The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) finds dramatic increases in worst case housing needs (known as "worst case needs") that cut across demographic groups, household types, and regions.1 This rise in hardship is due to shrinking incomes and upward pressure on rents caused by growing competition for already-scarce affordable units. Worst case needs rose more sharply between the 2007 American Housing Survey (AHS) and 2009 AHS,2 both in absolute and percentage terms, than in any previous 2-year period since at least 1985. During this 2007-to-2009 period, the number of renters experiencing worst case needs jumped by more than 20 percent, from 5.91 to 7.10 million.

The 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) included, for the first time, a battery of six questions on whether occupants suffer from disabilities. The six questions were taken from the American Community Survey (ACS), and the same six questions are used in the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and selected supplements to SIPP contain more detailed questions on disabilities and related health conditions. This paper compares the various surveys that use the ACS questions and analyzes the data from the 2009 AHS on disabilities.

Title charges include title insurance premiums and often charges for closing or settling a loan. Title insurance premiums vary considerably across metropolitan areas, from an average of $700 in Des Moines, Iowa, to $2,190 in New York City. Housing market institutions and regulations explain some, but not all, of this variation. The other charges vary as well. This report attempts to explain the remaining variation in title costs within five housing markets. Local regulations and house prices are substantially associated with costs. Characteristics of the home purchase that make title search more challenging are modestly associated with costs in some markets, but not in others. Significant remaining variation between the fees charged by individual settlement agents suggests consumers would benefit from shopping for title insurance

The purpose of this study was to bring transit-oriented development planning together with affordable housing planning through the development of an implementable Model Housing Transportation Plan. The plan, with input from local, regional and federal planning, housing and transit agencies and other stakeholders, is unique to the site for which it was developed; however, it is intended to serve as an illustrative model for planning professionals, community advocates and community-based organizations in other jurisdictions with similar contexts. It endeavors to advance the nation’s understanding of the need for affordable housing near transit and to promote strategies and tools to empower stakeholders to implement housing transportation station area plans that benefit the entire region. And finally, it seeks to demonstrate how federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing (HUD) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) can work together to support local and regional efforts to develop coordinated housing and transportation plans.

The goal of Cityscape is to bring high-quality original research on housing and community development issues to scholars, government officials, and practitioners. Cityscape is open to all relevant disciplines, including architecture, consumer research, demography, economics, engineering, ethnography, finance, geography, law, planning, political science, public policy, regional science, sociology, statistics, and urban studies.

The research symposium in this issue of Cityscape (Volume 14, Number 1) examines American Housing Survey Program.

U.S. Housing Market Conditions, published quarterly, is a compilation of statistical data and written reports. Tabular data indicate market conditions on the national level and are presented for each quarter. Historical data are also presented in summary tables. Overviews of economic and housing market trends are presented for 10 geographical regions, the report for each of which includes a profile on a selected housing market. Each issue includes a summary of the overall trends in national housing and a topical piece that describes a particular, noteworthy aspect of housing activity.

Most young people in the United States are experiencing an increasingly prolonged transition to adulthood. It is no longer assumed that they will automatically become self-sufficient adults on their 18th or even 21st birthdays (Arnett 2000; Wight, Xhau, Aratani, Schwarz, and Thampi 2010; Setterstein and Ray 2010). Rather, young people are gradually taking on the roles and responsibilities traditionally associated with adulthood while they acquire the education and work experience needed to become economically independent (Berlin, Furstenberg, and Waters 2010). This is often made possible by direct financial assistance and other support provided by parents or other family members (Furstenberg, Rumbaut, and Settersten 2005; Arnett 2000; Settersten, Furstenberg, and Rumbaut 2005; Shanahan 2000; Yelowitz 2007). In fact, it is now normative for young people to remain at least somewhat economically dependent on their families well past age 18. Learn More

This report studies housing units that at different times serve the owner and renter segments of the housing markets. At HUD’s request, the authors had previously examined the phenomenon of units that change tenure, but that study was limited to the 2001–2003 period. The current study takes advantage of the MacArthur File, a longitudinal linking of 13 AHS surveys from 1985 to 2009.

The current AHS sample provides a history from 1985 to 2009 of all the units that were in the 2009 housing stock. Over this period, many housing units played more than one role. The most common history consists of being always part of the owner stock; 54.2 million units played a single role, that of owner units. Another 18.3 million units also played a single role, that of renter units. However, the “always renter” total is 5.5 million fewer than the number of units that were in the owner stock at some time and in the renter stock at some other time during this 24-year period. This paper focuses on the 23.8 million units whose histories from 1985 to 2009 consist solely of being sometimes in the owner stock and sometimes in the renter stock. We call these units own/rent units. Learn More

This issue of Evidence Matters examines the factors that make regions more resilient in the face of stresses, whether they are long-term industrial declines or unforeseeable shocks such as natural disasters. The lead story details how local capacity, leadership, and community connections can help regions avoid or recover from stresses and explores how the Obama administration’s Strong Cities, Strong Communities pilot initiative is helping to grow capacity in some of America’s hardest-hit areas. The second article delves into the evolution of research into regional resilience and considers several recent efforts to more completely understand what factors affect resilience. Finally, the practice-focused article discusses how the growth of poverty in suburban areas has strained local governments and foundations, and how cross-sector partnerships in Chicago’s South Suburbs and in Chester, Pennsylvania have filled in gaps to support vulnerable residents.
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The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is one of the longest running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD). CDBG is a grant to states and local governments that is distributed by a need-based formula. Fiscal year (FY) 2012 marks the first year that the CDBG allocation formula will rely on the Census Bureau’s new annual data source—the American Community Survey (ACS)—and the 2010 Census population counts. This report introduces the ACS to CDBG stakeholders and provides detailed information on how using the 2010 Census and ACS data shifts funding amounts. This analysis compares actual FY 2011 allocations with alternate allocations using FY 2011 appropriations, the FY 2011 grantee universe, and the new data that will be used in FY 2012. Allocations presented should not be interpreted as actual FY 2012 grant amounts.
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Since Hurricane Katrina, many lessons have been learned about the importance of disaster preparedness planning and the impact of such planning on permanent residential housing recovery. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to explore new strategies for supporting state and local governments as they prepare and plan for disasters. In cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Disaster Housing Task Force, we continue to address the temporary, interim, and permanent housing challenges that communities confront in a post-disaster environment.

