Final - 04_Supplemental PHA Scheduling Protocol

Recruitment and Scheduling Protocol:

Public Housing Authorities

In total 145 PHAs will be recruited for participation in the study. Of those 29 are treatment PHAs and 116 are comparison PHAs. PHA data collection will be targeted as follows:

• All 145 PHAs will be recruited for participation in two web surveys, one in Year 2 and one in Year 5.

• Site visits will occur in Year 2 and Year 5 at all 29 treatment PHAs.

• Phone interviews will occur in Year 3 at all 29 treatment PHAs.

• Site visits will occur in Year 5 for a subsample of 21 Comparison PHAs, which we have characterized as the “in-depth comparison PHAs.” Because Hawai‘i is the only large PHA in the treatment group, we will include its closest comparison PHA in the site visits. This leaves another 20 comparison PHAs to be selected. To narrow the sample from 115, we will start with the 25 comparison PHAs in the landlord correspondence testing sample and then remove 5 of those PHAs. That sample has already taken into account the quality of voucher success rate data and how well the comparison PHAs match their treatment PHAs. From these 25 comparison PHAs, we will purposively select 20 PHAs, maintaining diversity in PHA voucher program size, source of income laws, rental market tightness, and census region. This will allow us to collect qualitative data to help understand how PHAs (and landlords) respond in these different contexts. If 1 of our 21 selected in-depth comparison PHAs does not agree to a site visit, we will replace it with another comparison PHA from among the remaining PHAs in the correspondence sample that best matches the corresponding treatment PHA.

• Landlord interviews will be conducted in Year 5 at 13 treatment PHAs and 7 in-depth comparison PHAs. Please see Recruitment and sampling guide for landlord recruitment for details.

Exhibit 6-1: PHA Data Collection by Year and Sample

Activity	Year 2 (Oct 2022–Sep 2023)	Year 3 (Oct 2023–Sep 2024)	Year 4 (Oct 2024–Sep 2025)	Year 5 (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
In-person interviews and observations (site visits)	Treatment (n=29)			Treatment (n=29, 13 with landlords, 16 without) In-depth comparison (n=21, 7 with landlords, 14 without)
Phone interviews		Treatment (n=29)
Web surveys	Baseline Survey: Treatment (n=29) Comparison (n=116)			Follow-Up Survey: Treatment (n=29) Comparison (n=116)

The first stage of recruitment will be reaching out to each HUD field office to increase awareness of the evaluation and garner support in encouraging participation among both treatment and comparison PHAs.

All treatment PHAs have previously agreed to participate in the research program and their participation is required as a condition of their grant. Treatment PHAs have already received briefings on the evaluation from HUD staff. We do not believe that direct communication from HUD will be necessary prior to data collection. We will contact their Executive Directors via email to solicit survey response and to organize site visits. If such emails are unreturned, we will follow up by phone using key points of the email correspondence as our recruitment script.

Comparison PHAs did not apply to be part of the cohort and are thus unlikely to be familiar with the evaluation. As discussed in the DCAP, HUD will send letters to the comparison PHAs to ask for their participation in surveys and (if selected as in-depth comparison PHAs) site visits. After these letters have gone out, Abt will follow up with executive directors to solicit survey response and to organize site visits.

For site visits, each staff member will be recruited individually by Abt. We will send emails to each interviewee with a link to a scheduler website (Calendly) to ensure that the meeting occurs when most convenient to each staff member.

Materials

All PHAs

A.1. Introductory Letter to Regional Directors (Y1)

Treatment PHAs

T.1. Site Visit Preparation (Y1-2)

T.2. Survey Request (Y2)

T.3. Site Visit Confirmation (Y2)

T.4. Site Visit Interview Request (Y2)

T.5. Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y2)

T.6. Telephone Confirmation (Y3)

T.7. Telephone Interview Request (Y3)

T.8. Telephone Interview Confirmation Email (Y3)

T.9. Site Visit Preparation (Y4-5)

T.10. Survey Request (Y5)

T.11. Site Visit Confirmation (Y5)

T.12. Site Visit Interview Request (Y5)

T.13. Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y5)

Comparison and In-Depth Comparison PHAs

C.1. Outreach Letter (Y1) – from HUD

C.2. Outreach Follow-up (Y1)

C.3. Survey Request (Y2)

C.4. Outreach Letter (Y5) – from HUD

C.5. Survey Request (Y5)

In-Depth Comparison PHAs

IDC.1. Site Visit Preparation (Y4-5)

IDC.2. Site Visit Confirmation (Y5)

IDC.3. Site Visit Interview Request (Y5)

IDC.4. Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y5)

A.1: Treatment PHAs: Introductory Letter (Y1): Email: To HUD Regional Directors

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

As you likely know, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is conducting the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study.

