CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM & PLAN

1.1 Moving to Work Demonstration

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has been designated a Moving to Work Demonstration site, provided under Section 204(a) of the 1996 Appropriations Act. The Moving to Work Demonstration Agreement was effective April 1, 2001 and is expected to continue until the end of PHA’s 2018 Fiscal Year (FY), unless such term is otherwise extended by HUD.

PHA’s MTW Agreement provides that PHA shall have flexibility to design and test various approaches for providing and administering housing assistance that reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures; give incentives to households with children whose heads of household are either working, seeking work, or are participating in job training, educational, or other programs that assist in obtaining employment and becoming economically self-sufficient; and increase housing choices for low income households.

PHA is exempt from certain provisions of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 and its implementing regulations. This allows PHA to design and test innovative methods of providing housing and delivering services to lowincome households in an efficient and effective manner. PHA may adopt and implement policies for admission and occupancy, eligibility, selection and assignment, hardships, change in income, definition of elderly, recertifications, establishing rents, lease requirements, and other specific criteria. The policies PHA has implemented pursuant to MTW are included in this Administrative Plan, PHA’s MTW Agreement, and PHA’s Annual Plans.

Pilot program aims to remove transportation barriers to healthy food for North Philadelphia residents

PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 13, 2019) – Lyft has launched the Grocery Access Program in the City of Philadelphia, an initiative in partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and Uplift Solutions. The goal of the program is to assist North Philadelphia residents living in food deserts with fresh, healthy grocery options.

The Grocery Access Program, a part of Lyft City Works, in Philadelphia will provide local families living in areas surrounding PHA sites throughout North Philadelphia with a $2.50 flatrate fare on eight rides per month – or one round trip per week – to and from nearby grocery stores, ShopRite at 2800 Fox Street and Fresh Grocer at 1501 North Broad Street. The sixmonth pilot will run from September 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020. Plans for extending the program are currently underway with a goal of reaching even more residents in the future.

“We are committed to empowering local organizations doing incredible work to make communities stronger, healthier, and more equitable – and we’re proud to partner with the Philadelphia Housing Authority and Uplift Solutions to make the Grocery Access Program a reality for Philadelphia residents in need,” said Andrew Woolf, Lyft Regional Director of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. “It’s our civic responsibility to address key problems our communities are facing through better access to transportation, with the goal of improving life in all areas of Philadelphia, and we’re thrilled to help bring this initiative to Philly.”