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Long-term effects of public low-income housing vouchers on neighborhood quality and household composition

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  • Carlson, Deven
  • Haveman, Robert
  • Kaplan, Thomas
  • Wolfe, Barbara

Abstract

In this paper we estimate the effect of housing voucher receipt on the composition of recipient households and the quality of the neighborhoods in which recipient households reside. Drawing on a dataset that contains extensive information on a large and diverse panel of low-income families for up to 5years following voucher receipt, we isolate the effects of voucher receipt using propensity score matching techniques together with regression adjustment. Full-sample results show voucher receipt to have little effect on neighborhood quality in the short-term, but some positive long-term effects. We also find that voucher receipt is tied to a higher probability of change in household composition in the year of voucher receipt, but greater stability in subsequent years. Our large sample allows us to explore differential responses of geographic and socioeconomic subgroups. Our findings have several implications for both research and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlson, Deven & Haveman, Robert & Kaplan, Thomas & Wolfe, Barbara, 2012. "Long-term effects of public low-income housing vouchers on neighborhood quality and household composition," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 101-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhouse:v:21:y:2012:i:2:p:101-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhe.2012.04.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Collinson & Ingrid Gould Ellen & Jens Ludwig, 2015. "Low-Income Housing Policy," NBER Chapters, in: Economics of Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States, Volume 2, pages 59-126, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Fredrik Andersson & John C. Haltiwanger & Mark J. Kutzbach & Giordano Palloni & Henry O. Pollakowski & Daniel H. Weinberg, 2013. "Childhood Housing and Adult Earnings: A Between-Siblings Analysis of Housing Vouchers and Public Housing," Working Papers 13-48, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    3. Qiu, Feng & Tong, Qingmeng, 2021. "A spatial difference-in-differences approach to evaluate the impact of light rail transit on property values," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    4. Ning Zhang, 2022. "In-kind housing transfers and labor supply: a structural approach," Economics Series Working Papers 992, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    5. Rebecca J. Walter & Ruoniu Wang, 2016. "Searching for Affordability and Opportunity: A Framework for the Housing Choice Voucher Program," Housing Policy Debate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4-5), pages 670-691, September.
    6. Carlson, Deven & Miller, Hannah & Haveman, Robert & Kang, Sohyun & Schmidt, Alex & Wolfe, Barbara, 2019. "The effect of housing assistance on student achievement: Evidence from Wisconsin," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 61-73.
    7. Olsen, Edgar O. & Zabel, Jeffrey E., 2015. "US Housing Policy," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: Gilles Duranton & J. V. Henderson & William C. Strange (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 887-986, Elsevier.
    8. Eerola, Essi & Saarimaa, Tuukka, 2018. "Delivering affordable housing and neighborhood quality: A comparison of place- and tenant-based programs," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 44-54.
    9. Carr, Jillian B. & Koppa, Vijetha, 2020. "Housing Vouchers, Income Shocks and Crime: Evidence from a Lottery," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 475-493.
    10. Eerola, Essi & Saarimaa, Tuukka, 2015. "Who Benefits from Public Housing?," Working Papers 68, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    11. Céline Grislain-Letrémy & Corentin Trevien, 2022. "The Long-Term Impact of Housing Subsidies on the Rental Sector: the French Example," Working papers 886, Banque de France.
    12. Natasha Pilkauskas & Katherine Michelmore, 2019. "The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Housing and Living Arrangements," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(4), pages 1303-1326, August.
    13. Ellen, Ingrid Gould, 2020. "What do we know about housing choice vouchers?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    14. Raya, Josep Maria & Torres-Pruñonosa, Jose, 2022. "The importance of administrative data in the evaluation of the incidence of social housing allowance programmes," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    I30; I38; Housing vouchers; Neighborhood quality; Household composition; Matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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