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AHS: Utilities billing variables

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The American Housing Survey datasets have a set of BILLxx variables that
indicate which utilities are billed together.  We are trying to simplify
them.  There are six utilities we ask about, and each may be billed
separately.  For those that are combined, a single question collects the
information on which are billed together.  Census then arrays that data
and creates the BILLxx variables.  Does anyone need to know that gas is
billed on electric, or would it suffice to say that gas and electric are
on the same bill?  Having a more straightforward set of billing
variables should improve the modeling of the amounts paid.

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