AssistanceHousehold Members Subject to Requirement
Time Limit
Description
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Alaska Housing Finance CorporationStep Set-Aside Voucher Program2024Not yet implemented440All families eligible for a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) can opt in5-7 yearsAHFC proposes a 10% set-aside of its current voucher allocation in the following jurisdictions:
Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, MatSu, and Soldotna.

This will create a Step Set-Aside voucher program.

Families will be able to apply to:
The regular HCV waiting list in their community, and
The new Step Set-Aside waiting list.

Each jurisdiction will maintain and manage its own Step Set-Aside waiting list.

When a family reaches the top of the Step Set-Aside list:
They will be advised in writing of the program structure and obligations.
They may choose to:
- Proceed with eligibility for Step Set-Aside, or
- Remain on the regular HCV waiting list.

If they participate in Step Set-Aside:
Voucher assistance is limited to 5 years, with the possibility of:
Two additional one-year terms, based on:
- The family’s shelter burden at time of exit, and
- Willingness to participate in Jumpstart supportive services.

Family contribution toward rent:
- Year 1: 28.5% of gross monthly income.
- Subsequent years: AHFC gradually reduces its payment share:
- Year 2: Family receives 60% of the payment standard.
- Year 3: 50% of the payment standard.
- Year 4: 40% of the payment standard.
- Year 5: 30% of the payment standard.
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Delaware State Housing Authority2012-A2: Time Limit Housing Assistance for MTW Participants2012Ongoing420Non-elderly, non-disabled households in public housing (PH) and HCV programs7 yearsMTW participants across both Public Housing (PH) and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs are subject to a 7-year limit on housing assistance.

This includes:
- An initial 5-year period known as MTW Tier I, and
A possible 2-year extension referred to as MTW Tier II.

Participation in both tiers is accompanied by:
- Case management, and
- Financial literacy supports.
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Elm City Communities/Housing Authority of the City of New HavenCARES (Caring About Economic Self Sufficiency)2013Ongoing178Work-able residents entering two PH sites6 yearsThe C.A.R.E.S. Program (Caring About Resident Economic Self-Sufficiency) was piloted at two redeveloped sites:
Brookside Phase II
Rockview I

At these sites, all residents are subject to a 72-month (6-year) time limit on rental assistance.

After the time limit, rent is adjusted to:
- Flat rent (for public housing), or
- Market rent (for PBV units),

Less prorated assistance for household members who are:
- Seniors
- 18 or younger
- Disabled
- Or otherwise exempt

Certain individuals are required to participate in a 24-month case management program designed to promote self-sufficiency.

Beginning in year 3 of the program:
- CARES residents begin receiving their subsidy directly.
- Their subsidy is frozen at that level.

An escrow account is established for all participating families:
- It contains a deposit equal to one year’s subsidy.
The funds can be used to:
- Address hardships
- Meet self-sufficiency needs
- Or be taken upon graduation

The program reached its first time limits in 2022, due to a 3-year extension that was offered to participants in 2018.

As of 2023, 55 residents have successfully graduated from the program.
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Housing Authority of the County of San BernardinoTerm-Limited Lease Assistance Program2012OngoingMore than 2,000 since 2012Non-elderly, non-disabled households in the HCV program5 yearsThe Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) implemented the Term-Limited Lease Assistance Program in 2012.

The program offers a five-year subsidy for new households, excluding elderly households and disabled households.

Eligible households include:
- Those from the HCV waiting list
- Port-in HCV households
- Certain households moving out of PBV units

Hardship extensions of up to 2 years are possible.

The subsidy structure:
- Originally a flat subsidy
- Modified in 2017 and 2018 to use an income-based subsidy calculation

Additional program modifications (some not yet implemented as of FY24) include:
- Requiring families to lease a unit no more than one bedroom larger or smaller than their voucher size
- Incentivizing moves to areas of opportunity (not yet implemented as of FY24)
- Limiting approvable rent increases (not yet implemented as of FY24)

A 2021 study of 2,300 households who participated in the program found:
- Earned income increased by an average of 45.5% during the five-year term
- The share of households with earned income nearly doubled
- Full-time employment increased by 25%
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Keene Housing AuthoritySpectrum Housing Program2001-?Closed out93 as of 2006Non-elderly, non-disabled households in the HCV program5 yearsThe program limited housing assistance to 5 years for all non-elderly and non-disabled voucher recipients.
Public housing residents were not included in this time limit.
Extensions of 1 or 2 years were possible.

The time limit was combined with:
- A modified Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, and
- A stepped rent structure, as follows:

Years 1–2: Participants pay 20% of income toward rent.
Year 3:
- Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is disconnected from earnings.
- Set to 65% of the payment standard.
- Provided directly to tenants.
Year 4: HAP is reduced to 45% of the payment standard.

As of July 2006:
- 93 people were currently time-limited.
- 138 individuals subject to the time limits had already departed.