As described in the attached Notice, 29 Public Housing Authorities have been approved for MTW status and have agreed to implement various incentives designed to increase participation. An additional 116 comparison PHAs have been identified using a matching procedure, 21 of which have been selected for more in-depth analysis.

Over the next five years, we will collect data at multiple time points. Data collection activities include:

• Baseline and follow-up surveys from all treatment and comparison PHAs in [MONTH/YEAR] and [MONTH/YEAR]

• Two rounds of site visits to treatment PHAs in [YEAR] and [YEAR]

• One round of site visits to in-depth comparison PHAs in [YEAR]

Initial outreach to PHAs is expected to begin by [START DATE].

This letter is only to notify you of these data collection efforts; we do not require any specific action on your part. Treatment PHAs have already agreed to participate in this research as a condition of their MTW designation, so we anticipate that they will be aware of the study and prepared to participate. However, you may receive questions about the study from comparison PHAs within your region, as they did not apply to MTW and may be unaware of the study. We hope that you will encourage comparison PHAs in your region to participate in this important research.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

T.1: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Preparation (Y1-2): Email: To Executive Director

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you know, <PHA name> is part of the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study.

As you may recall, your agency agreed to participate in this study as a condition of your MTW designation. The research design is still awaiting OMB Approval, but we have been given permission to proceed with scheduling the initial site visit. These site visits will give us a chance to learn about the <Metro Name> housing market, your agency’s HCV program, and to meet your team. It is extremely important to our evaluation to understand these issues directly from the individuals involved. The site visits will take place over two days and will involve interviews with members of your team as well as other experts with insight into the HCV program. All travel and logistics will be handled by Abt.

We will also be following up with a baseline survey regarding PHA operations and your plans for the Landlord Incentive cohort.

Pending final approval, we would like to conduct a site visit on [DATES]. We ask that you respond to this email with the following information:

1. Whether the suggested dates will work for your team.

2. Confirm the best person on your team for Abt to contact for issues related to the site visit and survey.

3. Provide a list of PHA staff members or external stakeholders who you recommend we speak with during the site visit, along with their contact information and role. We will reach out to them individually to schedule. We are hoping for a range of perspectives on the HCV program. An ideal list would include individuals in managerial roles, those providing direct client services, and those who have direct interactions with landlords. We have several questions about program data, so we will also need to speak a staff person who is responsible for data collection and reporting for the HCV program.

Please know that these site visits are not designed to evaluate your team in any way. Our goal is simply to learn about how the HCV program operates in your jurisdiction and the policies and initiatives you have implemented (and plan to implement) regarding landlord participation.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

T.2: Treatment PHAs: Survey Request (Y2): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As mentioned in my previous email, Abt Associates is conducting a baseline survey for all PHAs participating the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation.

In this mandatory survey, we will ask you about your PHA’s current activities related to landlord recruitment; landlord retention; and landlord engagement. We will also ask about the MTW incentives that you plan to implement. This information will help us understand the current state of your program and will help us prepare for site visits.

It should not take more than 30 minutes to complete. It can be completed by a member of your staff with a high-level understanding of HCV operations, or multiple staff if needed.

At your earliest convenience, please follow this link to complete the survey: [link]. If you have any questions, please contact Nishi Kumar, PHA Survey Lead at [email protected] or 617-520-2680.

Thank you again for your help. We greatly appreciate your participation in this research.

<Name>

T.3: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Confirmation (Y2): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I’m excited to share that the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation has now been approved by the federal Office of Management & Budget, and we are able to proceed with the site visits as scheduled.

I am reaching out to confirm that we have scheduled a site visit for [DATES]. Please let us know as soon as possible if those dates are no longer feasible.

We will be reaching out to each of the staff members you recommended to schedule individual conversations. If there is anyone else you think it would be useful for us to speak with, please forward their contact information.

We will be in touch closer to the site visit, but in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

T.4: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Interview Request (Y2): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may know <PHA name> is part of HUD’s Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. The goal of the study is to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study. If you’re interested in learning more about the study as whole, we’ve attached a brief summary to this email.

One of the key components of our study is a site visit by the Abt team to learn from you about the voucher program in your jurisdiction, your program priorities, and your plans for implementing landlord incentives.

