Lewiston Housing is proud to announce the launch of our Direct Rental Assistance (DRA) pilot program, the first approved plan of its kind under HUD’s Moving to Work Expansion program. This is more than a new program. It’s a fundamental reimagining of how rental assistance works, and we’re thrilled to be leading the way.

What Is Direct Rental Assistance?

For decades, federal rental assistance has followed the same basic model: subsidies get paid to landlords on behalf of tenants. Our DRA pilot flips that script. Instead of routing payments through landlords, we provide the subsidy directly to tenants so they can manage their own rental payments, take greater control of their housing decisions, and build the skills and confidence they need to eventually stand on their own. The goal isn’t just better housing. It’s economic growth and self-sufficiency, with less long-term reliance on government programs.

The idea is straightforward: trust people with the resources and responsibility they need to build a better future for themselves and their families.

Why We’re Doing This

Anyone who has spent time working in housing assistance knows the current system, while life-changing for millions of families, has real limitations. Landlords sometimes walk away because of the paperwork. Tenants can feel stigmatized by the process. And the administrative overhead of managing landlord contracts adds cost and complexity on our end.

DRA tackles all of that. Putting the subsidy directly in tenants’ hands reduces barriers to landlord participation, opens up more housing options for families, and builds the kind of financial confidence that helps people find lasting stability. In a market like Lewiston’s, with record low vacancy rates, removing even one obstacle can make the difference between someone finding a home or staying on a waiting list.

A National Trailblazer

We are the first public housing authority in the country to receive an approved DRA plan under HUD’s MTW Expansion program. That distinction reflects years of planning, community input, and a genuine willingness to try something new in affordable housing.

The current Administration has shown real interest in testing the DRA model as part of a broader effort to modernize rental assistance and promote self-sufficiency. HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing and Office of Policy Development and Research put out a formal Request for Information on DRA in 2024, and dozens of MTW agencies around the country raised their hands. We’re now the first to move from concept to an approved, funded program, and we take seriously our role as a testing ground for what could become a national model.

Building on What’s Working in Philadelphia

We didn’t dream this up in a vacuum. Philadelphia’s PHLHousing+ program has been providing direct cash rental assistance to 301 low-income families with children since 2022, with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania running a rigorous randomized controlled trial alongside it. Two years in, the results are hard to argue with: participants saw significantly lower rates of eviction and homelessness compared to families who received no assistance. And here’s the number that really jumped out to us: 100% of households offered the cash subsidy were able to use it. Compare that to the traditional voucher track, where a quarter of families offered a voucher couldn’t find a unit to lease.

That gap says a lot about the barriers baked into the current system. Philadelphia’s experience gave us both the evidence and the confidence to move forward with our own version.

Research-Driven from Day One

We’ve partnered with researchers from Bates College and Vassar College to evaluate the pilot through a randomized controlled trial. This isn’t just a program rollout. It’s a research project designed to answer questions that matter well beyond Lewiston. Do tenants lease up faster with DRA? Do they end up in better neighborhoods? Does direct assistance improve housing stability over time compared to traditional vouchers?

We want real answers, and we’ve structured the program to get them.

How the Program Works

DRA participants receive their subsidy on a restricted debit card, loaded once housing quality has been confirmed through our inspection process. The subsidy is calculated the same way as a traditional voucher, based on 30% of the tenant’s adjusted income, so families aren’t paying more than they can afford.

We’re enrolling 60 new participants each year over a five-year pilot. Households need to meet standard HCV eligibility requirements. Selection runs through a lottery-based waiting list to keep things fair. And every participant goes through a comprehensive orientation covering their rights, responsibilities, and resources, including how to complete self-inspections, work with landlords, and understand how DRA might interact with other benefits they receive.

Join the Waiting List

If you or someone you know might be a good fit for DRA, we encourage you to apply. Applications are accepted online through our website and in paper form at the Lewiston Housing office. Materials are available in multiple languages, and we’re happy to help anyone who needs assistance with the process.

Apply for the DRA Waiting List →

Questions? Reach us at info@lewistonhousing.org or (207) 783-1423.

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