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AHS 2005 Updates

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A number of new files will soon be available on the 2005
American Housing Survey web site, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs.html .

Note: The files are not all available as I write this, but they
have all been sent to HUD USER for posting. I am sending this
announcement ahead of time because I am going on leave for a
few days.

NEW DATASET
-----------
Yes, I'm afraid that there is yet another new dataset. This
one adds three allocation flags, JVOTHER, JVOTHER2, and
JPVOTHER, which had been left out of the previous version.
Allocation flags tell you if certain variables in the dataset
have been edited or imputed. These three flags apply to the
variables VOTHER (total family non-wage income), VOTHER2
(total household non-wage income), and PVOTHER (person-level
non-wage income). The new dataset is dated 072006.

NEW FILE FLATTENER
------------------
Because JPVOTHER is a person-level variable, it gets
replicated as JPVOTHER1-JPVOTHER15 in the flat file version of
the dataset. The new file flattener program will do that.

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
----------------------
The new descriptive statistics file includes the added
variables.

INSTRUMENT DOCUMENTATION
------------------------
The instrument documentation archive includes two files
describing the survey instrument: One contains the QCODE (the
computer script that embodies the instrument), and the other
is the instrument items booklet that provides the wording of
each item in the instrument.

TABLE SPECIFICATIONS
--------------------
The table specifications file contains the code used by the
Census Bureau to produce the tabulations in the (upcoming)
report. You may find it handy if you want your own
tabulations to be consistent with that document.

VALUE LABELS Package
--------------------
The value labels package defines SAS formats for most
character variables in the dataset. It enables you to produce
tabulations with descriptive labels instead of numeric codes.

CODEBOOK
--------
A draft version of the new codebook, including most of the
changes for 2005. We hope to have the final version online
by the end of August.

DATA DICTIONARY
---------------
The data dictionary is an ASCII file that contains the same
information about variables as is in the codebook, but none of
the explanatory text. Some people prefer it to the PDF
codebook.

ANALYTICAL REPORT
-----------------
A new report, "Analysis of Racial Characterization under
Different Reporting Options," based on the 2001-2003 national
surveys, will soon be available at
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs.html . This study
looks at the ways the same people reported their race in 2001
(using the old five categories) and 2003 (using the new
multiple race format).

Dav Vandenbroucke
Senior Economist
U.S. Dept. HUD
david_a._vandenbroucke@hud.gov
202-708-1060 ext. 5890