HUD Publishes Evaluation of CARES Act Waivers

By: Eric Oberdorfer, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs

April 22, 2025 — On April 18, HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) released a study examining the implementation and outcomes of CARES Act waivers. The report found that these waivers were instrumental in helping Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and were widely regarded as valuable tools, often addressing needs beyond the immediate crisis. Although PHA staff noted some challenges and suggestions for improvement in the waiver process, the report found that PHAs supported the continuation of these waivers through a simplified waiver process. You can access the full report here.

The study is based on in-depth interviews with leadership, staff, and resident advisory board members from 59 PHAs—53 that adopted the waivers and 6 that did not—in order to assess their usefulness and effectiveness. HUD commissioned 2M Research, an independent research firm, to conduct the study while NAHRO staff provided subject-matter expertise and reviewed the report. To avoid any conflict of interest, NAHRO did not help with PHA selection nor did NAHRO engage study participants on matters related to the study.