The content is presented in four short volumes. The first volume provides an overview of the permanent housing options, which include manufactured, modular, panelized, and site-built housing. The second volume provides a summary of the national disaster housing strategy, and describes a straightforward planning approach for estimating potential losses and expediting rebuilding. The third volume presents the House Capacity Calculator, which is an easy-to-use application that estimates required rebuilding time based on available house production capacity. The fourth volume describes the basic plant design requirements for manufactured, modular, and panelized housing.
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Since Hurricane Katrina, many lessons have been learned about the importance of disaster preparedness planning and the impact of such planning on permanent residential housing recovery. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to explore new strategies for supporting state and local governments as they prepare and plan for disasters. In cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Disaster Housing Task Force, we continue to address the temporary, interim, and permanent housing challenges that communities confront in a post-disaster environment.

The content is presented in four short volumes. The first volume provides an overview of the permanent housing options, which include manufactured, modular, panelized, and site-built housing. The second volume provides a summary of the national disaster housing strategy, and describes a straightforward planning approach for estimating potential losses and expediting rebuilding. The third volume presents the House Capacity Calculator, which is an easy-to-use application that estimates required rebuilding time based on available house production capacity. The fourth volume describes the basic plant design requirements for manufactured, modular, and panelized housing.
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Since Hurricane Katrina, many lessons have been learned about the importance of disaster preparedness planning and the impact of such planning on permanent residential housing recovery. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to explore new strategies for supporting state and local governments as they prepare and plan for disasters. In cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Disaster Housing Task Force, we continue to address the temporary, interim, and permanent housing challenges that communities confront in a post-disaster environment.

The content is presented in four short volumes. The first volume provides an overview of the permanent housing options, which include manufactured, modular, panelized, and site-built housing. The second volume provides a summary of the national disaster housing strategy, and describes a straightforward planning approach for estimating potential losses and expediting rebuilding. The third volume presents the House Capacity Calculator, which is an easy-to-use application that estimates required rebuilding time based on available house production capacity. The fourth volume describes the basic plant design requirements for manufactured, modular, and panelized housing.
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Since Hurricane Katrina, many lessons have been learned about the importance of disaster preparedness planning and the impact of such planning on permanent residential housing recovery. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to explore new strategies for supporting state and local governments as they prepare and plan for disasters. In cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Disaster Housing Task Force, we continue to address the temporary, interim, and permanent housing challenges that communities confront in a post-disaster environment.

The content is presented in four short volumes. The first volume provides an overview of the permanent housing options, which include manufactured, modular, panelized, and site-built housing. The second volume provides a summary of the national disaster housing strategy, and describes a straightforward planning approach for estimating potential losses and expediting rebuilding. The third volume presents the House Capacity Calculator, which is an easy-to-use application that estimates required rebuilding time based on available house production capacity. The fourth volume describes the basic plant design requirements for manufactured, modular, and panelized housing.
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This report presents the long-term impacts of a unique housing mobility demonstration, Moving to Opportunity (MTO), on housing and neighborhood conditions, physical and mental health, economic self-sufficiency, risky and criminal behavior, and educational outcomes. The MTO demonstration was authorized by the U.S. Congress in section 152 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. In 1994, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched MTO to test whether offering housing vouchers to families living in public housing projects in high-poverty neighborhoods of large inner cities could improve their lives and the lives of their children by allowing them to move to lower-poverty neighborhoods. The original authorizing legislation for MTO charged HUD with describing “the long-term housing, employment, and educational achievements of the families assisted under the demonstration program.”
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Congress frequently provides supplemental appropriations through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to help communities recover from natural and manmade disasters. These Disaster Recovery Grants have been used to help New York City recover from the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001; to help towns in the upper Midwest recover from severe flooding in 1993, 1997, and 2008; and to help the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Recent research by Abt Associates Inc., under contract with HUD, examines how $19.7 billion in Disaster Recovery Grants were used in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to help with recovery from those devastating hurricanes of 2005.

The research had two key components: “windshield observations” of significantly damaged homes and neighborhoods and a survey of the owners of properties that were badly damaged. HUD has published two reports from this research:

• Housing Recovery in the Gulf Coast, Phase I: Results of Windshield Observations in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
• Housing Recovery on the Gulf Coast, Phase II: Results of Property Owner Survey in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

This summary presents key findings from both reports and describes key policy issues surrounding the federal role in disaster recovery.
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Consistent with the outcome measurement requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has sponsored several waves of third-party confidential surveys of its key program implementation partners—intermediaries that deliver HUD’s programs to end customers. The surveys assessed partner satisfaction with HUD’s performance, considered integral to enhancing agency accountability, improving program delivery, and ensuring quality customer service. Conducted in 2001, 2005, and 2010, the surveys covered many different aspects of HUD-partner relationships. Complete results of the 2001 and 2005 surveys are posted on HUD’s HUDUSER website. This report covers the 2010 surveys.
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This report examines changes in the rental housing market between 2007 and 2009 with particular emphasis on the affordability of rental housing. Using data from the American Housing Surveys conducted in those years, it answers such questions as: “Have the number of rental units affordable to households with very low incomes increased or decreased over the period?” or “What happened to the rental units that were affordable to low-income households at the beginning of the period?”
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The Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration was established to give public housing authorities (PHAs)1 and HUD flexibility to design and test various approaches for providing and administering housing assistance that:

1) Reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in Federal expenditures;

2) Give incentives to families with children where the head of household is working, seeking work, or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and

3) Increase housing choices for low-income families.

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Manufactured housing units (built under the HUD Code or Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards in the controlled environment of a manufacturing plant and transported in one or more sections on a permanent chassis) provide an important source of affordable housing within the United States. After adjusting for land costs, the per square foot cost of HUD-Code housing is less than half of standard, site-built housing. With the increased use of multi-section units and recent innovations in manufactured housing building technology, particularly integrated floor and chassis systems, many manufactured housing units are now virtually indistinguishable from conventional site-built units.
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The goal of Cityscape is to bring high-quality original research on housing and community development issues to scholars, government officials, and practitioners. Cityscape is open to all relevant disciplines, including architecture, consumer research, demography, economics, engineering, ethnography, finance, geography, law, planning, political science, public policy, regional science, sociology, statistics, and urban studies.

