Assessment of the Usefulness of the Products of the Office of Policy Development and Research

Authors: Haley, Barbara A.     Aspen Systems Corporation     Vreeke, Andrew     Million, Laura     Gearhart, Carolee     Cain, Tony     Liu, Vivienne    

Each year PD&R releases an average of 60 publications, many of which PD&R disseminates on an ongoing basis. Currently PD&R's information clearinghouse, HUD USER, serves more than 17,000 active customers. The public can request PD&R's archived and latest reports, newsletters, data sets, and brochures by contacting the clearinghouse through its 1-800 toll-free line, mail, fax, or the Internet. Available publications cover topics such as homelessness, youth intervention, fair housing, public housing, crime issues, community development, FHA programs, building technology, and affordable housing.

HUD's Fiscal Year 2001 Annual Performance Plan set objectives to ensure HUD's leadership in housing and urban research and policy development nationwide. As HUD's research and policy development office, PD&R contracted with Aspen Systems Corporation to develop a report that is the first of its type, that ascertains the usefulness of PD&R publications released between January 1995 and October 2000. Three areas were examined:

• Circulation of publications through PD&R's information clearinghouse and Internet site.

• Use of PD&R documents for journal article development.

• Customer satisfaction with PD&R publications as determined through brief, informal discussions.

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