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Invitation for public comment on policies that support a new pilot program for families

Invitation for public comment on policies that support a new pilot program for families

In conjunction with its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) is preparing to participate in a Creating Moves to Opportunity (CMTO) pilot.

Research indicates that opportunity neighborhoods are places that increase the chances of long-term success for the people who live in them. Children, especially children from low-income families, who grow up in opportunity neighborhoods do better in school and earn more as adults than children who live in others areas.

SHA is a partner in a $3 million private grant with funding through 2019 to implement the CMTO pilot program. The program will provide additional services and support to half of families with young children newly receiving a voucher during the pilot period.

The CMTO pilot will evaluate strategies that support HCV families in moving to neighborhoods in Seattle and King County that meet opportunity neighborhood criteria.

Proposed Policy Changes

SHA is seeking public comment on the following policies that enable participation in the pilot:

  • When SHA begins to call households off the voucher waitlist beginning this August, it will accelerate the rate for families with children under 14.
  • SHA will expand the waitlist by 600 families, drawn randomly from the February 2017 HCV lottery registration.

Whether or not a family is in the CMTO pilot will not affect their eligibility for a voucher.

The Public Comment period on these policies is open from July 13 to August 11, 2017. Comments may be emailed to cmtocomment@seattlehousing.org, sent by U.S. Mail to Seattle Housing Authority, Policy Office, PO Box 19028, Seattle, WA 98109 or made by phone at 206.615.3311.

There will be a CMTO Public Comment meeting open to all on Friday, August 4 at 1:30 p.m. at the Seattle Housing Authority in the Jesse Epstein Conference Room, 1st Floor, 190 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle. Please contact the phone number or email address above if interpretation or an accommodation is needed to participate in the Public Comment meeting.

Anyone needing assistance on SHA’s Housing Choice Voucher program may call 206.239.1728.

If you would like a translated version of this announcement, please use Google translate at the top right of the web page to select a language.

Supporting documents

Creating Moves to Opportunity fact sheet [PDF - English]

Translatable web page - Select a language using Google Translate