Tracking mobility in the housing choice voucher program: a household level examination in Florida,USA

Previous research on the housing choice voucher (HCV) program has focused on neighbourhoods where voucher holders reside at one point of time. Little is known about mobility of voucher households during their tenure in the program. Using an administrative dataset that spans 11 years for the state of Florida, this study evaluates how often voucher households move and their mobility outcomes, measured by the change of neighbourhood poverty. Findings reveal that HCV households moved frequently beginning in the early years of program participation. Between 2007 and 2013 there was a notable decrease of voucher presence in high-poverty areas. Regression analysis further suggests that rental housing market conditions are significantly associated with mobility outcomes. White, non-Hispanic households and those with higher incomes were more likely to move to lower poverty neighbourhoods, whereas disabled and formerly homeless households moved more frequently and were not as successful in accessing lower poverty areas.     

What do we mean by responsibility? The case of UK housing benefit reform

There have been increasing attempts by the UK government to link welfare provision to personal responsibility, trying to alter behaviour through the introduction of new policy instruments. This paper explores what it means to be responsible and what implications this has for policy. The first part of the paper discusses the UK government’s 2002 proposals to reform Housing Benefit and how the document refers to responsibility. In the second part I discuss what we mean by responsibility and explore some of the philosophical complexities of the concept. In the final part of the paper I attempt to suggest what form of responsibility is implied in the reform proposals and what implications this has for the proposed policy.     

Reasoning behind choices: rationality and social norms in the housing market behaviour of first-time buyers in the Czech Republic

The main objective of this paper is to draw attention to the influence of social norms on housing market behaviour. The research is based on an in-depth qualitative study of first-time buyers in the Czech Republic. We found systemic deviations from economically rational behaviour (as defined by mainstream housing economic theory) that stem from the influence of a dominant housing social norm about what constitutes the ‘right’ housing tenure. We show how the influence of a social norm constrains financial, pragmatic, utility- or investment-based considerations of Czech home-buyers. Sociology can thus significantly contribute to recent econometric research about sources of housing market instability.     

浅谈实行住房分配货币化对住房市场的影响

取消实物分房实行住房分配货币化后,住房市场向何处发展是政府、开发商和购房业主十分关心的问题。     

Impacts of contrasting housing policies on low-income households in Australia and the Netherlands

This paper aims to contribute to the debate in comparative housing studies about the significance of national housing policies by considering what can be learnt from analysing the consequences of different policy paths. In particular, the paper looks at the evidence of the long-run impacts of different housing strategies adopted to assist lower-income households in Australia and the Netherlands, using housing affordability as a measure of their impact. Australia is an example of a country that has promoted mass home ownership across the income distribution supplemented by a very small public housing system. In contrast, the Netherlands has relied more on a large and diversified social housing sector. The comparative analysis shows that there are many similarities in the patterns of affordability among low-income households in the two countries despite the use of different policy means. In the past, both countries had good success providing secure and affordable housing for poorer households. Now, lower-income households are experiencing greater affordability problems that are linked to societal changes and the retrenchment of government housing assistance in both cases. However, the study also finds that affordability problems among lower-income households are worse in Australia because of the greater reliance on private housing in that country.     

The Watcombe housing study: the short-term effect of improving housing conditions on the indoor environment

A three-year study (1999-2001) was initiated in the UK to assess the effect of improving housing conditions in 3-4 bedroom, single-family unit, social rented sector houses on the health of the occupants. The houses were randomised into two groups. Phase I houses received extensive upgrading including wet central heating, on demand ventilation, double-glazed doors, cavity wall and roof/loft insulation. An identical intervention for Phase II houses was delayed for one year. As part of this randomised waiting list study, discrete measurements were made of indoor environmental variables in each house, to assess the short-term effects of improving housing conditions on the indoor environment. Variables representative of indoor environmental conditions were measured in the living room, bedroom and outdoors in each of the three years of the study. In 2000, there was a significant difference between the changes from 1999 to 2000 between Phase I (upgraded) and II (not then upgraded) houses for bedroom temperatures (p=0.002). Changes in wall surface dampness and wall dampness in Phase I houses were also significantly different to the change in Phase II houses in 2000 (p=0.001), but by 2001 the Phase I houses had reverted to the same dampness levels they had before upgrading. The housing upgrades increased bedroom temperatures in all houses. Other indoor environmental variables were not affected.     

