The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) dramatically and permanently amended the federal laws governing the delivery of assistance to low-income families. These changes affected economically disadvantaged public housing residents, Housing Choice Voucher participants and the Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) that serve them.

Some of the changes included:

	Conducting an Asset Assessment of each public housing property to review the present and future use and value of each property
	Reducing agency dependence on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidies by becoming more entrepreneurial and economically self-sufficient
	Requiring agencies to return to their original roots as developers and managers of property as opposed to "landlords"
	Developing an Asset Management Plan to:
	-   Determine the housing needs of current and future residents and the community in which it serves - Establish a driving vision and mission supported by measurable goals - Recommend new housing including type, number of units, price range and timetable based on resident and community need - Recommend funding sources for each proposed action including traditional and alternative financing options - Create a strong foundation and Strategic Plan that will support and maintain the vision and mission of the PHA long into the future

	Introducing welfare reform including welfare-to-work policies and the reduction of welfare subsidies to public housing recipients
	Requiring agencies to work more closely with residents assisting them in becoming economically independent and housing self-sufficient

In response to QHWRA, RIHA prepared its original Asset Management Plan in 2003. The purpose of the Plan was to review the present and future use and value of each of its properties. RIHA also used the Asset Management Plan as the framework to link its Strategic Plan and Guiding Principles allowing it to more effectively achieve its goals. An evaluation of the Plan at the five-to-ten year mark was built into the original implementation strategy. That evaluation was conducted in 2008. The 2008 Asset Management Plan recommendations were approved by the Board of Commissioners in February 2009.