AHS 2007 National Data Released!

The public use microdata from the 2007 national American Housing Survey are available for download from the HUD USER web site at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs.html .  Both the SAS and ASCII versions are available, as is the SAS file flattener program for those of you that want to combine all the files into one big one.  We will be adding the usual documentation filesas they are completed.  While the codebook will not be updated until the metropolitan data are released at the end of this year, We do plan on posting a short document on the most important technical changes.  A summary of the changes to the survey is listed below.
 

Dav Vandenbroucke
Senior Economist
U.S. Dept. HUD
david.a.vandenbroucke@hud.gov
202-402-5890

I disclaim any disclaimers.
 

ITEMS ADDED

Academic comparison to other area elementary schools. A question was added to determine how the respondent believed their public elementary school compared academically to the other public elementary schools in their area.

Safety equipment. A series of questions were added to determine the number of homes with working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and/or carbon monoxide detectors.

Down payment. A question was added to determine the percent of purchase price that was used as a down payment. For detailed definitions of these items, see Appendix A.

ITEMS MODIFIED

Special living. Additional types of services and assistance available to residents (such as bathing and eating) were only asked of those who reported that meals, transportation, or housekeeping were available.

Neighborhood conditions. The series of questions on neighborhood crime, odors, and street noise or traffic was reduced. For each of these items we no longer ask whether or not the condition is bothersome and, if yes, so bothersome that they want to move.

Neighborhood shopping. We no longer ask if satisfactory neighborhood shopping is available and the distance from home (less than 1 mile or 1 mile or more). Instead, we ask if grocery or drug stores are within 15 minutes of the home and, if yes, are they satisfactory.

Public transportation. Instead of asking if the household uses public transportation weekly or less than weekly and the satisfaction level, we now ask if the household uses it regularly for commuting to school or work and the travel time to the nearest mode of transportation.

Selected physical problems. Modified to exclude hallways under severe and moderate physical problems.

Income sources of families and primary individuals. We subdivided the combined Interest/Dividend/Rental income question into separate income receipt items. We also modified the other income to no longer include child support or alimony.

Public elementary school. We no longer ask those who report an unsatisfactory elementary school if they are so bothered they want to move.

Other heating equipment. We no longer ask for the type of fuel used for the secondary sources of heating equipment, nor do we determine if the equipment is a parallel or supplemental heat source.

ITEMS DROPPED

Fuels. The question regarding other house heating fuels was dropped.

Height and condition of building. For multiunit structures, the questions on common stairways (and their condition) and light fixtures (and their working order) were dropped.