To measure the effectiveness of the Section 8 program, combined with mobility, counseling, in fostering de-concentration among participating families.

To determine whether geographically restricted rental assistance combined with counseling provides an effective means of bringing families and children into better learning and working environments, leading to economic and social self-sufficiency.

MTO programs were established in each city as partnerships between local public housing authorities (PHAs) and one or more local, nonprofit, counseling organizations (NPOs). The PHAs administered the Section 8 rental assistance and the NPOs received funding to help pay the costs associated with counseling, helping find rental units, and working with landlords. Each local program had to provide some degree of match for the Federal counseling funds.

MTO treatment group, (N=1,8203,170) which received section 8 certificates or vouchers useable only in low-poverty areas (areas with less than 10% of the population below the poverty line), along with counseling and assistance in finding a rental unit. 860 families (48%) successfully leased units in low-poverty neighborhoods.

Section 8 comparison group, (N=1,6501,350) which received regular section 8 certificates or vouchers (geographically unrestricted) and whatever briefings and assistance Section 8 certificate and voucher recipients would normally receive from the housing authority. 816 families (60%) successfully leased units.

In-place control group, (N=1,440) which received no certificates or vouchers but continued to receive project-based assistance.

NOTE: MTO was designed as a major social science improvement over earlier research that failed to address the problem of self-selection bias: that if only the most motivated families are included or selected to join a program, their experiences will not be typical of the eligible population and will confound or confuse outcomes. MTO addresses the self-selection issue buy randomly assigning families who volunteered for the MTO program into one of the three groups.