CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A newly proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) aims to increase self-sufficiency among residents of Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and individuals receiving certain rental assistance.
The rule was announced in Champaign Friday morning by Scott Turner, an Illinois Football alum and the current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Speaking at the Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACC), Turner pointed to HACC as an example of a successful PHA that, unlike others, has rules on who can receive assistance.
The HACC required able-bodied people to work for 15 hours or more per week, and families to work for 30 hours or more per week. Since becoming a Moving to Work (MTW) designated PHA in 2010, the HACC has seen average household income increase by 96%.
In 2025, HACC demonstrated program success by transitioning 76 households to self-sufficiency.
“Housing assistance was never meant to trap work-able individuals on government support their entire lives,” Turner said. “Rather it should be a temporary foundation to launch into a life of self-sufficiency. Getting a paycheck is empowering, getting a welfare check is not. HUD’s proposed rule will restore dignity and well-being among residents we serve. Our proposal expands access for deserving families on waiting lists, while still preserving protections for elderly and disabled households.”
HUD’s proposed rule allows all PHAs and owners to implement a work requirement of up to 40 hours per week and/or time limits of two years or more for non-disabled, non-elderly adults ages 18 to 61. PHAs and owners can designate who within a household is subject to the work requirements and how to apply them.
Importantly, PHAs and owners that implement work requirements and/or time limits will be required to offer supportive services to facilitate self-sufficiency and to assist individuals in fulfilling policy requirements.
Turner said nearly 50% of non-elderly, non-disabled assisted households showed zero earnings for any household members in 2024. Since 2010, the average length of stay across major HUD rental programs has increased from 5-6 years to nearly 8-9 years. Close to 90% of able-bodied voucher recipients will spend more than five years in subsidized housing, and 50% will spend more than fifteen years, while HUD resources currently only serve a quarter of eligible Americans in need.
In addition to announcing the new rule, Turner also launched in Champaign the Work and Dignity Coalition, which brings together PHAs, owners, tribes, states, nonprofit partners and faith-based organizations, who support the principles behind HUD’s proposed efforts to strengthen work, opportunity and self-sufficiency. By joining, participating entities will publicly signal support and interest in implementing accountability and supportive services to promote the dignity of work and economic independence.