Most Rental Assistance Recipients Work, Are Elderly, or Have Disabilities

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a paper on the characteristics of rental assistance recipients in 2010. The paper uses 2010 administrative data submitted to HUD by State and local housing agencies and private owners that administer rental assistance under HUD's three general purpose programs: the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), public housing, and project-based rental assistance (PBRA) programs. The data was used to analyze the extent to which households receiving rental assistance are attached to the labor market or subject to work requirements in other programs, and consider strategies to boost tenants' employment and earnings. The data found that 88% of households that received rental assistance in 2010 were elderly, disabled, working, or likely have access to work programs under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.