Our research on cities and communities cuts across several Urban Institute specialties—housing trends, crime prevention, economic development, arts and culture, and more.
Our urban studies define much of our history, from evaluations of community development corporations in poor neighborhoods to road-tested ideas for rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to more recent projects helping policymakers monitor communities' progress. We also work closely with local groups to grasp and address the Washington, D.C., area's challenges. Read more.
This brief examines the scope and composition of housing assistance being provided through HUD programs to residents of the 10 neighborhoods that have been a part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Making Connections initiative. It also describes selected characteristics of the families that receive housing assistance and how their circumstances changed between surveys conducted in 2002/03 and 2005/06 in comparison to unassisted renters and homeowners living in these neighborhoods. At the latter date, the average share of eligible households that received assistance was 25 percent, the same as the national average, but there was considerable variation across sites.
This brief reviews results of an Annie E. Casey Foundation sponsored project that challenged local data intermediaries in eight cities (all partners in the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership, NNIP) to use their data to promote strengthening of their local school readiness systems. The project showed it was possible to develop rich neighborhood level information on factors affecting early childhood development in all cities and that the effective presentation of such information in reports and public forums did help build momentum for coherence in school readiness initiatives. Particularly valuable were data showing the spatial concentration of early childhood risks in low-income neighborhoods.
HUD's proposal for transforming federal rental assistance expands subsidy recipients' freedom to choose where to live. This essay summarizes research evidence showing that: 1) project-based housing programs limit families' choices about where to live; 2) families benefit when they move with vouchers; 3) assisted mobility programs further expand families' options; and 4) "opportunity moves" can improve families' life chances. Although many families living in federally subsidized housing projects will choose to stay (especially if new investments improve the quality and safety of these communities), expanding opportunities for families to move strengthens federal housing policy by improving the well-being of assisted households.
The HOPE VI Panel Study research has highlighted that many residents of distressed public housing face severe health challenges. Our research shows that respondents' well-being has improved in important ways—they now live in housing that is substantially higher-quality and in neighborhoods that are dramatically safer. However, in this brief, we present findings that show that despite these improvements, respondents' health has continued to deteriorate rapidly; the level of reported health problems in 2009 are stunning, and the mortality rate is shockingly high.
Child outcomes have been a special focus for the HOPE VI Panel Study since the baseline study in 2001. On one hand, children are the most likely to benefit in important ways from improved housing quality such as exposure to lead paint or mold. On the other hand, moving can disrupt their education and friendships and put older youth at risk for conflict with local gangs. This brief examines how relocation has affected the well-being of the youngest former Madden/Wells residents. We find that these youth are doing relatively well; however, there are some reasons for concern, especially for boys.
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