The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced on March 13 that it is proposing a new rule to give public housing authorities and Section 8 project-based rental assistance owners the flexibility to implement work requirements and time limits for work-capable adults. Secretary Scott Turner and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders discussed the proposal in an opinion piece published by Fox Digital.
The proposed rule aims to encourage self-sufficiency among recipients of federal housing assistance, while maintaining protections for the elderly and disabled. Turner and Sanders said, “Public housing was never meant to be a hammock, but a springboard to a life of self-sufficiency…By restoring federal rental assistance to its intended role as temporary support, we can help more American families build brighter lives and better futures.”
According to Turner and Sanders, nearly half of non-elderly, able-bodied households receiving HUD support in 2024 did not have any members working. They argue that current policies have led many people to remain in subsidized housing for extended periods, sometimes decades, while millions wait for assistance. The proposed regulation would allow states like Arkansas—which passed the Housing Welfare Reform Act of 2023 requiring able-bodied residents in public housing to work, train, or volunteer—to enforce such laws at the local level.
Turner and Sanders also cited evidence presented to Congress showing that almost 90% of able-bodied Section 8 voucher recipients spend more than five years in subsidized housing, with half staying over fifteen years. They pointed out that nearly forty Moving to Work agencies nationwide have tested similar requirements or time limits with positive results.
HUD estimates that between 19,000 and 79,000 families could move out of subsidized housing within the first year if the rule is implemented. This would open up opportunities for new families needing assistance. "Most importantly, this is about dignity. Work is a pathway to meaning, independence, and stability," Turner and Sanders wrote.
The department says empowering state and local leaders will help tailor solutions best suited for their communities rather than imposing uniform mandates from Washington.
