Uses of Discretionary Authority in the Tenant-Based Section 8 Program. A BaselineInventory of Issues, Policy and Practice

摘要

Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) significantlyexpanded the discretionary authority provided to public housing agencies operating Section 8 voucher programs. Section 8 program administrators now have a great deal of discretionary authority to establish policies and implement procedures to run their programs in ways that are congruent with their local priorities and their sense of mission. This authority is tempered by a number of statutory, regulatory and other imperatives that require them to weigh and reconcile competing program objectives. When making policy choices, Section 8 program administrators must also take account of their local economies, including the housing and labor markets. Before making choices that have resource implications, they must also assess their administrative capacity. To some extent, the size of a public housing agency (PHA) and the region in which it is located affect these choices. The policy decisions that PHAs make are also affected by the extent to which information about the Section 8 Program is disseminated to and assimilated by them. In this study, HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research has documented (1) the variation among PHAs in the policies they have chosen in the areas of tenant selection, occupancy and screening, extending housing opportunities, and rent policies; and (2) their understanding of the factors that have influenced their policy choices.