This post was originally published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The evaluation of the MTW Landlord Incentives (MTW LI) cohort will document how the 28 MTW LI agencies implement landlord incentives and test impacts of landlord incentives on (1) landlord willingness to rent to HCV holders, (2) landlord participation in the HCV program, and (3) lease-up success rates. HUD announced the selected MTW LI agencies in January 2022. The Moving to Work, Landlord Incentives Cohort Evaluation: Second Interim Report documents MTW LI agencies’ motivations and activities at 1.5 years later (mid-2023). It is based on documentary sources, a web survey of MTW LI and comparison PHAs, and interviews with MTW LI agency staff. It finds that MTW LI agencies’ goals included access to MTW flexibilities, landlord retention, and landlord recruitment. Most agencies intended to provide financial incentives to landlords; nearly two thirds planned to use payment standard flexibilities; and half planned alternative inspection schedules. At 1.5 years after cohort launch (mid-2023), half of the agencies had implemented some of their intended landlord incentives—usually financial incentives. About half of the agencies (15 of 28) reported active outreach to landlords, such as presenting at local landlord association meetings or hosting landlord appreciation events. Ten agencies had a landlord liaison, a designated point of contact for landlords. Delayed implementation at many agencies was due to competing priorities, staff capacity, waiting for HUD approvals, purposefully slow starts, and software issues.