06/05/2026
The Pontiac Housing Commission has become the first public housing authority in Michigan to join HUD's new Work and Dignity Coalition, a national initiative focused on expanding employment and self-sufficiency for residents and families.
This new coalition seeks to support a set of national housing policy changes that would allow agencies flexibility to create work requirements, employment programs, term limits for assistance and pathways to economic independence while ensuring support remains available for those who need it most.
The proposed changes are based on over a decade of data, addressing ongoing concerns about long-term economic mobility:
➜ A total of 43% of all households (non-elderly, non-disabled) receiving HUD in assistance in 2024 did not have a working adult.
➜ Simultaneously, statistics show that 65% of current public housing and voucher recipients will spend more than 10 years in subsidized housing, and 50% more than 15 years.
➜ The amount of time individuals and families remain on assistance is also increasing by an average of two years, according to data from 2010 to 2024.
Through this new coalition, any potential work requirements and time limits would be paired with required supportive services. This could include job training, childcare, transportation, education assistance, substance use treatment and counseling, job placement assistance, financial literacy training and other programmed tracks to self-sufficiency.
As federal housing policy continues to evolve, the Pontiac Housing Commission is bringing our city and region to national conversation. We were honored to host a HUD delegation in downtown Pontiac for the signing: Duey Stroebel, Regional Administrator for HUD’s Midwest Region, Ethan Hollenberger, HUD Region V Senior Advisor and Geoffrey Hickox, acting director of the HUD Detroit Field Office. The delegation also toured two sites of our 100 Homes for Pontiac program, which aligns with the coalition’s mission of ensuring housing assistance promotes economic mobility, employment, education and homeownership.
More information about the HUD Work and Dignity Coalition and the proposed policy changes can be found at: tinyurl.com/HUDWORK26
