Senate appropriators recently addressed the plight of public housing residents and seniors in assisted housing and the full Senate followed their lead in voting to extend RAD in a responsive way in coming fiscal year. They called for raising the RAD cap on public housing conversions from 185,000 units to 250,000 units, and allowing an estimated 120,000 units of Section 202-supported housing to convert under RAD’s 2nd component. 

“We’d like to give our residents the choice of better neighborhoods, but we can’t afford the cost of land, overcoming NIMBY opposition or the competition for 9% LIHTC.” This is a common PHA frustration especially in response to more focused FHEO requirements. One answer: Design a strategy that aggressively uses RAD Transfer of Assistance. 

Despite recent implementation challenges—scaling up, working with slightly reduced FY 2014-based rents for public housing conversions, and the layering on additional requirements and review processes in the most recent revised notice—HUD and Housing Authorities are making RAD work beyond expectations and producing impressive results across the country.