Expanding Housing Choice

Mobility Works is a national membership organization that works to promote self-determination among low-income families, expand housing choice, and support families with HCVs to move to safe communities with quality housing and high-performing schools.

Helping Families Move

Mobility Works is a consortum of nonprofit groups, researchers, and policy experts that work to help low-income families move from low-opportunity neighborhoods into diverse communities with high performing schools

About Housing Mobility

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Why housing mobility is important

Housing mobility programs increase choice for low-income families.

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Bring housing mobility to your community

We help public agencies and nonprofits build housing mobility programs.
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Resources

Find information about housing mobility programs and related issues.

Hear directly from Dallas, Texas, renters who want to use their housing choice vouchers to move their families into neighborhoods with great schools, low crime, and access to job centers.

Housing Statistics

2.2 million

2.2 million low-income households are served by the federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which provides a subsidy for rent in privately owned apartments and houses. It is the largest rental subsidy program in the U.S.

1 in 5

Only 1 household out of every 5 that qualify for federal rental assistance receives it. About half of HCV waiting lists are currently closed, and of the lists that are open, the longest ones have average wait times of up to eight years.

50/50

Currently only half of families with HCVs live in states or localities with laws protecting them against source of income discrimination. The other half can legitimately be refused a lease because they wish to use a voucher.

66% v 6%

66% of Black children grow up in neighborhoods with at least 20% poverty, while this is true for only 6% of white children. Only 10% of Black children grow up in neighborhoods with less than 10% poverty, while 60% of white children do.

The StoriesRead our collection of personal stories that highlight unique experiences with housing mobility

From Ruby to Christina

"I think back on that time and all that has occurred since, I realize a lot has changed."
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Elijah in Flight

Summer can’t come quickly enough. The cold winter weather keeps Elijah from meeting the other boys in his new neighborhood. In the meantime
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Dana Southward

"There are parks and better schools and three grocery stores nearby."
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Housing Mobility in the News