PD&R Edge Elist 07/16/2013

New on The Edge

Message from Senior Leadership:
New Leadership Ties Research to Mission
Evaluation of HUD programs and demonstration projects is critical to promoting sustainable and inclusive communities for all. New Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Monitoring (OREM) Calvin C. Johnson discusses the role of research in advancing HUD’s goals.

In Practice:
Capital Improvements as an Affordable Housing Priority
Lawmakers in Montgomery County, Maryland are hoping that new legislation will create expanded affordable housing opportunities in the land-scarce county. A recently passed bill will integrate affordable housing assessments into new capital projects in order to coordinate affordable housing with the county’s capital improvements.

Research:
Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples in Rental Housing
Neither the Fair Housing Act of 1968 nor its amendments prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, although evidence suggests same-sex couples face barriers to housing access. PD&R recently sponsored the first large-scale study of housing discrimination against same sex couples in an effort to understand the extent of discrimination against this group.

Policy Update:
Confronting Concentrated Poverty With a Mixed-Income Strategy
In an effort to address the need for affordable housing and encourage the development of mixed-income communities, hundreds of jurisdictions have adopted inclusionary zoning (IZ) policies that vary greatly in how they are structured. An in-depth look at IZ programs in New York City and Chicago indicates that inclusionary zoning has the potential to produce affordable housing and to create socially and economically integrated communities, especially in markets where housing demand is high.

Statistical Reports:
Housing Scorecard June 2013
Home prices continue to rise and new and existing home sales remain strong. Foreclosure starts and completions are down significantly from a year ago, and since January 2012 rising home values have lifted 2.4 million homeowners back above water. Officials caution, however, that although mortgage delinquencies are trending down, they still remain quite high compared to historic norms. In addition, market conditions vary by region and the overall economic recovery remains fragile. The Administration's foreclosure mitigation programs continue to benefit millions of homeowners as the housing market recovers from an unprecedented crisis.