Based on communications with <ED Name>, we have confirmed <date range> for this site visit. <ED Name> mentioned that you would be an ideal person to speak with about these issues. Because your agency agreed to participate in this study as a condition of MTW designation, your participation is required. It’s very important for you to know that this is not an evaluation of you or your agency. We’ll be using this information for research purposes only, not for any audit or compliance purposes. Your expertise and perspective will be extremely valuable for this research.

The interview should take about an hour and will take place on site at the PHA office. (Please note that all site visitors will follow CDC protocols related to masking and social distancing during site visits.) To schedule your interview, please visit this meeting scheduler <link to the site> where Abt Associates has entered available time slots during our visit. If you have any questions, issues accessing the site, or if the times listed here do not work for you, please contact Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you in advance for your time and your important contributions this study.

Sincerely,

<Name>

T.5: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y2): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us during our site visit. This email simply confirms our conversation is scheduled for <date and time> at <location>.

If you need to reschedule our conversation, please reach out to our team at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

We very much look forward to speaking with you when we’re in town.

Sincerely,

<name>

T.6: Treatment PHAs: Telephone Scheduling (Y3): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

I hope you are doing well. About a year ago, a team from Abt Associates visited <PHA name> as part of the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation.

We aren’t able to visit in person this year, but would like to schedule follow-up phone calls with yourself and a few key members of your staff to learn about the implementation of landlord incentives. We hope to learn more about what has the process been like so far and what have you learned over the last year.

As before, the data collected is used only for research purposes and not part of any audit or compliance process. Our goal is simply to learn about the experience of PHAs across the country as they work to increase landlord participation.

We would like to schedule phone calls between [date range]. The conversations will last approximately one hour and will be scheduled at your and your staff’s convenience.

We ask that you provide a list of 2-3 staff members who we should speak with, along with their contact information and role. We will reach out to them individually to schedule. An ideal list would include individuals who have direct knowledge of the incentives, such as HCV program staff. We will have several questions about program data, so we will also need to speak to staff who are responsible for data collection and reporting for the HCV program.

We would also like to speak with you to hear your perspectives on the landlord incentives. Your agency agreed to participate in this study as a condition of your MTW designation, so your participation is required. For your own conversation, please visit this meeting scheduler <link to the site> where Abt Associates has entered available time slots for phone interviews. If you have any questions, issues accessing the site, or if times outside this scheduler would work better for you, please contact Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your support in this research.

<Name>

T.7: Treatment PHAs: Telephone Interview Request (Y3): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may know <PHA name> is part of HUD’s Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. About a year ago, a team from Abt Associates visited <PHA name> as part of the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation.

It was terrific to meet you [if we did] and learn about the HCV program in [jurisdiction]. We aren’t able to visit again this year in person, but wanted to set up a time for a phone call with you to learn about how the landlord incentive program has been going.

<ED Name> mentioned that you would be an ideal person to speak with about this. We are excited to learn about your experience and our research will really benefit from your perspective. We’ll be using this information for research purposes only. Because your agency agreed to participate in this study as a condition of MTW designation, your participation is required.

The phone interview should take about an hour and we hope to schedule it at a time most convenient for you.

To set up your interview, please visit this meeting scheduler <link to the site> where Abt Associates has entered available time slots during our visit. If you have any questions, issues accessing the site, or if times outside this scheduler would work better for you, please contact Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you in advance for your time and for your important contributions to this study.

Sincerely,

<Name>

T.8: Treatment PHAs: Telephone Interview Confirmation Email (Y3): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. This email simply confirms our conversation is scheduled for <date and time> at <link to zoom of phone contact process>.

If you need to reschedule, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

We very much look forward to speaking with you over the phone.

Sincerely,

<name>

T.9: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Preparation (Y4-5): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

We really appreciate all your help with the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation conducted by Abt Associates. The information that your agency has provided so far has been incredibly valuable for our research, and we are grateful for your participation.

As you likely know, we’re nearing the end of the evaluation period and are now setting up final site visits. As with those we conducted in Year 2 of the project, these visits are designed to give us a chance to learn about the landlord incentive implementation directly from your staff: what worked well, what challenges did you experience, and how did you overcome those challenges?

It is extremely important to our evaluation to understand these issues directly from the individuals involved. The site visits will take place over [TWO/FOUR] days and will involve interviews with members of your team [if applicable: as well as roughly 20 landlords operating in your jurisdiction (we will follow up separately with more details on landlord interviews)]. As before, all travel and logistics will be handled by Abt.

