PRRAC Update (January 3, 2019): New analysis of housing choice voucher concentration

Housing Choice Voucher Concentration in the 50 largest metro areas: This newly released report, by Alicia Mazzara, Research Analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Brian Knudsen, Senior Research Associate at PRRAC,  analyzes HCV concentration in metropolitan areas both in absolute terms, and in relation to the distribution of affordable rental units across each region. Although the distribution of voucher-affordable rental units (and housing choice vouchers) in a metro area is partly a function of the degree of exclusionary zoning and structural discrimination in the region, voucher concentration is also closely related to public housing agency policies, and this analysis helps to focus attention on how well PHAs are performing, in relation to their housing market areas, in helping families access low poverty, high opportunity areas. A major takeaway from the report is that, in many metro areas, there are plenty of potential affordable rental units in low poverty, high opportunity areas that voucher families are not getting access to – and yet there are steps PHAs and federal policymakers can take to change this picture. The report, Where Families With Children Use Housing Vouchers: A Comparative Look at the 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas, is available here, interactive maps can be found here, and interactive tables can be found here. The Washington Post just covered the report this morning – and that story can be found here.