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Move-to-Work Hardship Policy

Move-to-Work Hardship Policy AL 073 FY2025
The Ozark Housing Community is committed to working with families during financial crises. We will review each hardship and determine whether it qualifies as a hardship and whether it is temporary or long-term.

All hardship requests must be received via email or in person (written statement).

Hardship Review Process: Public Housing: The Property Manager and the MTW Department will review the hardship request, and a decision will be mailed to the client(s). Housing Choice Voucher Program: The HVC Manager and the MTW Department will review the hardship request, and the decision will be mailed to the client(s).

If a client(s) does not qualify for hardship, the MTW activity will be reinstated, including any back payment of minimum rent.

Temporary Hardship: The activity will be suspended for 90 days from the date of the family's request. At the end of the 90 days, the MTW activity will be imposed retroactively to the suspension time.

Long-term Hardship: The client(s) will be exempt until the hardship has passed. The hardship will be reviewed every three months.

In temporary and long-term hardship cases, OHC staff will review the request and decide if a hardship exists.

If the client(s) disagree with a hardship review decision, they may appeal through the grievance process. Households will have 10 days to appeal and request an informal hearing.

OHC will record the hardship requests, determinations, and appeals for the duration of its MTW participation.

Hardship Request: All hardship requests, outside of applying for disability, must be written via email or a handwritten letter brought to the office, mailed or placed in the office drop box.

2025 MTW activities:

  1. Minimum Rent (PH)
  2. Utility Reimbursement (PH currently implementing, HCV plans to implement for 2025 submission year)
  3. Work Requirement (PH and HCV currently implementing)

Move-to-Work Hardship Policy AL 073 FY2025

Work Requirement

The work requirement/work-related activity will be deferred if the following occurs:

  1. Applying for SS or SSI benefits, provided the client furnishes a letter or email stating that said client has applied and is waiting on a hearing date, a hearing date has been scheduled, or a decision is pending. The correspondence must be from the Social Security Office or a lawyer.

    If the client is denied, the client will be given 30 days to secure employment or provide the MTW Department with documentation of appeal.

    The MTW Department will mail the client a letter every 6 months with a date of contact, requesting an update on the SS or SSI application status. If there is no response:
    • A 30-day curable termination letter will be mailed on the next business day. If there is no response:
    • A 14-day curable termination letter will be mailed the next day.
    • A termination letter will be mailed if there is no response after the 14-day letter. The client will have 10 days to request a hearing, which can be oral or written.

  2. In a medical situation with self, spouse, or family member, the activity will be suspended and reviewed to determine whether the medical problem is temporary or permanent. Documentation from a medical provider stating only that the client cannot work or participate in a work-related activity may be requested. After a decision is made, a letter with the hardship determination of hardship will be mailed to the client. The determination will state the length of the deferment if the hardship is temporary.

    If the client is terminated from employment or leaves employment voluntarily:

  3. The work requirement will be suspended for 30 days to allow the client to secure employment or begin participating in a work-related activity. After 30 days, the MTW Department will mail a letter with a specific date requesting the client update the MTW Department on their employment status. If the client does not respond
    • A 14-day curable termination letter will be mailed.
    • A termination letter will be mailed if there is no response after the 14-day letter. The client will have 10 days to request a hearing, which can be oral or written

Minimum Rent

The minimum rent shall be $130 per month. A hardship exemption shall be granted to residents who can document that they cannot pay the $130 because of long-term hardship of over 90 days.

  • The family has lost eligibility or is applying for an eligibility determination for a federal, state, or local assistance program.
  • The family would be evicted due to the imposition of the minimum rent requirements.
  • The family's income has decreased because of changed circumstances, including loss of employment.
  • A death in the family has occurred, or
  • Other circumstances as determined by OHC.

All households have (10) business days from the date of their hardship denial letter to request an informal hearing with department managers.

Appeals for the hardship decision: The client who disagrees with the review decision may appeal through OHC's existing grievance process.
When the client disagrees with the denial of minimum rent hardship, work requirement hardship decision, or termination due to nonparticipation in work requirement/work-related activity, the client can:

  • Request an informal hearing; the grievance will be discussed without a hearing at the housing authority office. A decision will be made and mailed to the client.
  • If the client disagrees with the decision of the informal hearing, a formal hearing with a hearing officer can be requested orally or in writing (10) business days after the previous decision is mailed. The client has the right to be represented by counsel.

Client Notification

  • Client(s) will be notified of hardship policies during intake
  • A review of hardship policies at recertification
  • All clients will receive a copy of the hardship policies during these meetings, and they will also be asked to sign a hardship policy notification to be kept in their file.