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This study explores how PHAs implemented waivers and flexibilities authorized by Congress and HUD to mitigate operational and programming challenges posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with leadership, staff, and members of Resident Advisory Boards from 53 PHAs that adopted waivers and six PHAs that did not adopt waivers (a total of 59 PHAs) to analyze the perspectives of PHA stakeholders concerning the utility of select waivers. Researchers also analyzed data from HUD’s CARES Act Waiver Reporting Tool (CAWRT), a collection of survey data reported by PHAs, to understand the characteristics of all PHAs who implemented waivers (including PHA size, geographic area, and waivers adopted by each PHA). Researchers supplemented the interview and CAWRT data with a document review of PIH notices and guidance to add context to the analysis. Learn More >>

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Housing providers are experimenting with positive rent reporting to help renters establish or improve their credit scores. This involves reporting on-time rental payments to one or more credit bureaus so these payments can be added to a tenant's credit file.

Some of the renters that stand to benefit most from positive rent reporting are also residents of U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)-assisted housing. Public Housing Authorities and multifamily owners who will ascribe to rent reporting programs seek clarity on their ability to participate in such programs and the potential impacts for their tenants. Learn More >>

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The 2021 American Housing Survey (AHS) included a supplemental survey of rental units subsidized through rental assistance programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau used addresses provided by HUD to identify other units in its regular AHS sample that are subsidized by HUD. The 2021 AHS regular sample contained 7,727 assisted units. This report uses information on those units to characterize the 4.5 million rental units assisted by HUD in 2021, and similar information from previous address-matching efforts to analyze how the HUD-assisted rental stock has changed over the last three decades. From 1991 to 2021, the number of HUD-assisted units increased by 11.3 percent, or approximately 455,000 units. HUD's program mix has changed substantially as the Housing Choice Voucher program expanded its share from 26 percent of the assisted stock in 1989 to 49.4 percent in 2021. Overall, the HUD-assisted stock is in good condition, with only 3.8 percent of units severely inadequate compared with 3.4 percent of unassisted units occupied by very low-income renters. Learn More >>

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The Neighborhood Change Indicators project used machine learning to predict future neighborhood change. The project built on the Urban Institute's previous work to expand the analysis from four metropolitan areas to nationwide. Machine learning algorithms were trained on HUD administrative data, USPS administrative data, and several other datasets to predict for specific, binary neighborhood outcomes. The neighborhood change outcome definitions were guided by a literature review and a Project Advisory Group of local experts and advocacy organizations on neighborhood change. Forecasting neighborhood change can help communities and policymakers understand which places may experience further change or are at risk of displacement or disinvestment. The results from this analysis will be available to help guide users of the Neighborhood Change Web Map. Predictions and actual results for 2022 can be viewed online. Learn More >>

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The evaluation of the first cohort of agencies participating in the MTW expansion, referred to as the Flexibility Cohort, focuses on how smaller PHAs use the flexibility offered by their new MTW designation to achieve the three statutory objectives of the MTW program: cost effectiveness, self-sufficiency, and housing choice. The report builds on the Baseline and Year 1 Reports, detailing the early implementation experience (process study) of the Flexibility Cohort PHAs and estimating program impacts (impact study) to date on outcome measures associated with the three statutory objectives. By the end of 2022, 26 of 31 PHAs in the Flexibility Cohort had an approved MTW Supplement to their PHA Annual Plan and were thus eligible to begin implementing MTW flexibilities. Among the 26 PHAs, 236 MTW Waivers were approved for implementation, with the median number of approved MTW Waivers per PHA at 8. The PHAs are making progress towards the three statutory objectives: 24 PHAs have approved waivers for cost-effectiveness activities, 20 PHAs for self-sufficiency activities, and 19 PHAs for housing choice activities. However, PHAs are only in the beginning stages of implementation with only 13 PHAs having approved MTW waivers for at least six months. The PHAs have taken a more conservative approach when implementing waiver activities, aiming to learn from initial implementation before moving forward with a full suite of waiver activities. Therefore, it is still too early to observe program impacts and statistically significant impacts estimated in this report are likely due to chance. Learn More >>

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This document presents the revised Annual Evaluation Plan for fiscal year 2025 for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD or the "Department"). HUD publishes an Annual Evaluation Plan (AEP) each year to document the major evaluation activities it plans to undertake in that fiscal year. Significant evaluation activities are those that meet defined criteria for topical relevance, coordination, and commitment of resources. The AEP describes the new significant evaluation activities the Department plans to undertake in the fiscal year and lists the significant evaluation activities that are already underway and will continue through the fiscal year. The remainder of this introduction provides background on HUD"s evaluation activities and how the AEP relates to HUD"s Strategic Plan and Learning Agenda. Learn More >>

