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HUD Research Assets

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HUD Research Assets:


HUD continuously makes significant investments in Research Assets, including program demonstrations and the production of datasets and data linkages.

  1. HUD Demonstrations. HUD values demonstrations as a method for evaluating new policy and program initiatives and significantly advancing evidence-based policy, especially when rigorous random-assignment methods are feasible. Examples of demonstrations that are underway or recently completed include the Family Options Study, the Rental Assistance Demonstration, the First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration, the Moving to Work Demonstration, the Rent Reform Demonstration, and the Community Choice Demonstration. To view published HUD research, please visit https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdrpubli.html.

  2. HUD Data, Analysis, and Reporting Infrastructure. HUD makes significant investments to improve and support the nation's housing data. The American Housing Survey (AHS; https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs.html) is one of HUD's largest research investments. The AHS provides a wealth of data on the size and composition of the nation's housing inventory that researchers could use to more effectively address questions about housing market dynamics.

  3. HUD Administrative Data Linkages.

    1. PD&R has partnered with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to longitudinally link HUD's administrative records for rental assistance participants with the National Health Interview Survey, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and associated NCHS linked files for Medicare, Medicaid, and mortality data. These data resources are available through the NCHS research data centers at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-linkage/hud.htm.

    2. HUD and the Census Bureau have entered into an interagency agreement to link data from demonstrations and administrative systems with survey data and other administrative records. Further information is available at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdrdatas_landing.html.

  4. Data License Applications and Data-Only Requests. To access restricted-use HUD data without a funding request, researchers may obtain a HUD data license provided their research aligns with HUD priorities. A copy of the data license application is available from HUD User: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/research/pdr_data-license.html. Applications may be submitted to HUD by e-mail to DataLicense@hud.gov. HUD does not require researchers to obtain a data license to use the HUD-NCHS linked datasets, but a HUD research partnership can support waivers of NCHS fees for the research data center if a research proposal is accepted by NCHS.