Achieving Economic Self-Sufficiency Through Housing Assistance: An Assessment of a Self-Sufficiency Program of the Housing Authority of Champaign County, Illinois

Han Bum Lee, Paul E. McNamara

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study examines the early impact of a Local Self-Sufficiency (LSS) program of the Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACC), Illinois, on recipients’ total annual household income and earnings, and employment. In 2013, HACC, through LSS, mandated work requirements for households with working-age, able-bodied adult members and imposed sanctions on those who did not meet the program requirements. We find that, between 2012 and 2014, the LSS program led to an average increase of $2,283 in earnings for an individual household. In aggregate, this allowed HACC to serve an additional 98 (9%) LSS-eligible households for a year. Also, LSS-eligible households experienced an increase in the employment–adult ratio by 11.6 percentage points. The LSS program also had a larger impact for more economically disadvantaged households with no prior work history.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)876-900
Number of pages25
JournalHousing Policy Debate
Volume28
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2 2018

Keywords

  • Moving to Work
  • economic self-sufficiency
  • public housing authority
  • sanction
  • work disincentives
  • work requirement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Development
  • Urban Studies
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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