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This report examines the implementation and administration of the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative from its launch in July 2019 to July 2022. The report addresses the implementation of the FYI initiative from the perspectives of public housing agencies (PHAs), their partnering public child welfare agencies (PCWAs), and the program office at HUD Headquarters; program design; and the program's ability to reach the target population relative to the standard Family Unification Program (FUP). The authors use HUD PIC data and semi-structured interviews with staff from seven PHAs, their partnering PCWAs, HUD field offices, and HUD"s Office of Public and Indian Housing to address the research questions. The report found that most youth referred for an FYI voucher are found eligible and most of those referrals result in youth receiving vouchers, and that differences in local rules and requirements from PHAs often drive a community"s preference for one program over another between FYI and FUP. Learn More >>

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This research project seeks to re-engineer the design and fabrication of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system in manufactured housing with all components installed in the plant under HUD"s HUD-required quality assurance and quality control regime. The status quo has the heating and air-handler installed in the factory, leaving consumers to pursue after-market installation of air conditioning with increased cost and performance penalties. Presently, the Manufactured Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS) require the installation of heating systems in manufactured homes. However, cooling systems is an optional requirement in the MHCSS and homeowners desiring to have a cooling system, often purchase an aftermarket system. To move the manufactured housing manufacturers, technical innovations will need to be advanced using new practices for HVAC system marketing, sales, and service. The project was designed to improve HVAC efficacy by taking an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, led by an accomplished team of engineering experts and market professionals, and guided by the key stakeholders in the manufactured housing space. Three prototype technologies for factory-installed air conditioning were developed, installed, assessed, and documented. Learn More >>

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This research study focuses on the use of 3-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) to construct residential wall systems, including integration of windows and doors, wall penetration methods for utilities, and connections between roofs and foundations. The project drew evidence from interviews of home builders and contractors, visits to job sites, and a national survey of 305 homebuilders to understand challenges and opportunities in accelerating the adoption of 3DCP technology in residential buildings. The primary objectives include evaluating 3DCP wall systems' construction practices, identifying barriers to adoption, providing guidance to builders, and outlining steps to expedite the development of building codes and standards for 3DCP technology. An advisory group of key stakeholders reviewed 3DCP construction practices, technical requirements, and challenges, emphasizing critical considerations such as contracts, warranties, design options, building code compliance, and product installation. Learn More >>

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This research study focuses on the use of 3-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) to construct residential wall systems, including integration of windows and doors, wall penetration methods for utilities, and connections between roofs and foundations. The project drew evidence from interviews of home builders and contractors, visits to job sites, and a national survey of 305 homebuilders to understand challenges and opportunities in accelerating the adoption of 3DCP technology in residential buildings. The primary objectives include evaluating 3DCP wall systems' construction practices, identifying barriers to adoption, providing guidance to builders, and outlining steps to expedite the development of building codes and standards for 3DCP technology. An advisory group of key stakeholders reviewed 3DCP construction practices, technical requirements, and challenges, emphasizing critical considerations such as contracts, warranties, design options, building code compliance, and product installation. Learn More >>

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The Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration (STRD) is a randomized controlled trial in which 10 public housing authorities (PHAs) are implementing new rent policies: 5 PHAs are implementing a "stepped rent" and 5 PHAs are implementing a "tiered rent." The new rent policies are intended to reduce administrative burden and provide incentives for assisted households to increase their income, while being roughly budget-neutral for PHAs. PD&R"s long-term evaluation will determine whether households subject to the new rent rules experience different outcomes than those in the control group (standard rent rules). Key household-level outcomes will include earnings and employment, housing subsidy levels, material hardship, and other measures of family well-being. PD&R"s evaluation will also include an implementation evaluation and cost study components to understand implications for PHAs. This report is the first interim report associated with STRD; the report presents the stepped and tiered rent policies, and describes the process of designing and implementing the policies and associated research activities. At the time of publication, study enrollment is ongoing. Learn More >>

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Submetering is a mechanism for measuring tenants' usage of utilities so that owners can charge higher rates to tenants who use more, and lower rates to tenants who use less. It is applicable to buildings that previously only had a master meter connecting to the local utility, which are generally older buildings. Submetering is becoming more desirable in public housing as housing agencies seek ways to reduce costs. Numerous studies have shown that when customers are shifted from master metering to submetering, consumption declines enough to recover the cost of the submetering system in a reasonable time. Once that initial cost has been recouped, the building owner continues to enjoy reduced utility costs. As utility cost pressures increase, more and more HUD assisted housing providers will find submetering worth exploring, not only in new or gut rehab construction, but also as a retrofit option. The technology is proven and sophisticated, and the potential for substantial savings is real. Learn More >>

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