PHA MTW Coordinator Interview Guide

HUD Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration (Round 1) OMB CONTROL NUMBER: XXXX

Attachment E. MTW Coordinator Interview Guide

MTW Coordinator at Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration PHA

Semi-Structured Interview Guide

[Shaded and bracketed text indicates notes for the interviewer]

Research team introductory script

My name is _________, and I am with MDRC, the research organization that is working with HUD and your agency on the alternative rent policies and procedures as part of the Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration. Thank you for your time. My goal during this meeting is to understand how the alternative rent policies are being implemented. I am also interested in understanding how households understand and experience the alternative policies and their questions about it.

I (we) know that you are busy and will try to be as brief as possible. The public reporting burden for this interview is estimated to average 45 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions and completing the interview. This interview is not part of an audit or a compliance review. We are interested in learning about your experiences. There is no right or wrong answer. Additionally, you can refuse to answer any question, and can stop the interview at any time without penalty.

If you have any comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions to reduce this burden, please send them to the Reports Management Officer, Paperwork Reduction Project, to the Office of Information Technology, US. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 20410-3600. When providing comments, please refer to OMB Approval No. XXXX.

Your participation in this interview is voluntary. This interview is not part of an audit or a compliance review. We are interested in learning about your experiences. There is no right or wrong answer. Additionally, you can refuse to answer any question, and can stop the interview at any time without penalty. We will protect your responses from disclosure. MDRC will not release your name and identity on any reports or in any discussions with supervisors or colleagues at the housing authority.

Do you agree to participate? Would it be okay for me to record so I don’t have to take notes while we’re talking? (NAME will take notes as backup to the recording.)

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview.

[Interviewer: at start of audio, state date, time, & interview #]

I. INTRODUCTION AND STAFF BACKGROUND

1. Please confirm your job title?

2. How long have you been working at PHA? How long have you been in your current role?

   1. (If MTW coordinator is not the first role at the household authority) What role did you have prior to this one?

   2. What was your role in the design and implementation of the [alternative rent policy]?What was your role in the design and implementation of the [alternative rent policy]?

3. How has your engagement with or responsibilities related to the [Stepped or Tiered Rent] policy changed over time?

II. GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF NEW RENT POLICIES

4. What would you say are biggest advantages of implementing the [alternative rent policy] at [PHA]? Any disadvantages? Please describe.

5. What were some of the most significant changes to PHA operations required to implement the [alternative rent policy]?

1. Probes: Were these changes anticipated? Were any surprising? Were any more difficult to implement than others? Any noticeable impact on staffing or other aspects of agency operations?

6. How do you feel that families will fare under the [alternative rent policy]? Could you tell me more about why you think this?

1. Are there certain types of households that you feel may fare better or worse than others?

III. DEMONSTRATION AND MTW PLANNING

7. How would you describe the PHA’s process of planning for and receiving approval for MTW activities, including [the alternative rent policy]?

   1. Were there any achievements or successes that stand out?

   2. Were there any challenges that stand out?

8. Were there any reactions during the public comment phase on the MTW supplement?

9. Other than the implementation of [alternative rent policy], have there been any noticeable effects of MTW status and the use of MTW flexibility on [PHA] at this juncture?

10. How would you describe the planning phase between your PHA's selection into Cohort #2 and the launch of enrollment into the STRD?

    1. Possible probes:

       1. Were there any achievements or challenges that stand out? Please describe.

       2. Were there any challenging alternative rent policy decisions or choices that your agency confronted? Please describe.

       3. Were there any challenges related to coordinating with various departments in your agency?

11. What about the process of preparing for demonstration/study enrollment?Were the supports provided by HUD, MDRC, ICF (a HUD-contracted technical assistance provider) and other organizations during the demonstration planning phase sufficient to meet the needs of preparing for the launch of STRD? (Probe for differential views on HUD, MDRC, ICF.)

1. What additional supports, if any, might have been helpful to receive during the planning stage?

12. How has Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration implementation affected how the Family Self-Sufficiency program is offered at your PHA?

1. (If FSS offerings changed) What has changed? What led the PHA to adopt these specific changes? How do you feel the implementation of those changes is going?

IV. OVERALL REFLECTIONS AND WRAP UP

13. What have been the greatest successes of [alternative rent policy] implementation?

14. What have been the greatest challenges of [alternative rent policy] implementation?

15. Looking forward, are there any particular concerns you have about future implementation of [the alternative rent policy]?

16. Is there anything you would recommend changing about any aspects of the [alternative rent policy] that you have not already shared?

17. What measures would you recommend to another PHA that was considering implementing the [alternative rent policy]?

18. Is there anything else that you would like to share that we haven't covered?

19. Do you have any questions for me?

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