New Updates on The Edge

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Message from PD&R Leadership:
The Moving to Work Expansion: An Opportunity for New, Rigorous Research
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 called for expanding the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program, which allows designated public housing agencies (PHAs) more flexibility to design the housing rules and programs, to include 100 more high-performing PHAs over the next 7 years. Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development Todd M. Richardson discusses research on MTW, including how you can offer feedback now to shape MTW policy proposals and research moving forward.

Research:
Rapid Re-Housing for Homeless Families Demonstration Program Evaluation Reports
In 2009, HUD awarded grants to 23 communities to implement the Rapid Re-housing for Homeless Families Demonstration (RRHD) program, an intervention to address homelessness that involves housing identification, short-term rental assistance, and case management and services. A series of recently released reports evaluate the design and implementation of local RRHD programs and assess the effectiveness of those programs in helping targeted families exit homelessness and maintain stable housing.

In Practice:
San Emi Apartments Builds Independence for People with Developmental Disabilities in Montclair, California
Completed in 2014, San Emi Apartments serves people with developmental disabilities who are earning less than 50 percent of the area median income with 18 units of affordable housing and onsite social services in Montclair, California. As the fourth affordable housing development in the San Antonio Gateway by nonprofit National Community Renaissance of California, San Emi Apartments is also helping to catalyze development and property improvements in the surrounding neighborhood.

Trending:
Learning from the City: The Midwest Regional Convening of UN Habitat III, An Interview with Antonio Riley
In partnership with the U.S. Department of State, HUD is leading U.S. government preparations for the third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), which will be held in October 2016 in Quito, Ecuador. In an in-depth interview, HUD Regional Administrator Antonio Riley shares his thoughts on the Midwest Habitat III convening, which took place in March 2016 and is the first of five Habitat III forums that HUD will co-host to engage practitioners across the country.

Policy Update:
Financing Effective Housing Interventions With Pay for Success
The Pay for Success (PFS) model is a form of impact investing in which an organization, typically a government, sets specific targets that another organization, such as a service provider, must meet in return for payments. State and local governments have begun using PFS to implement interventions to improve education and address asthma, homelessness, and prisoner recidivism. Officials in many communities that have implemented housing-related PFS contracts expect to see positive outcomes and cost savings.

Spotlight on PD&R Data:
Is There a Slowdown in the Apartment Market?
The latest Spotlight on PD&R Data from the U.S. Housing Market Conditions portal focuses on trends in the multifamily market for the fourth quarter of 2015, showing how the data vary across regions and how they compare to national trends.