The research symposium in this issue of Cityscape (Volume 12, Number 1) examines Rental Housing Policy in the United States.
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A Components of Inventory Change (CINCH) study explains in physical (bricks and mortar) terms how changes that take place in a housing market come about. This CINCH report uses the American Housing Survey (AHS) to track the national housing stock from 2007 to 2009.
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This edition centers on the role rental housing policy plays in housing and community development. Its lead article focuses on several proposals from last October’s Next Generation Housing Policy Conference, sponsored by the White House, about the role of affordable rental homes in improving life outcomes. This issue also examines rental housing market dynamics, the role of banks in financing afford­able housing, and the debate over a key piece of housing tax policy.
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY 2010–2015 Strategic Plan calls for an overall reduction in energy costs through improved design and operation of HUD-supported projects. Energy conservation and green building techniques are becoming mainstream practice for market-rate projects, and many sponsors and owners of HUD-subsidized housing have already started following suit, both in maintaining and upgrading existing units and in constructing new units. To ensure that this momentum continues in its Section 202 and Section 811 portfolio, HUD moved in fiscal year 2010 to require energy efficiency and water conservation measures and to encourage the use of green building design and features in new Section 202 and Section 811 projects. This Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Green Building Design in Section 202 and Section 811 Programs report was developed as the result of an Interagency Agreement between HUD and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the help of stakeholders who participated in roundtable discussions with HUD and EPA. It was developed to aid sponsors and owners in working with HUD to advance these goals and, specifically, to assist in responding to the new requirements and incentives.

The Evaluation of FSS Program: Prospective Study examined Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program characteristics in a representative sample of 100 housing agencies. The study also followed a group of 181 FSS participants in 14 programs, observing their FSS experiences and outcomes. After 4 years in the FSS program, 24 percent of the study participants completed program requirements and graduated from FSS. When the study ended, 37 percent had left the program without graduating and 39 percent were still enrolled in FSS. Program graduates were more likely to be employed than other exiters or the still-enrolled participants. Program graduates also had higher incomes, both when they enrolled in FSS and when they completed the program, than participants with other outcomes. Staying employed and increasing their earned incomes helped graduates to accumulate substantial savings in the FSS escrow account. The average escrow account balance was $5,294 for program graduates, representing about 27 percent of their average household income at the time of program enrollment.

This report investigated the impact of HUD-assisted housing on the number of worst case needs for housing. This issue affects policy discussions about the impact of HUD’s current assistance for 5.06 million units and the effects of devoting additional resources to assisted housing.

U.S. Housing Market Conditions, published quarterly, is a compilation of statistical data and written reports. Tabular data indicate market conditions on the national level and are presented for each quarter. Historical data are also presented in summary tables. Overviews of economic and housing market trends are presented for 10 geographical regions, the report for each of which includes a profile on a selected housing market. Each issue includes a summary of the overall trends in national housing and a topical piece that describes a particular, noteworthy aspect of housing activity.

This study presents national estimates of the number of households that include people with disabilities who have worst case housing needs and presents their characteristics. It provides a supplement to the Worst Case Housing Needs 2009: Report to Congress, released in February 2011.

People with disabilities face additional burdens to finding safe and affordable housing for several reasons, such as being subjected to housing discrimination and encountering limited availability of accessible housing units. This supplement responds to the need to improve the estimation of the number of people with disabilities with severe housing needs and address the known undercount of past estimations. This supplement also analyzes the extent to which new direct questions on disabilities, added to the 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS), improve the estimation of people with disabilities and it discusses remaining limitations toward identifying people with disabilities with severe housing needs using this survey.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to present the 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), the fourth in a series of reports on homelessness in the United States. The reports respond to a series of Congressional directives calling for the collection and analysis of data on homelessness. The 2008 AHAR breaks new ground by being the first report to provide year-to-year trend information on homelessness in the United States. The report provides the latest counts of homelessness nationwide—including counts of individuals, persons in families, and special population groups such as veterans and chronically homeless people. The report also covers the types of locations where people use emergency shelter and transitional housing; where people were just before they entered a residential program; how much time they spend in shelters over the course of a year; and the size and use of the U.S inventory of residential programs for homeless people. This AHAR also is the first to compare Point-in-Time estimates reported by Continuums of Care across several years.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to present the 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), the fifth in a series of reports on homelessness in the United States. The reports respond to a series of Congressional directives calling for the collection and analysis of data on homelessness.

The AHAR reports provide the latest counts of homelessness nationwide—including counts of individuals, persons in families, and special population groups such as veterans and chronically homeless people. The report also covers the types of locations where people use emergency shelter and transitional housing; where people were just before they entered a residential program; how much time they spend in shelters over the course of a year; and the size and use of the U.S inventory of residential programs for homeless people.

With the 2009 AHAR, we now have three complete years of data on the numbers and characteristics of sheltered homeless people, how they became homeless, and how they used the homeless services system. This is important, because we can begin to see discernable trends in homelessness, including the effects of the recession and of changes over time to the homeless services system.

In recognition of the fact that a lack of savings is the most significant barrier to homeownership for most low-income families, Congress passed the American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003, which established the American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI). The ADDI program was designed to provide assistance with downpayments, closing costs, and, if necessary, rehabilitation work done in conjunction with a home purchase. This formula-based program disburses assistance through a network of Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) in all 50 states and affords them significant flexibility in designing homebuyer programs to meet the needs of their communities. Established as part of the HOME program,2 ADDI is a prime example of direct federal assistance to promote low-income homeownership.

Built-out communities and communities with land use restrictions have significant barriers to overcome when implementing affordable housing. The limited availability of land suitable for development forces community leaders to come up with creative solutions to the affordable housing crisis. Several of these jurisdictions are now turning to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — also referred to as granny flats, accessory apartments, or second units — as an inexpensive way to increase their housing supply. Restrictive zoning policies are being revised to allow development of these units. However, such policies are often met with community opposition from residents concerned that ADUs will change their neighborhood’s character, promote overcrowding, and increase traffic congestion. This case study examines the history and benefits of ADUs, and highlights six communities that have successfully implemented ADU ordinances.

