New Updates on The Edge - 08/12/2014

New on The Edge

Message from PD&R Leadership:
The Federal Housing Administration: 80 Years Young and Going Strong
For 80 years, the Federal Housing Administration has been a critical component of the nation's housing market. As Congress weighs housing finance reform measures, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Edward Szymanoski reflects on FHA's history and its varied role in supporting homeowners, renters, and the American economy.

Research:
Characteristics of Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant Applicants
A new report from PD&R examines the neighborhood characteristics of Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant applicants in the program's first three years. A "Spatial Analysis of Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Planning Grant Applicant Neighborhoods" aims to understand how local actors select and define neighborhood boundaries and determine what distinguishing characteristics, if any, exist between successful and unsuccessful applicants.

In Practice:
Bringing Solar Energy to Underserved Communities in Massachusetts
As solar energy deployment continues to reach new heights in the United States, Boston Community Capital's Solar Energy Advantage program is working to ensure that low-income households benefit from the stabilized energy costs that photovoltaic systems can provide.

Policy Update:
Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations Use Testing To Expose Discrimination
With housing discrimination taking on more subtle forms, fair housing enforcement organizations (FHOs) rely on various testing methods to investigate violations of law. The strategies used by FHOs in Spokane, metropolitan Milwaukee, and Chicago demonstrate the need for different testing approaches to uncover discrimination.