We will also be following up with a brief survey about your experience with the landlord incentives.

To accommodate landlord interviews, the final site visit will occur over four days. We would like to propose a site visit between [date range]. We ask that you respond to this email with the following information:

1. Whether the suggested dates will work for your team.

2. Confirm the best person on your team Abt to contact for issues related to the site visit and survey.

3. Provide a list of PHA staff members or external stakeholders who you recommend we speak with during the site visit, along with their contact information and role. We will reach out to them individually to schedule. We are hoping for a range of perspectives on the HCV program. An ideal list would include individuals in managerial roles, those providing direct client services, and those who have direct interactions with landlords. We have several questions about program data, so we will also need to speak a staff person who is responsible for data collection and reporting for the HCV program.

As you may recall, your agency agreed to participate in these site visits as a condition of your MTW designation, so you are required to participate. Please know that these site visits are not designed to evaluate your team in any way. Our goal is simply to learn about how the HCV program operates in your jurisdiction and the policies and initiatives you have implemented (and plan to implement) regarding landlord participation.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

T.10: Treatment PHAs: Survey Request (Y5): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As mentioned in my previous email, Abt Associates is conducting a follow-up survey for all PHAs participating the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation.

In this mandatory survey, we will ask you about your PHA’s activities related to landlord recruitment; landlord retention; and landlord engagement over the last four years. We will also ask about the MTW incentives that have implemented. This information will help us understand the process of implementing the landlord incentives, and will help us prepare for site visits.

It should not take more than 30 minutes to complete. It can be completed by any member of your staff with a high-level understanding of HCV operations, or by multiple staff if needed.

At your earliest convenience, please follow this link to complete the survey: [link]

If you have any questions, please contact Nishi Kumar, PHA Survey Lead at [email protected] or 617-520-2680.

Thank you again for your help. We greatly appreciate in,

<Name>

T.11: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Confirmation (Y5): Email: To Executive Director (or Designated Contact)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

We are looking forward to speaking with you and your team during our site visit. I’m reaching out to confirm our site visit for [DATES]. Please let us know if those dates are no longer possible.

We will be reaching out to each of the staff members you recommended to schedule individual conversations. If there is anyone else you think it would be useful for us to speak with, please forward their contact information.

We will be in touch again closer to the site visit, but please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

T.12: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Interview Request (Y5): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope all is well with you. As you may know <PHA name> is part of HUD’s Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. The goal of the study is to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study.

[if previously participated: We want to thank you for your help with the study so far. It’s been great communicating with you about the HCV program. We’re now conducting final site visits and are looking to set up another time to talk about your experience since then.]

[if not previously participated: Three years ago, we visited <PHA name> and spoke with staff about the HCV program and their approach to incentivizing landlord participation. We’re now conducting final site visits and are looking to set up a time to talk with staff about their experiences with the landlord incentive program.]

Based on communications with <ED Name>, we have confirmed <date range> for this site visit. <ED Name> mentioned that you would be an ideal person to speak with about these issues. As you may recall, your agency agreed to participate in this study as a condition of your MTW designation, so your participation is required. It’s important for you to know that this is not an evaluation of you or your agency. We’ll be using this information for research purposes only, not for any audit or compliance purposes. Your expertise and perspective will be extremely valuable for this research.

The interview should take about an hour and will take place on site at the PHA office. If you are interested in taking part, please visit this meeting scheduler <link to the site> where Abt Associates has entered available time slots during our visit. If you have any questions, issues accessing the site, or if the times listed here do not work for you, please contact us at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to participate in this study.

Sincerely,

<Name>

T.13: Treatment PHAs: Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y5): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us during our site visit. This email simply confirms our conversation is scheduled for <date and time> at <location>.

If you need to reschedule our conversation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

We very much look forward to speaking with you when we’re in town.

Sincerely,

<name>

C.1: Comparison and In-Depth PHAs: Outreach Letter (Y1): Letter: To Executive Director from HUD

Note: Suggested language.

Dear <First Name><Middle Initial><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may know, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is conducting the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study.

Twenty-nine Public Housing Authorities are part of a cohort implementing a variety of incentives designed to encourage landlord participation. To ensure rigorous evaluation of program outcomes, HUD and Abt have selected 116 comparison Public Housing Authorities who are not part of the cohort. These PHAs were selected using a statistical matching process designed to ensure a comparison group that matches the treatment group as closely as possible. <PHA name> has been selected for this comparison group. This evaluation is not for audit or compliance purposes, and will not affect your operations in any way.