The primary objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable urban communities, by providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. To divide the annual appropriation of CDBG funds among jurisdictions, Congress has designed a formula that seeks to provide larger grants to communities with relatively high community development need and smaller grants to communities with relatively low community development need. The core formula variables in the allocation formula have not been changed since 1978. This report provides the latest assessment of how well the variables being used in the CDBG formula continue to target funds toward community development need. It shows that the formula does generally continue to target to need, but that targeting toward community development need has declined substantially over the past 26 years. Over time, an increasing number of jurisdictions with similar need have come to receive substantially different grants. In addition, the amount of funds going to the most needy grantees on a per capita basis has decreased, while the amount of funds going to the least needy grantees on a per capita basis has increased.

This report offers four alternative formulas that would substantially improve targeting to community development need. Each provides trade-offs in terms of formula simplicity, the amount of funds reallocated, and the type of community development need to be accorded the highest priority. It’s important to recognize that any change to the existing formula that improves targeting to need will result in a significant redistribution of funds. Nonetheless, the Department hopes that serious attention will be given to the alternatives presented in this report. We look forward to working with Congress, CDBG grantees, and other stakeholders to discuss alternatives to the current formula.

The goal of Cityscape is to bring high-quality original research on housing and community development issues to scholars, government officials, and practitioners. Cityscape is open to all relevant disciplines, including architecture, consumer research, demography, economics, engineering, ethnography, finance, geography, law, planning, political science, public policy, regional science, sociology, statistics, and urban studies.

The research symposium in this issue of Cityscape (Volume 12, Number 1) examines HOPE VI Program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) commissioned the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Research Center to do a cost evaluation of the Section 202 and Section 811 supportive housing programs. The legislatively stated purpose of the Section 202 program is to provide "Supportive Housing for the Elderly," just as the purpose of the Section 811 program is to provide "Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities" (including Group Homes). HUD initiated a study of these programs because of concerns about the accuracy of the project development cost limits it was using for this program. The most significant concern was that the total development cost limits under this program were inadequate to fund all development costs for projects in at least some areas, and that the need for program sponsors to find other sources of grant funding often resulted in significant project development delays. HUD was also concerned about whether the cost limits had a consistent relationship with actual development costs from area to area.

Few people intentionally consider durability when designing a home, but rather rely on experience and market acceptance to make design decisions. This approach to design works best in a stable housing market where architectural preferences and material choices do not change or change very slowly. The housing market, however, tends to be dynamic rather than stable and new materials and preferences influence the market continuously, sometimes in dramatic ways. This dynamic condition also places a responsibility on designers and builders to properly apply their experiences, which are often based on older construction methods and materials, to new materials and design conditions. As a result, it is important to understand why certain practices have been effective (or ineffective) in the past so that they can be properly interpreted and considered in the design and construction of modern homes.

This manual titled Durability by Design: A Guide for Residential Builders and Designers is intended to raise the awareness and understanding of building durability as a design consideration in housing. The Guide covers basic concepts of durability and presents recommended practices - including numerous construction details and design data - for matters such as moisture management, ultraviolet (UV) protection, insects, decay, corrosion, and natural hazards. Some attention is also given to matters that may be considered serviceability issues related to normal wear-and-tear, aesthetics, or functions not immediately associated with durability.

The contents of this Guide will help to preserve and promote ìtried-and-trueî practices and concepts related to housing durability, and present them in a manner that can be used to cost-effectively design the durable homes of the future.

The extent to which faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been involved in social service, community development, and housing programs is not well understood. This report draws on interviews and research of knowledgeable scholars and practitioners in community development, and summarizes the current state of knowledge, the policy conclusions, and the major questions that ensue. Key findings include an overview of the non-worship activities of FBOs that highlights the diversity of activities they have undertaken and offers insight into their organizational capacity. The report also compares what community development corporations have learned about requisites of effective community development practice with the organizational capacity of FBOS. The implications of these findings for policy and research opportunities are explored.

This detailed review of mortgage underwriting guidelines used by three of the most common sources of residential mortgage finance – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) – finds that changes to standard products offered by these major participants over the last decade have addressed some of the barriers to homeownership for Hispanics. The review is not intended to compare the financial institutions' offerings or to rank them, but rather to highlight the products that are currently available to overcome barriers to homeownership for Hispanics and to understand where gaps remain in the types of products needed to address different barriers.

Federal legislation to support the development of transitional housing programs for homeless people (TH) was first introduced in 1986, and ultimately incorporated into the first Stewart B. McKinney Act in 1987 as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Supportive Housing Program (SHP). HUD’s division of Community Planning and Development has had responsibility for the SHP since 1989, when a new administration brought all the McKinney Act housing programs together within the new Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, which manages and directs the program.

By 1996 there were about 4,400 transitional housing programs offering about 160,000 beds (Burt et al. 1999). By 2007 there were almost 7,300 transitional housing programs offering about 211,000 beds. About 53 percent of the TH beds reported in 2007 are designated for families (HUD 2008), creating a capacity to serve about 40,000 families at a time.

This manual is designed to assist manufacturers, retailers, setup crews, and homeowners to recognize and solve moisture problems in manufactured homes. It reviews the symptoms of typical problems, outlines preventive measures, and provides solutions pertinent to home design, manufacture, installation, operation, and maintenance.