The city of Keene later removed the time limit, but retained the stepped rent structure and FSS supports.
The modified FSS program was renamed THRIVE in 2025.
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Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing AuthorityHCV Time Limit Pilot Program2018Close out proposed18Work-able, non-elderly adults in HCV households that opted in5-7 yearsThe pilot is a voluntary program administered by the Lexington Housing Authority (LHA).

Recruitment and enrollment:
- LHA recruited the initial cohort from its HCV waiting list.
- Households were offered vouchers (regardless of their position on the list) in exchange for enrolling.
- 25 assisted households were recruited for the initial cohort.

As of 2023, only 12 households remained in the program.

Program structure:
- Imposes a 5-year time limit on housing assistance.
- Paired with incrementally increasing work requirements.
- Households unable to complete the program within 5 years may request a 2-year extension.

LHA proposed to close out the program in its FY24 plan, due to:
- Lack of participant interest
- Many participants lost employment during COVID-19 and were unable to find suitable new employment
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Louisville Metropolitan Housing AuthorityTerm Limits2007-2016Closed out106 as of 2016All work-able individuals ages 18-61 in newer, single-family scattered-site PH units5 yearsThe Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA) implemented the following policies at new single-family scattered-site public housing units:
- A work requirement
- A 5-year time limit on assistance
- Mandatory case management

In 2016, these components were eliminated to increase occupancy in the units.

Despite the changes, vacancy levels remained high, leading LMHA to end the work requirement policy entirely in 2017
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Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentMBHP and RCAP Programs2000-2005Closed out183Selected households receiving public assistance (Worcester) or experiencing homeless/near homeless (Boston) and entering the HCV program3 years The program partnered with two agencies to provide transitional rental assistance using HCV funds:
- Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) in Boston
- RCAP Solutions in Worcester

The program lasted 5 years in total.

It provided up to 3 years of assistance for selected households who:
- Were not previously receiving housing assistance, and
Were:
- Transitioning from welfare (in Worcester), or
- Experiencing homelessness or near-homelessness (in Boston)
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Minneapolis Public Housing AuthorityGoal-Oriented Housing Initiative2013-2020Closed outUnknownSelected households placed in the HCV program via community partner5 yearsThe Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) entered into an agreement with Alliance Community Housing to:
- Rehab units for participating families, and
- Support them through the Soft Subsidy Initiative.

Participating families were required to:
- Commit to a path toward self-sufficiency, and
- Engage in work as part of the program.

The Soft Subsidy Initiative:
- Provided time-limited, flexible subsidies (up to 5 years in duration)

Was structured to incentivize work:
- Households were financially better off if the parent worked
- Households were not penalized for working

The activity was closed out in 2020 due to:
- Funding challenges faced by the community partner, and
- MPHA’s inability to find another suitable partner
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Opportunity Home San Antonio (formerly San Antonio Housing Authority)Thrive in Five Program2017Closed out200Working households referred by Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA) to the PH program5 yearsA 2017–2021 pilot built on an earlier pilot (2013–2016).

2013–2016 Pilot:
Allowed public housing residents to self-identify as a "working household".
Self-identified working households received:
- Waitlist preference for a time-limited unit: 5 years, with a possible 2-year extension based on hardship.

A requirement to participate in:
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) or other self-sufficiency activities.

2017–2021 Pilot:
Removed the self-identification mechanism:
- Many households selecting the working household preference were not actually working.
Instead, time-limited public housing was provided to working households referred by a workforce engagement partner agency.
Maintained a target of 200 households.

Due to low enrollment, SAHA:
- Began working to engage a second referral partner.
- Took steps to strengthen program marketing.

The COVID-19 pandemic led SAHA to close out the activities.

SAHA stated: “The Agency has concluded the testing of a time limit, work requirement is no longer tenable and not in the best interest of our residents.”
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Philadelphia Housing Authority2004-5: HCV Time Limit2004-2012Closed out9900Non-elderly, non-disabled households in the HCV program7 yearsThe program limited housing assistance to 7 years for all non-elderly and non-disabled Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) holders.

Public housing residents were excluded from this time limit.
The Public Housing Authority (PHA) discontinued this activity because economic conditions limited job availability for residents.
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Portage Metropolitan Housing AuthorityTime Limits2014-2017Closed out117Non-elderly, non-disabled households, excluding parents of a child <1 year, in the HCV program3 years The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Housing Authority (PMHA) established time limits for its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

Participants expected to work or attend an approved school program if they:
- Were able to work (i.e., not elderly or disabled).
- Were not parents of a child under age 1.

Failure to meet these requirements would result in loss of one month of HCV eligibility per infraction.
Each individual was granted 36 months of unemployment or nonparticipation in education.

Upon reaching the 36-month limit:
- The individual would be ineligible for housing assistance for at least one year.
- All rent calculations for the household would be prorated, similar to treatment of households with ineligible members.

The program:
- Was difficult to track and prone to errors.
-No households were impacted because the full effect would not have materialized until 2018.
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Reno Housing AuthorityRent Reform Controlled Study2014-2018Closed out150Households with children in the HCV program5 yearsIn FY 2014, the Reno Housing Authority (RHA) began issuing vouchers limited to 5 years as part of a Rent Reform Controlled Study within the HCV program.