While your participation is voluntary, we hope you will collaborate with Abt Associates to provide them with the data they need for this important evaluation. The goal of increasing landlord participation in HUD programs is central to our mission, and this study will provide important insights for HUD and PHAs across the country. Abt and HUD have worked together to design the study to minimize the burden placed on PHAs. All data collected are for research purposes only and are not part of any audit or compliance process.

As a comparison PHA, you will be asked to participate in two brief online surveys. These surveys are designed to take no more than 30 minutes. The survey will collect general information about landlord engagement efforts at your organization. Abt Associates will email the first survey to you by [DATE].

[if in-depth: In [year], a team from Abt Associates will conduct a site visit of your PHA to learn more about your approach to landlord recruitment for the Housing Choice Voucher program. [if LL: They will also interview 20 landlords in your area to learn about their perspective on the HCV program.] A member of the study team will follow up with you with more information about these site visits.

Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to participate in this study. Abt Associates will reach out to you soon with further information.

Sincerely,

<HUD Name and Contact Information>

C.2: Comparison and In-Depth PHAs: Outreach Follow-up (Y1): Email: To Executive Director

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. You should have received a letter from HUD recently regarding the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. This evaluation is being conducted by Abt Associates and is designed to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program.

As described in the letter, <PHA name> has been selected as a comparison PHA. This means that you will be operating your HCV program as you normally do - whatever you are doing (or plan to do) related to the HCV program, please keep doing it. In order to compare your outcomes to other PHAs who are required to implement certain landlord incentives, we are asking you to complete two brief surveys. Your participation is voluntary. However, we hope that you will complete the survey, as your responses will greatly improve our study.

[if in-depth: To make this comparison even richer, we are also planning site visits, most likely in [year]. During these visits we hope to collect information on your local housing market, the challenges faced by voucher families in your area, and how your PHA helps them overcome these obstacles. [if LL: We will also interview landlords about their experiences with the HCV process.]]

In a [time range], we be following up with a baseline survey regarding PHA operations, landlord recruitment, and the voucher program in your jurisdiction. The survey should take about 30 minutes and can be completed by you or by a staff member with a high-level understanding of the HCV program, or by multiple staff if needed.

If you would like us to direct our communications about the study to another contact at [PHA NAME], please let us know.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

C.3: Comparison and In-Depth PHAs: Survey Request (Y2): Email: To Executive Director (or D.C.)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As mentioned in my previous email, Abt Associates is conducting a baseline survey for all PHAs in the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. <PHA name> is a comparison PHA for this study, meaning that we are simply looking for data on your HCV program so that we can compare it to data from PHAs required to implement a series of landlord incentives.

In this voluntary survey, we will ask you about your PHA’s current activities related to landlord recruitment; landlord retention; and landlord engagement. This information will help us understand the current state of your HCV program.

It should not take more than 30 minutes to complete. It can be completed by any member of your staff with a high-level understanding of HCV operations, or by multiple staff if needed.

At your earliest convenience, please follow this link to complete the survey: [link]. If you have any questions, please contact Nishi Kumar, PHA Survey Lead at [email protected] or 617-520-2680.

Thank you for your help. We greatly appreciate your participation in this important research.

<Name>

C.4: Comparison and In-Depth PHAs: Outreach Letter (Y5): Letter: To Executive Director from HUD

Note: Suggested language.

Dear <First Name><Middle Initial><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may remember, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is conducting the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt) is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study.

Four years ago, <PHA name> was selected as a comparison PHA for this research. This means that we are simply asking you for data that we can compare to other PHAs required to implement specific landlord incentives. You very generously completed the baseline survey for this research.

We are now reaching out to ask you to complete the follow-up survey for this project. The survey is very similar to the one you completed four years ago and is designed to take no more than 30 minutes. Abt will email this survey to you by [DATE].

[if in-depth: Additionally, the team from Abt will also be reaching out to you regarding a site visit. Site visits will allow the study team to collect more in-depth information on the HCV program in different jurisdictions across the country. [if LL: They will also interview 20 landlords in your area to learn about their perspective on the HCV program.] The site visits will be completed between [date range]. Again, we encourage you to participate in this important part of the study.]

Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to participate in this voluntary study. Abt Associates will reach out to you soon with further information.

Sincerely,

<HUD Name and Contact Information>

C.5: Comparison and In-Depth PHAs: Survey Request (Y5): Email: To Executive Director (or D.C.)