The Prescriptive Method for Connecting Structural Insulated Panel Roofs to Concrete Wall Systems (Prescriptive Method) provides prescriptive requirements to facilitate the use of SIP roofs on concrete wall systems (such as poured concrete and insulated concrete form walls) for the construction of one- and two-family dwellings. By providing prescriptive provisions for the roof connections for typical concrete homes with SIP roof systems, the need for engineering can be reduced for most applications. The provisions in this document were developed by applying accepted engineering practices, standard test procedures and practical construction techniques. The provisions in this document comply with the loading requirements of the most recent U.S. model building codes at the time of publication. However, the users of this document should verify its compliance with local code requirements. The user is advised to refer to the applicable building code requirements where the provisions of this document are not applicable or where engineered design is called out.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Quality Control for Rental Assistance Subsidy Determinations studies provide national estimates of the extent, severity, costs, and sources of rent errors in tenant subsidies for the PHA-administered Public Housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, and Moderate Rehabilitation programs; and the owner-administered Section 8, and Section 202 and Section 811 programs with Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRAC) or Project Assistance Contracts (PAC). These programs account for nearly all of HUD's current housing assistance outlays administered by the Offices of Housing and Public and Indian Housing, as well as the large majority of units assisted by HUD. This study was designed to measure the extent of administrator income and rent determination error by housing providers. This study does not involve an audit of individual PHAs or projects; nor does it monitor the implementation of housing programs. Its focus is on identifying households where an error was made when calculating the amount of the household's rent; and providing nationally representative findings related to those errors.

An important factor in making the best use of our nation’s housing stock is accurately assessing the condition, safety, usefulness, and rehabilitation potential of older residential buildings. The Residential Rehabilitation Inspection Guide provides step-by-step technical information for evaluating a residential building’s site, exterior, interior, and structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. First published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1984 as the Guideline on Residential Building Systems Inspection, the guideline has found widespread use and acceptance among architects, engineers, builders, realtors, and preservationists.

Now, for the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) program, the guideline has been updated and expanded to include current assessment techniques and standards, information about additional building materials, and a broader coverage of haz-ardous substances and the effects of earthquakes, wind, and floods. HUD is pleased to reissue this important and time-tested publication, knowing that it will prove a valuable resource for preserving and reusing our nation’s building stock.

This Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing research identifies the panelized wall systems currently available in the U.S. and international markets. The report describes their technical specifications, how they perform, and in what applications they are most used. The standard performance criteria that all panelized wall systems need to meet in order to integrate with existing methods of construction are described. The three areas within the wall panel market that were the focus of the research were systems types, code compliance, and performance measures. Research efforts included the development of a panelized system matrix, descriptions of various panel types, performance measures inherent in panelized systems, and areas of code compliance in panelized systems. The study concludes with a “Future Strategies Report,” based on the research, on what direction HUD should take with future research into panelized systems.

This is the third volume of The Rehab Guide, a series of nine guidebooks to inform the design and construction industry of state-of-the-art materials and innovative practices in housing rehabilitation. The Rehab Guide focuses on building technology, materials, components, and techniques rather than projects such as adding a new room. Each volume features breakthrough materials, labor-saving tools, and cost-cutting practices.

Entitled The Rehab Guide: Roofs, the third volume, was developed as a part of the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). It covers the major roofing systems as well as protective strategies, energy and air filtration issues, roofing materials, and gutters and downspouts. It uses drawings and photographs to supplement written descriptions of several components of the rehabilitation of roofs.

For information on the other Rehab Guides in the series click here.

In recent years, there has been growing interest among different groups representing and serving persons with disabilities in providing more mainstream housing opportunities for this constituency. This research investigates the social and economic implications of project size in Section 811 and Section 202 (direct loan) projects for persons with disabilities, their residents, and the immediate neighborhoods. A congressional mandate requires that this study look specifically at the benefits and problems associated with providing Section 811 housing in projects with 7 or fewer units, 8 to 24 units, and more than 24 units; and the benefits and problems associated with providing housing for non-elderly persons with disabilities under the Section 202 (direct loan) program, in projects having 30 to 50 units, 51 to 80 units, 81 to 120 units, and more than 120 units. This report presents the study’s findings.

The Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program provides capital advances and project rental assistance under Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (as amended), for housing projects serving elderly households. The Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has conducted a study to assess whether the program has been effective in meeting the needs of very low-income elderly Americans.

To break the cycle of reliance of government assistance, HUD’s legislation includes a requirement that most public housing authorities (PHAs) offering the Housing Choice Voucher program develop action plans promoting family self-sufficiency (FSS) for client families. Avenues to family self-sufficiency include individual case management, education, employment, childcare and transportation, and a substantial delayed monetary incentive for families that achieve increases in earnings. PHAs’ FSS plans rely on community partnerships through which these opportunities and services are made available to public housing and Housing Choice Voucher families. Then, in a contractual arrangement of up to five years, an individual family and the PHA jointly target goals, utilizing the support services arranged by the PHA that they believe will enable the family to attain economic self-sufficiency.

This study presents a descriptive profile of FSS program participants and FSS programs in terms of size across the country. Using site visits and 1996–2000 HUD administrative data, the study also reports FSS program outcomes and compares them with what changes occurred in similar non-FSS program participants during the same period.

From 2002–2007, Kle mann Commun cat on Group, Inc. (KCG) has conducted s x rounds of qual tat ve test ng on var ous consumer mortgage forms. The follow ng report summar zes each round of test ng. Round 1 of consumer test ng took place from December 9–13, 2002, and nvolved 45 part c pants n three geograph cally d verse c t es: Balt more, Maryland; B rm ngham, Alabama; and Ch cago, Ill no s. Test ng n Round 1 nvolved collect ng qual tat ve data to help nform the des gn of the Good Fa th Est mate form (GFE) and the Guaranteed Mortgage Package Agreement form (GMPA). Round 1 of test ng nvolved 45 demograph cally d verse part c pants.

The report is the twelfth in the series of worst case housing needs reports that have been issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since 1991.

Worst case housing needs (WCN) are experienced by unassisted very low-income renters who either (1) pay more than one-half of their monthly income for rent; or (2) live in severely inadequate conditions, or both. HUD defines "very low-income" as below 50 percent of the local area median income (AMI) and "extremely low-income" as below 30 percent of AMI.

