Tracking and evaluating economic self-sufficiency programs in moving to work housing authorities

Abstract

This thesis investigates the measurement and evaluation of economic self-sufficiency programs at the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA). CHA has established a reputation as a leading innovator and implementer, but the agency is beginning to recognize the need to improve their capacity for program measurement and evaluation. Agency leadership is working to restructure internal hierarchy and to attract and engage with the local academic community - all with the aim of conducting and learning from data driven evaluations of programs and activities. At the same time, CHA is developing a broad suite of economic self-sufficiency programs for their tenant population. Within the next three years, more than 500 households will have access to these programs. Yet many initiatives lack well-developed evaluation plans that would allow the agency and their peers to gain valuable insights and develop transferable, scalable guidelines. This thesis creates a framework for understanding CHA's unique regulatory and reporting requirements, and the agency's position within the larger field of housing-based economic self-sufficiency programs. This foundation affords a more nuanced understanding of the agency's own programs, and existing plans and protocols for assessment. It then goes on to compare other methods of measurement and evaluation and how such models may inform CHA's next steps. Finally, it offers broad recommendations for achieving clarity and resolving mission conflict, improving both data collection and data management, and governing collaborative efforts with partners. These suggestions are meant to be informative prompts for further inquiry and action, but there are by no means comprehensive instructions.