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may have seen in a recent letter from HUD, Abt Associates is now conducting a follow-up survey for all PHAs participating the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. We greatly appreciate you help [four] years ago in completing the baseline survey and hope you will complete the follow-up.

In this voluntary survey, we will ask you about your PHA’s recent activities related to landlord recruitment; landlord retention; and landlord engagement. This information will help us understand your HCV program and how it has changed over the past few years.

It should not take more than 30 minutes to complete. It can be completed by any member of your staff with a high-level understanding of HCV operations, or by multiple staff if needed.

At your earliest convenience, please follow this link to complete the survey: [link]. If you have any questions, please contact Nishi Kumar, PHA Survey Lead at [email protected] or 617-520-2680.

Thank you for your help. We greatly appreciate your participation in this important research.

<Name>

IDC.1: ID Comparison PHAs: Site Visit Preparation (Y4-5): Email: To Executive Director

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope things are going well. You should have received a recent letter from HUD updating you on the Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation conducted by Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt). As you know, <PHA name> was selected as a comparison PHA. Our goal is to understand how your HCV program so that we can compare it with PHAs who were required in implement new landlord incentive programs.

Now that we are nearing the end of the evaluation, we are conducting voluntary site visits at a small subsample of comparison PHAs. Our goal is to learn about the <Metro Name> housing market, how your agency’s HCV program operates, and how your team has worked to engage landlords. It is extremely important to our evaluation to understand these issues directly from the individuals involved. The site visits will take place over [TWO/FOUR] days and will involve interviews with members of your team [if LL: as well as 20 landlords operating in your area]. All travel and logistics will be handled by Abt.

Given the research schedule, we would propose a site visit between [date range]. We ask that you respond to this email with the following information:

1. Whether the suggested dates will work for your team.

2. Confirm the best person on your team Abt to contact for issues related to the site visit.

3. Provide a list of PHA staff members or external stakeholders who you recommend we speak with during the site visit, along with their contact information and role. We will reach out to them individually to schedule. We are hoping for a range of perspectives on the HCV program. An ideal list would include individuals in managerial roles, those providing direct client services, and those who have direct interactions with landlords. We will also have some questions about program data, so we will need to speak with the staff person who is responsible for data collection and reporting for the HCV program.

Please know that these site visits are not designed to evaluate your team in any way. Our goal is simply to learn about how the HCV program operates in your jurisdiction and the policies and initiatives you have implemented (and plan to implement) regarding landlord participation.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

IDC.2: ID Comparison PHAs: Site Visit Confirmation (Y5): Email: To Executive Director

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

We are looking forward to meeting you and your team during our site visit. I’m reaching out to confirm our site visit for [DATES]. Please let us know if those dates are no longer possible.

We will be reaching out to each of the staff members you recommended to schedule individual conversations. If there is anyone else you think it would be useful for us to speak with, please forward their contact information.

We will be in touch again closer to the site visit, but please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

Thank you for your assistance,

<Name>

IDC.3: ID Comparison PHAs: Site Visit Interview Request (Y5): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

I hope you are doing well. As you may know <PHA name> is part of the comparison group HUD’s Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Evaluation. The goal of the study is to determine the most effective strategies to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Abt Associates is the research firm that is working with HUD to conduct this study. If you’re interested in learning more about the study as whole, we’ve attached a brief summary to this email.

One of the key components of our study is a site visit by the Abt team to learn from you about the voucher program in your jurisdiction, your program priorities, and any efforts to engage landlords in the HCV program.

Based on communications with <ED Name>, we have confirmed <date range> for this site visit. <ED Name> mentioned that you would be an ideal person to speak with about these issues. It’s important for you to know that this is not an evaluation of you or your agency. We’ll be using this information for research purposes only, not for any audit or compliance purposes. Your expertise and perspective will be extremely valuable for this research.

The interview should take about an hour and will take place on site at the PHA office. If you are interested in taking part in this voluntary interview, please visit this meeting scheduler <link to the site> where Abt Associates has entered available time slots during our visit. If you have any questions, issues accessing the site, or if the times listed here do not work for you, please contact Abt Associates at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to participate in this study.

Sincerely,

<Name>

IDC.4: ID Comparison PHAs: Site Visit Interview Confirmation Email (Y5): Email: To Individual Staffers

Dear <Salutation><First Name><Last Name>,

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us during our site visit. This email simply confirms our conversation is scheduled for <date and time> at <location>.

If you need to reschedule our conversation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at [STUDY PHONE/EMAIL].

We very much look forward to speaking with you when we’re in town.

Sincerely,

<name>