Becca Morris’s journey to secure stable housing began in a tumultuous period of her life.
At just 19, she became a mother, facing turmoil as her son’s father cycled in and out of rehab and prison.
During this challenging time, Morris found herself couch surfing with friends and family, simply searching for a place to call home.
When the opportunity to apply for a federal housing subsidy arose, she welcomed the chance, even though it came with the stipulation that the aid would only be available for seven years at most.
“I feel like this was … good pressure,” Morris reflects, explaining how the deadline motivated her to improve her circumstances, return to school, and strive for a better future.
Now, Morris and her son reside in a cozy two-bedroom home in Bridgeville, Delaware, adorned with vibrant plants, photos of her now 13-year-old son, and two large aquariums forming a serene ambiance.
Despite the comfort of their small abode, it’s clear that Morris is yearning for more space.
The initial seven-year cap on her rental aid has since passed, especially with the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Morris reflects on her experience, it becomes evident that this program has offered much more than just a ticking clock on support.
Currently, only a small fraction of local housing authorities can enforce time limits, like the Delaware State Housing Authority, which operates in two counties within the state.
However, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has plans underway to broaden this authority, introducing not only time limits but also potential work requirements.
While HUD has declined to provide specific details, an internal document viewed by NPR indicates these changes are forthcoming.
A HUD spokeswoman pointed out that President Donald Trump’s budget proposal had included a two-year cap on rental assistance, advocating that it would help beneficiaries gain self-sufficiency and economic independence.
Yet, housing policy experts caution that there is little evidence supporting claims that time limits or work requirements effectively elevate employment rates or help individuals transition off subsidies.
They express concern about the potential ramifications for countless individuals, especially as rent prices continue to soar, becoming inaccessible for many Americans.
Morris’s positive experience with the Delaware program underscores that the impact of such initiatives reaches far beyond mere time constraints.
A significant aspect of the program was the requirement for the residents to work, which applies to all adult members of the household unless they are elderly or disabled.
Regular meetings ensured Morris remained on track with her finances, a critical component of her journey.
Instead of experiencing an immediate hike in rent as her income rose, the Delaware program allowed her payments to stay consistent.
This arrangement allowed Morris to funnel the additional money she would have spent on rent into an interest-bearing savings account for future use once she exited the program.
Reflecting on this benefit, she says, “I would have been literally paycheck to paycheck this entire time.
How would I have saved any money without having to work like seven days a week, 24 hours?”
The Delaware initiative operates with a two-tiered time limit.
If a participant successfully transitions out within five years, they receive their entire savings account balance.
However, for those who need longer, a two-year extension is granted, albeit with some penalties.
Morris, who required that extra time, will only be able to access part of her saved funds, but she stands by the financial sense of staying longer.
“I was able to save more staying here with the lower rent,” she shares.
Morris also had some flexibility with her deadline, receiving additional time due to the pandemic and after suffering a wrist injury that prevented her from working.
During a period when she needed to focus on completing her nursing degree, she benefitted from a rent reduction, paying just $50 a month.
Fast forward nine years, and Morris is preparing for another chapter.
With her personal circumstances transformed, she is ready to transition out of her subsidized housing.
“Yes, the stars align to the grace of God,” she expresses, affirming that everything has fallen into place.
Despite the proponents of time limits underscoring the limited reach of housing assistance—only about a quarter of those who qualify receive aid—limitations have had mixed success in various regions.
Howard Husock, a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute, attributes lengthy waiting times to the lifetime availability of housing subsidies.
He suggests that the median time individuals spend on federal housing assistance hovers around four to five years, yet many remain for over a decade.
Husock argues that implementing time limits is not intended to penalize families but instead to stimulate movement within the system, facilitating upward mobility for those in need.
However, experiences in certain areas show that time limits do not always yield the desired outcomes.
In Washington state, the Tacoma Housing Authority enforced a five-year maximum on housing assistance beginning in 2013.
This policy faltered as rapidly increasing rent costs placed significant burdens on even those with stable jobs.
April Black, the housing authority’s executive director, noted that while individuals worked hard to improve their situations, the reality of escalating housing prices hindered progress.
As the five-year limits approached, numerous individuals faced the distress of losing their housing assistance, leading to a difficult decision for the authority.
“We’re here to house people, and there was no way that we were going to exit people from a program knowing that they would become homeless,” Black confirms.
After conducting their own analysis, Tacoma found that individuals with indefinite housing vouchers, lacking strict time limits, had better success rates for income growth and transitioning out of assistance.
In 2022, the authority decided to eliminate the time limit policy altogether.
Matthew Heckles, director of the Delaware State Housing Authority, acknowledges the difficulties presented by the prevailing affordable housing crisis, complicating the case for imposing time limits.
He emphasizes that the two-year time cap in President Donald Trump’s budget proposal seems unrealistic for many families.
“I don’t think we have very many, if any, families that … graduate after two years,” he remarks.
Despite acknowledging the merits of a time limit, Heckles believes the success seen in Delaware is not exclusively tied to the urgency created by such deadlines.
He suggests that the real benefits stem from providing residents with interest-bearing savings accounts, which typically accumulate approximately $7,000 on average, along with comprehensive support services.
This support includes assistance with budgeting, accessing childcare, and navigating health insurance challenges.
Once, when a large number of tenants worked at a common employer, the Delaware housing authority even arranged transportation to help them commute to work.
Although people may still require affordable housing after moving on from the program, many are able to thrive without needing continued subsidies, with some even purchasing their own homes.
Morris is among those who have triumphed in this area, now visiting a nearby town to her soon-to-be new home, a two-story house under construction.
“Well, here we are, my new home!” she excitedly announces as she walks through the building site.
For two years, Morris scoured the market for affordable housing, grappling with the disheartening reality of losing out on prospective homes to higher bids.
The last few months leading up to her deadline proved nerve-wracking as she continued her search.
However, fortune smiled upon her when she discovered this house, still under construction and available for sale.
While exploring the unfinished space, she gestures toward different rooms, brimming with excitement.
“I cannot wait to do laundry in my own house,” she exclaims, her enthusiasm palpable as she climbs the stairs to envision her new life.
Despite the tight quarters and the impending need to work harder to manage her mortgage, she remains optimistic about her future.
Yet she acknowledges the gravity of her new responsibilities and recognizes the weight of the journey she has navigated.
“Come moving in is when it’ll really, like, hit me,” she anticipates.
Upon reflecting on her accomplishments, she’ll undoubtedly realize, “Wow, I did this.”
image source from：https://www.npr.org/2025/06/07/nx-s1-5425500/federal-rental-aid-time-limit-hud-delaware-housing-authority
