Established in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program provides access to housing in the private rental market to those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. 

The $5 billion program, administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was designed to address homelessness and housing insecurity among people at risk of or experiencing homelessness during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This population includes people fleeing violence and individuals who are currently enrolled in a housing program but would face housing instability or homelessness if they lost assistance. 

In May 2021, HUD allocated 70,000 tenant-based vouchers to 613 public housing authorities (PHAs) across the country. The EHV program has helped move more than 60,000 households into housing, and as of April 2025, 59,323 vouchers are still leased. To guide future policy around homelessness services and housing voucher programs for people experiencing homelessness, we examined how six communities implemented the EHV program: 

• Chicago
• the State of Connecticut
• Dakota County, Minnesota
• Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• the City and County of Santa Barbara
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Drawing on stakeholder interviews and publicly available data, these case studies explore how communities used waivers and alternative requirements to streamline EHV implementation and expedite lease-ups in difficult rental markets, how they used the flexible service fee to meet their unique needs, and how they offered supportive services and other innovations to assist EHV holders. These case studies offer valuable insights for local, state, and federal policymakers, public and private funders, and nonprofit housing service providers alike looking to support people experiencing homelessness in the private rental market using vouchers.

Key Themes

Between October and December 2024, we conducted 23 interviews with 33 staff members from PHAs, Continuums of Care (CoCs), and housing service providers across the six communities. The following key themes emerged.

Strong partnerships and communication between PHAs and CoCs played a pivotal role in managing the influx of vouchers into communities. Communities also benefited from collaborating with housing service providers and leveraging existing case managers to efficiently and effectively implement their EHV programs. 

Optional and mandatory waivers offered needed flexibility. The EHV program was designed to address barriers for people with current or prior experiences of homelessness, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviewees said the most useful waivers for their programs were the separate waiting lists for the EHV program, the extension of the minimum initial search term to at least 120 days, self-certification of identity documents and income during applications, preinspection of units, and a higher payment standard for EHVs.

Landlord incentives were essential for engaging and recruiting landlords in competitive rental markets. Regardless of whether a community used the service fee toward landlord incentives in their EHV program, interviewees universally recognized incentives as essential for housing people in difficult markets. Communities valued the flexibility to design and implement incentives to meet their specific needs.

Funding for supportive services helped communities target their services. Although HUD offered significant flexibilities for the EHV program, it lacked dedicated funding for housing stabilization and supportive services. This prompted some communities to develop innovative ways to support EHV holders. In the absence of funding for supportive services, some communities targeted services to people with a lower level of need, with the understanding that the program would not offer housing stabilization support. Other communities secured supportive services funding and used it to tailor their programs to address diverse levels of need, from people experiencing chronic homelessness to those requiring minimal support as they transitioned to vouchers from rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing programs.

Looking Ahead 

For a voucher program to successfully reduce barriers and improve access to safe, stable housing, it needs sustained funding and comprehensive strategies, such as partnership infrastructure, waivers, landlord incentives, and strategic targeting. However, funding for the EHV program—which was initially set to last through September 2035—is unlikely to extend beyond 2026. 

Nevertheless, federal, state, and local policymakers and nonprofit housing providers can incorporate lessons from EHV implementation into future voucher programs for people experiencing homelessness. Policymakers and funders should also build on the EHV program by equipping communities with a wide range of tools to support people on the path to permanent housing, from application and move-in to long-term housing stability.

About 

This project was funded by the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities as part of the Framework for an Equitable Homelessness Response project. We are grateful to them and to all our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. Funders do not determine research findings or the insights and recommendations of Urban experts.