At the forefront of issues affecting today's housing market, foreclosed properties have become a significant problem, not only to local economies, but also to the aesthetics of the area. Moreover, middle- to low-income families continue to be priced out of the housing market while suitable housing units remain vacant. Local governments can enable productive reuse of these properties and simultaneously address the affordable housing crisis by creating public entities known as land banks to acquire, hold, and manage foreclosed properties. This report examines the concept of land banking and discusses barriers and solutions to the successful implementation of land banks. The report contains case studies from the Genesee County Land Bank Authority, the Baltimore City Land Bank, and the Atlanta/Fulton County Land Bank. Each case study provides a detailed description of the land banking programs and their effectiveness in revitalizing declining neighborhoods.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is increasingly recognized as having the potential to improve the quality of life for American households, by creating vibrant, livable communities in proximity to transit. Improved access to transit can reduce transportation costs for working families and mitigate the negative impacts of automobile travel on the environment and the economy.

The need for a mix of housing types that is affordable to a range of family incomes in proximity to transit is an important policy concern at all levels of government, including the federal government. Through its policies and investments, the federal government can help shape opportunities at the regional and local level to meet the growing demand for affordable housing near transit.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded this research for the purpose of developing an index of community needs. Such an index would take information from various public databases on different types of community problems and produce an overall assessment of a community’s needs. As far back as 1976, HUD devoted its own staff resources to studying community needs and devising ways to synthesize various types of needs into an overall index of needs. HUD’s efforts have been sporadic because the primary source of data on community needs has been the decennial censuses, and thus new information on needs has been available only at 10-year intervals. Now, the American Community Survey (ACS) will provide every year the information that previously was available only from the decennial censuses. The annual availability of information through the ACS makes a community needs index much more valuable for HUD.

This study addresses the characterization on a national basis of the regulatory cost barriers associated with land subdivision, specifically barriers to the subdivision of land that can be developed with single-family detached (SFD) dwellings. Previously, this issue has been addressed only on a very small geographic scale. Previous approaches have not been used to examine regulatory cost barriers at the national level.

As discussed in the Executive Summary, there are two distinguishable types of regulatory barriers for the subdivision of land to construct single family detached dwellings: - a) barriers which lengthen the time for approval of a subdivision and b) land development and site development standards which are more costly than a set of minimum "benchmark" standards selected to provide for public health and safety. Benchmark standards are intended to be appropriate for affordable single-family detached dwellings without adding costs that would not bring commensurate public health and safety benefits. There are added costs when land is developed according to standards larger than the benchmark standards and there may also be benefits associated with those larger standards. The question of whether the added benefits are commensurate with the added costs is dependent upon many considerations. The evaluation of whether some of the benefits may be commensurate with the costs is an area that merits considerable investigation but is outside the scope of this study.

Impact fees are one-time charges applied to new development. Impact fees are a form of land-use regulation designed to assure that communities maintain adequate levels of public facilities in the face of growth. The resulting revenue generated for the construction or expansion of new facilities is coincidental to their land-use regulatory (i.e. police power) purpose. Were it not for growth many communities would have adequate public facilities and often if growth is at a manageable pace adequate public facilities can be provided concurrent with the impacts of growth. To assure adequate public facilities, impact fees are assessed and dedicated principally for the provision of additional water and sewer systems, schools, libraries, parks and recreation facilities, and other infrastructure made necessary by the presence of new residents in the area. The funds collected cannot be used for operation and maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of capital facilities.

As will be noted, impact fees are not the best way in which to finance most public facilities from a variety of theoretical perspectives and instead taxes are. However, in the absence of the legal or political ability to raise taxes combined with a desire to maintain level-of-service quality in their communities, elected officials may see impact fees as a pragmatic solution.

Evidence Matters highlights research that connects the work of housing policymakers at all levels, as well as researchers, advocates, and industry members. Each quarterly issue contains evidence-based articles, resources, and a book review on research and practices organized around a policy-relevant theme.

Neighborhood revitalization, the theme of this issue (Winter 2011), intersects directly with HUD's mission — to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities, and quality, affordable homes for all.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to present to Congress the 2007 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). This is the third report in a series of reports on homelessness in the United States and the first to be based on a full year of Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data reported by communities across the country. This 2007 report will provide a baseline for measuring changes in homelessness from one year to the next.

The reports respond to a series of Congressional directives beginning with the FY 2001 HUD Appropriations Act. In that year, Congress directed HUD to assist communities in implementing local HMIS and required every jurisdiction to begin client-level reporting within three years. Senate Report 106-410 noted that HMIS data could be used to develop an unduplicated count of homeless people and to analyze the use and effectiveness of homelessness assistance services. To that end, Congress further charged HUD with collecting and analyzing HMIS data from a representative sample of communities in order to understand the nature and extent of homelessness across the nation.

Concern over high crime rates and deteriorating inner-city neighborhoods has reawakened interest in Defensible Space, architect Oscar Newman's groundbreaking physical design approach to crime prevention. Creating Defensible Space, written by Newman and recently published by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, draws on Newman's experience carrying out and analyzing Defensible Space projects since the early 1970s. This publication provides an expert review of the Defensible Space concept and three step-by-step case studies to help communities redesign neighborhoods for greater safety.

Defensible Space has been misinterpreted, and occasionally even misused, to justify design features that have merely fenced public housing or low-income residents in or out of particular areas. In fact, Defensible Space theory encompasses a wide range of planning and design strategies that focus attention on reassigning the perceived ownership of residential space. Newman argues that when common spaces associated with highrise housing—such as community rooms and outdoor grounds—lack clear owners or are open to too many users, residents cannot assert responsibility for their safety and maintenance, and these places are left vulnerable to crime and vandalism. Newman advocates recreating a sense of ownership in these spaces by dividing and "assigning them to individuals and small groups to use and control as their own private areas." Once residents reestablish control of their environment, "the criminal is isolated because his turf is removed," writes Newman

This handbook is a guide for those approving HUD-code manufactured homes on permanent foundations, including engineers, manufacturers, and site owners seeking approval. It provides current technical information, recommendations, and tables of analytical data, expanding and clarifying the definition of a permanent foundation. It updates 1989 loading requirements for snow, wind, and seismic forces. Because of the increased use of multi-section manufactured homes, the guide now includes consideration of large openings along the length of marriage walls in multi-section units. The construction recommendations assure that the home, foundation, and site are all compatible. In addition to the new technical recommendations, the guide has been expanded and reorganized for easy reference with more illustrations and clarifications. The handbook can greatly assist preparation of the worksheets needed to apply for an FHA mortgage

Homes built in compliance with the HUD standards are entering the portfolios of developers who have historically used site-building methods exclusively. The economics of building homes in a factory under a single national code has long been attractive. But only in the last few years has the vision of manufactured homes as a technology for supplying a wider range of affordable housing needs begun to be realized. The changes in the manufactured housing market, the evolution of the industry itself and the diversification of the potential customers for manufactured homes are ushering in a host of innovations and changes to the industry's core product. No area is more affected by these changes than the methods for supporting and fastening the home to the ground.