RHA partnered with an outside institution to evaluate:
- The continuing effects and changing statuses of participating families.
- Whether increases in income that do not affect rent and
- Whether the 5-year voucher limit were sufficient incentives for families to become self-sufficient.

Based on lessons learned and current rental market conditions, RHA staff determined that expanding the activity to all non-elderly/non-disabled HCV participants would cause undue stress on families.

The program was paused in 2018. Formally closed out in 2020.
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Ruston Housing AuthoritySteppingstone Program2022Not yet implemented208Non-elderly, non-disabled adults aged 19-62 in the PH program5-7 yearsAll households in the STEPPINGSTONE program (non-elderly and non-disabled) are subject to a 5-year time-limited housing term.
Households needing additional time to exit the public housing program may apply for a 1-year extension.

Extension requests are:
- Granted at the discretion of the Ruston Housing Authority (RHA).
- Can be applied for and granted a maximum of 2 times.

The absolute household term limit is 7 years, regardless of whether the tenancy is consecutive.
Households reaching 7 years of tenancy with RHA are unable to reapply for the public housing program.
Supportive services will be offered to households as they transition off the program.
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San Diego Housing Commission1999-2003Closed out72Small group on waiting list for PH or HCV5 yearsDeveloped a small program providing:
- Concentrated case management and supportive services
- Flat rents
Targeted selected public housing residents (22 households) and HCV recipients (50 households).

The program lasted for a five-year time period, after which housing assistance was scheduled to end.
The program was terminated when rents skyrocketed. Participants were then allowed to join the standard public housing and HCV programs.
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San Mateo Housing AuthorityMTW Program1999Ongoing190 as of 2007HCV households referred from social service agencies5 yearsProvided vouchers that excluded a share of income gains from subsidy calculations.

Offered Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) escrow accounts to:
- Selected households not currently receiving housing assistance.
- Households that had recently become unemployed and experienced temporary financial reversals.
- Individuals in substance abuse programs.

The program had a six-year time limit.
In 2000, the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo (HACSM) launched an MTW self-sufficiency program with a 5-year time limit targeting households referred from the local welfare agency.
In FY2013, the program was expanded from 300 to 800 vouchers and offered to all work-able new entrants.
In FY2019, HACSM removed the 800-household limit and continued expanding the program; it now applies to all new entrants.
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Tacoma Housing AuthorityHousing Opportunities Program2013-2020Closed outUnknownAll non-elderly, non-disabled households newly entering the HCV program 2013-20205 yearsThe Housing Opportunity Program (HOP) was developed to serve more Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) households.
HOP provided a slightly shallower subsidy, fixed at 50% of the payment standard at entry.
The program imposed a 5-year time limit for non-elderly, non-disabled households.

The model was later expanded to serve:
- Community college students experiencing housing insecurity.
- Foster youth involved in family court.

Since 2013, rents in Tacoma increased significantly.

A 2022 report found that:
- HOP households were less successful than traditional HCV households in securing housing.
- HOP households were less likely to experience an increase in income.
- HOP households were less likely to exit for a positive reason.
- Only 20% of HOP households exited due to reaching the 5-year time limit.
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Tulare County Housing AuthorityMTW Program1999Ongoing3,800All admitted households, though households headed by an elderly or disabled person can opt out5 yearsExisting public housing residents and HCV recipients were offered a choice to:
- Retain non-time-limited assistance, or
- Participate in the agency’s flat rent program for five years, after which all assistance is discontinued.

All new non-elderly, non-disabled public housing residents and voucher holders are subject to a five-year time limit.

If a new family’s head of household qualifies as Elderly or Disabled, that family can choose how rent is calculated:
- Either by MTW flat rents (with term limits applying), or
- Based on their income (without term limits).

As of March 31, 2006:
- 638 households had timed out of assistance.
- Another 248 households were within one year of discontinuation.
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Vancouver Housing AuthoritySchool Housing and Stability Program2015Ongoing27 as of 2015Homeless families with children referred to the HCV program by schools4 yearsHomeless families are referred from schools in the Vancouver and Evergreen school districts to the Council for the Homeless' Housing Solutions Center.
The center screens families to identify those most likely to overcome barriers preventing housing access.

Qualified families receive a time-limited voucher with the following terms:
- Covers 80% of rent in the first year.
- Decreases to 20% of rent by the fourth year.
- Assistance terminates after 4 years.

A newer, shorter version of the program offers 2.5 years of assistance.
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Vancouver Housing AuthorityFive-Year Time Limit for Non Elderly/Disabled Households1999Closed out1,937 as of 2007Non-elderly, non-disabled in the PH and HCV programs5 yearsThe program limited housing assistance to 5 years for all non-elderly and non-disabled public housing residents and HCV recipients.
The program was rescinded in 2004 just as the first time-limited recipients were approaching the end of their term.

Reasons for rescinding included:
- The agency would have been obligated to pay out a significant portion of escrow funds to residents timing out under other MTW policies.
- The agency faced legal challenges, partly due to failure to establish specific and well-defined guidelines for a hardships policy.
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