The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Assisted Housing Quality Control study provides estimates of the extent, severity, costs, and sources of subsidy calculation errors for the Public Housing, Section 8, and Section 236 programs. The study involved interviewing tenants, verifying sources and amounts of income, calculating tenant contributions and comparing these amounts with the program sponsor's calculation, and studying related matters. Study results will serve as a basis for targeting corrective action. Future studies could measure the efficacy of such corrective actions, a practice used by other agencies.

"Error" is defined as any rent calculation or eligibility determination that differs from what would have occurred if the PHA/owner had followed all HUD income certification and rent calculation requirements during the most recent certification/recertification period. The analysis also identifies errors in assigning appropriate size units to households.

Researchers collected data from a nationally representative sample of HUD-assisted housing projects and project residents. Office of Management and Budget approval was received in May 1991, and a pretest was conducted later that year. The full data collection began in August 1992 and was completed in January 1993. Analysis of the data was conducted from May 1994 to May 1995.