This guide serves several functions. First, it helps decision makers in forming a strategy for sorting through foundation and support system alternatives and describes factors that affect the design and construction process. Second, it exposes the manufactured housing industry, buyers of manufactured homes and others interested in HUD-code housing to some of the more popular and practical ways of designing and installing manufactured home foundation or support systems. These designs are springboards for exploring alternative design approaches and solutions. Lastly, through the use of case studies, the guide examines how some practitioners are already pursuing new foundation and support system methods, hinting at the wealth and diversity of foundation solutions yet to come.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Steel Framing Alliance have cooperated to introduce cold-formed steel framing into the residential construction market, and to provide builders and homeowners with a cost-effective alternative construction material. To this end, these organizations have addressed several barriers to the widespread use of cold-formed steel framing. One remaining barrier is the lack of hybrid construction details that give builders the option of using steel or wood, as appropriate.

In response, HUD and the Steel Framing Alliance commissioned the NAHB Research Center to review existing details and develop a comprehensive list of hybrid wood and steel connection details. Details lacking engineering data were tested and the results incorporated into this Builder's Guide. By providing builders and framers with the necessary tools to construct hybrid wood and steel homes economically, HUD enhances housing affordability and quality through competition from new methods and materials.

This report presents the findings from an exploratory study of the Housing First approach of providing permanent supportive housing to single, homeless adults with mental illness and co-occurring substance-related disorders. In recent years, Congress and the leadership of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have encouraged the development of permanent housing for homeless people. Concurrently, there has been a shift toward committing a greater proportion of HUD McKinney-Vento Act funds toward housing as opposed to supportive services and an increase in attention toward the hardest-to-serve, chronically homeless population, a substantial number of whom are mentally ill. Because it addresses this population and its needs, the Housing First approach is currently experiencing increased attention as a method of serving this population consistent with the above-stated goals.

This Design Guide provides the information and resources necessary to design and install cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) water supply systems in residential buildings. It includes comprehensive design concepts and installation guidelines to increase the acceptance and proper use of PEX. This document is targeted to meet the needs of home builders, designers, and trade contractors. Its purpose is to introduce potential users to PEX and to enable current users to optimize their PEX plumbing and minimize system costs. In addition, it will allow code inspectors and homeowners to become familiar with the applications, performance characteristics, and benefits of PEX water supply systems.

First published in 1996, the Fair Housing Act Design Manual: A Manual to Assist Designers and Builders in Meeting the Accessibility Requirements of The Fair Housing Act provides clear and helpful guidance about ways to design and construct housing which complies with the Fair Housing Act. The manual explains the accessibility requirements of the Act, which must be incorporated into the design and construction of multifamily housing covered by the Act. A clear statement of HUD's interpretation of the accessibility requirements of the Act is included so that readers may know what actions will provide them with a "safe harbor." Recommendations are made which, although not binding, meet the Department's obligation to provide technical assistance on alternative accessibility approaches that are, at least minimally, in compliance with the Act. The latter information allows housing providers to choose among alternatives and provides persons with disabilities with information on accessible design approaches.

In the previous edition, differences existed between the Act's accessibility requirements and the non-binding or recommended guidance provided by the manual. The revised manual clarifies what are requirements under the Act and what are HUD's technical assistance recommendations. The portions describing the requirements are clearly differentiated from the technical assistance recommendations.

This PATH (Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) document focuses on technologies that affect cost impacts and environmental issues associated with the land development process. It provides a brief introduction to low impact development and discusses conventional and alternative techniques and technologies that developers can integrate into their existing land development practices in order to provide built environments that enhance the natural environment. The project complements and builds on the information presented in a 1993 HUD report, Proposed Model Land Development Standards and Accompanying Model State Enabling Legislation, which focused on unnecessary land development practices that add to a home’s final cost.

Through various regulatory requirements within its insurance programs, HUD has had a great influence on the design and construction of much of the nations' housing stock. Through its predecessor agency, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department, as early as the 1930's, established various construction standards to assure that the housing it insured met minimum requirements for construction quality, safety, and durability. Over time, the Minimum Property Standards (MPS) gained influence far beyond its originally intended role of reducing risks for FHA-insured properties. The MPS has been included in numerous HUD programs and has been a significant factor in the development of national model building codes and their subsequent adoption by thousands of local communities. A related HUD program on the Technical Suitability of Products (TSP) provides acceptances for new products and systems for FHA-insured housing. This study examines the history of both the MPS and TSP programs, assesses their continued, albeit reduced, impact on the single-family operations of the Department as well as on the larger housing industry, and makes a series of recommendations for legislative, regulatory, and administrative reforms. The study does not address the need for, or continued relevance of, the MPS and related programs in the multifamily operations of the Department.

The assessment of earthquake hazard has been a long-standing concern in areas known to be prone to earthquakes. While housing construction in the United States is generally considered to be earthquake-resistant in comparison to many forms of construction found worldwide, the assessment of seismic hazard has significant implications with regard to the balance of housing affordability and safety. Seismic hazard assessments affect building code design requirements (i.e., mapped design ground motions), construction guidelines, building costs, insurance rates, expected consequences of future earthquake activity, and regional economies as a whole. The seismic design provisions of the International Building Code (IBC-2000) and the International Residential Code (IRC-2000) are both currently being considered for adoption by local political jurisdictions across the U.S., and have generated much concern and controversy as to the accuracy and validity of the new seismic provisions in the Central and Eastern United States, and particularly in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ).

