The CHA Mobility Counseling Program Administered by CHAC

The CHA Mobility Counseling Program Administered by CHAC Encouraging moves to “opportunity neighborhoods” and helping families make informed choices

Program Overview • Serves Housing Choice Voucher transfers (referred to as “second movers”) • Income-based Opportunity Neighborhood defined as Low Poverty less than 24% poverty rate • Voluntary • Focus on High to Low Poverty Moves

Program Components • Landlord Outreach • Assessment & Enrollment (including credit check & credit counseling) • Fair Housing Training & Complaint Assistance • Assist Participant to Remove Barriers / Prepare for Landlord Acceptance

Program Components - cont. • Housing Search Assistance and Referrals (including transportation) • Mandatory Workshops (Money Management & Tenant/Landlord Rights & Responsibilities) • Voluntary Workshops • Post-Move Counseling • Link to Family Self-Sufficiency Program • Resource Room

Additional Benefits • Security Deposit Loan Fund • Services for People with Disabilities – Transportation for Housing Search – Grants for Unit Modifications

Families Served • January 1999 through June 2002 – Enrolled 7, 540 families – Leased 3, 724 • Leased in Low Poverty 2, 388 (64 %) • Moves from High to Low Poverty 1, 215 (33 %)

Moves From High to Low Poverty

Retention - Year 2000 High to Low Poverty Movers

Does Mobility Counseling Make a Difference? Years 2000 and 2001 • Percent of Counseled families that moved to low poverty: 52% • Percent of families NOT counseled that moved to low poverty: 39%

Relocatees Making 2 nd Moves • 1, 178 Relocatees made a “ 2 nd Move” during 2000 -2001 • 406 (35%) of these families moved to Low Poverty neighborhoods.

When Relocatees are Counseled Of Relocatee Second Movers, in 2000 and 2001: • 41% of Counseled Families Moved to Low Poverty • 31% of Families NOT Counseled Moved to Low Poverty

Challenges • 1990 - 2000 Census Data • Focus on families living in high poverty • Back-filling units in high poverty neighborhoods