AHS: 2009 National Data File Released

From: American Housing Survey (AHS) ListServ <ahs@huduser.gov>

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is pleased to announce the release of the public use dataset from the 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) national sample. The American Housing Survey is the most comprehensive source of data on the Nation's housing stock. First conducted in 1973, the survey's longitudinal design allows analysts to trace the characteristics of housing units and their occupants from as early as 1985.

The current data release is the national public use microdata file, which gives analysts access to information at the level of individual housing units. This dataset also includes enhanced samples of five metropolitan areas: Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, and Northern New Jersey. For the first time, the AHS includes data on the disability status of household members. The data may be downloaded in SAS format from the HUD USER web site, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs.html. Tabulations based on the AHS data will be available from the Census Bureau in late Summer or early Fall (2010).

The 2009 AHS also included two independent metropolitan surveys, of New Orleans and Seattle. The New Orleans survey included special questions concerning the residents' experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina. HUD expects to release the New Orleans data in August, 2010 and the Seattle data by October 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: Only the SAS version of the dataset is currently available on the web site. We are having trouble transmitting the ASCII version to the HUD USER FTP server. As soon as that technical problem is solved, the ASCII version will be posted to the web page noted above.

HUD plans to host a seminar, to take place in Washington DC in March 2011, on early research results using 2009 AHS data (including the New Orleans and Seattle datasets). We hope to provide expedited access to Census internal files (under the usual disclosure-prevention conditions) and to provide travel stipends for participants. Please keep an eye out for a formal call for papers, which we will issue soon.

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

I disclaim any disclaimers.