Public policy has focused on the ability of families both to acquire safe and sanitary housing in decent neighborhoods and to have sufficient income left over to purchase other essential goods and services. Over time, policy analysts have come to use "30 percent" as a standard to assess the affordability of housing. The belief is that households who have to pay more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing may be forced to forego other important needs. In this study, HUD looks at the adequacy of the 30-percent-of-income standard, while testing alternative methods of evaluating this question. The research also explores trends in the components of housing costs relative to income for owners with mortgages, owners without mortgages, and renters, respectively.

The Officer Next Door (OND) and Teacher Next Door (TND) Programs were created to strengthen America's communities by encouraging law enforcement officers and school teachers to live in low and moderate-income neighborhoods which have been designated as Revitalization Zones by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At its inception in the late 1990s, it was hoped that the OND/TND programs would improve the quality of life in distressed urban communities. With respect to police officers, it was hoped that their presence as residents in distressed communities would reduce crime levels and thus "promote safe neighborhoods." With respect to teachers, it was reasoned that distressed communities would be strengthened by the example of how these caring persons live their lives.

The Prescriptive Method for Connecting Cold-Formed Steel Framing to Insulating Concrete Form Walls in Residential Construction was developed as a guideline for the connection of cold-formed steel (CFS) frame assemblies and structures to insulating concrete form (ICF) exterior walls in the construction of single-family homes. The common connections between cold-formed steel framing and insulating concrete form walls are CFS interior walls to ICF exterior walls; CFS floor decks to ICF exterior walls; CFS roof structures to ICF exterior walls; and upper-story CFS exterior walls to lower-story ICF exterior walls. For each connection there are alternative connection methods that are believed to be economical and reliable. The guide contains recommended specifications for such connections. It's important to note that the materials set forth in this publication are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional assistance. Application of this information to a specific project or setting should be reviewed by a qualified individual. The authors believe that the information contained in this publication substantially represents industry practice and related scientific and technical information, but the information is not intended to represent an official position of any organization or to restrict or exclude any other construction or design technique.

Programs of HUD describes the major rental, mortgage, grant, other assistance, and regulatory programs of the Department. It is through these programs that HUD works to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers, meet the need for quality affordable rental homes, utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life, and build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination.

This study of the root causes of the current extremely high levels of defaults and foreclosures among residential mortgages represents the final report to Congress by the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pursuant to Section 1517 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008 (P.L. 110-289). The problems in the mortgage market are routinely referred to as a "foreclosure crisis" because the level of defaults and foreclosures greatly exceed previous peak levels in the post-war era and, as a result, have drawn comparisons to the levels of distress experienced in the Great Depression. This report contains a review of the academic literature and industry press on the root causes of the current foreclosure crisis, data and analysis of trends in the market, and policy responses and recommended actions to mitigate the current crisis and help prevent similar crises from occurring in the future.

This report investigates regulatory requirements, available test data, and typical practices relating to acoustics and fire protection of cold-formed steel framing. The intention is to give an overview of current regulations, as well as a "snap shot" of available fire and acoustic cold-formed steel assemblies. This document starts by providing an overview of fire and acoustic requirements of cold-formed steel assemblies and the characteristics of such assemblies as related to fire and acoustic performance. A detailed description of current building codes and building code requirements for the fire protection and acoustical insulation of cold-formed steel assemblies follows. A comprehensive list of tested fire- and sound-rated assemblies is provided. Finally, recommendations are given to direct future tests and research.

The increasing complexity of homes, the use of innovative materials and technologies, and the increased population in high-hazard areas of the United States have introduced many challenges to the building industry and design profession as a whole. These challenges call for the development and continual improvement of efficient engineering methods for housing applications as well as for the education of designers in the uniqueness of housing as a structural design problem.

This text is an initial effort to document and improve the unique structural engineering knowledge related to housing design and performance. It compliments current design practices and building code requirements with value-added technical information and guidance. In doing so, it supplements fundamental engineering principles with various technical resources and insights that focus on improving the understanding of conventional and engineered housing construction. Thus, it attempts to address deficiencies and inefficiencies in past housing construction practices and structural engineering concepts through a comprehensive design approach that draws on existing and innovative engineering technologies in a practical manner. The guide may be viewed as a “living document” subject to further improvement as the art and science of housing design evolves.

In 2007, approximately 1.7 million individuals and families in communities throughout the country received housing education and counseling from more than 1,800 non-profit organizations approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The types of services provided by these agencies address a broad spectrum of housing issues, including helping renters to become homeowners, helping homeowners to maintain, improve, or refinance their home or to avoid foreclosure, helping people experiencing homelessness to find housing, and helping people of all types with fair housing complaints or financial management challenges.

This is an experimental time for programs to reduce chronic street homelessness. The many communities trying to end chronic homelessness must learn about successful approaches, construct their own strategies, and locate the necessary resources to fulfill their plans. These communities can benefit from the experiences of homeless service providers who are willing and able to participate in developing and implementing new approaches.

HUD sponsored this project to identify and describe community-wide approaches that reduce homelessness and achieve stable housing for the difficult-to-serve people who routinely live on the streets. In visiting communities with a commitment and a community-wide approach to reducing chronic homelessness, researchers were able to identify some effective strategies and indicators of success. This report documents strategies and measures of effectiveness in a way that will help other communities trying to address the problem of chronic street homelessness.

This study presents findings on how much borrowers pay in closing costs when they buy a house, how much these costs vary, and factors to which the variation is related. The analysis uses data from a national sample of 7,560 FHA-insured, 30-year fixed-rate home purchase loans. Data were collected on how much borrowers paid for lender or broker services, title services, and real estate agent's services, and linked to information on borrower and loan characteristics, including loan amounts, interest rates, credit history, income, borrowers' race and ethnicity, and the racial composition and educational attainment in the borrower's neighborhood. The analysis focuses in turn on fees paid to lenders and mortgage brokers, to title companies, and to real estate agents.

The goal of Cityscape is to bring high-quality original research on housing and community development issues to scholars, government officials, and practitioners. Cityscape is open to all relevant disciplines, including architecture, consumer research, demography, economics, engineering, ethnography, finance, geography, law, planning, political science, public policy, regional science, sociology, statistics, and urban studies.

The research symposium in this issue of Cityscape (Volume 12, Number 3) examines perspectives and approaches to brownfield issues.