An empirical analysis of the characteristics of residential location choice in the rapidly changing Korean housing market

This study examines the factors of residential location choice by considering the characteristics of the Korean housing market. From various factors of the residential location choice of a household, this study focuses on the effect of opportunities to engage in other activities, represented by accessibility, and the variety of housing tenure types—i.e., owner-occupied, Chonsei, and monthly rent—and the change of each type’s share of the market. The results of this empirical study indicate that households will most often choose to live in districts with more accessibility (a representative variable of demand-driven market), more permitted housing floor space (that of supply-driven one), higher rents, and lower housing prices in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA). That is to say, the rapidly changing Korean housing market indicates a transition phase from a supply-driven to a demand-driven one. The significance of the variables and their effects were different for each housing tenure type. This means that the tenure type choice of a household is influenced by the level of income and assets. The results of this study are significant in understanding the characteristics of residential location choices of Korea and the countries in the transition as well.     

A private rental sector paradox: unpacking the effects of urban restructuring on housing market dynamics

The private rental sector (PRS) is growing in many advanced economies due to declining home ownership and retrenchment in social housing. This paper examines changes in the PRS in the context of housing market change and ongoing urbanisation processes. Using the example of Australia, it identifies a paradox when examining detailed changes in PRS composition between 1996 and 2011. Increasing demand from higher and lower income households has occurred alongside increasing concentration of supply in mid-market segments. The paper discusses possible explanations of this mismatch. It suggests that middle/higher income households rent through a mixture of constraint and choice in areas with a high level of amenity, adding to understanding of gentrification of inner-city areas. Urban restructuring, evident in increased land values in inner areas of large cities, has resulted in limited ‘filtering down’ of older housing into low-rent private rental stock and a concentration of investment in supply in mid-market segments with greatest prospects for resale and rental.     

The first years as independent actors in the housing market: Young households in a Swedish municipality

This study deals with young households at the beginning of their housing career. During the 1990s, a tendency of the young to leave the parental home at a later age than during previous decades was discussed. With extended education, rising housing costs and a shortage of rental housing, difficulties in finding an affordable place to live could be expected to have increased. Parental resources are of increasing importance in times of recession. The aim of this study was to follow the first steps in the housing careers of young individuals in a Swedish municipality and to investigate the time of nest-leaving and the choice of tenure for their first and second moves. Individuals aged 16–25 years in the municipality of Gävle, Sweden, were included in the study. Longitudinal data for the years 1985–1995 were used. To capture changes over time, the nest-leaving situations of two cohorts were compared. Results indicate that the individuals in the 1973 cohort leave home at a higher age than do those in the 1968 cohort. A surprisingly large share move into tenant co-operatives. Such moves, as well as moves into owner occupation, occurred mainly within Gävleborg County. Individuals moving to other municipalities outside the county moved to a larger extent into rental housing.     

The spatial spillover effect of local fiscal expenditure in regional housing market: the case of Taiwan

Journal of Housing and the Built Environment - To effectively distribute resources and formulate policies, governments and enterprises usually need to obtain accurate geographical information about...     

The incomplete privatization of the Dutch housing market: Exploding house prices versus falling house-building output

This paper addresses the coordination problems in the liberalized housing market in the Netherlands during the 1990–2004 period. In particular, the mismatch between the explosion in house prices and the stagnation in house-building activities during the past six years is under investigation. It is argued that there is still a marked discrepancy between the language used in the policy discourse and the supply and demand situation on the Dutch housing market. One could argue that the Dutch government implemented a double-hearted, incomplete privatization. As a result of the mismatch between actual housing policy and market developments, output is stagnating and the housing shortage is growing sharply. The closing section presents some possible means to overcome these problems.     

我国工程承包企业开拓美国市场的可行性分析

首先介绍了美国工程市场的概况，接着用SWOT模型分析了我国国际工程承包企业开拓美国市场的可行性，最后根据分析的结果，提出我国工程承包企业开拓美国市场的对策，从而不断扩大美国市场份额、创新业务模式、提高科技含量和管理水平，向更高的层次和水平发展。     

Housing Finance Reform in the Making: The Case of the Netherlands

Current housing finance systems are mostly a poor reflection of the government's policy priorities. This paper explains how the current Dutch housing finance system works, and analyses its weaknesses against the backdrop of a well-functioning housing market and national policy goals. It specifically looks at recent proposals and some building blocks for future housing finance reform in the Netherlands. The paper ends with conclusions on the potential relevance of the analysis for other European countries.     

The role of sentiment in housing market with credit-led funding: the case of Turkey

Journal of Housing and the Built Environment - This paper investigates the long run relationship among sentiment, which is defined as the aggregate investor attitude, housing credit and prices, and...     

How to attract more landlords to the housing choice voucher program: a case study of landlord outreach efforts

Since 1980, the focus of American housing policy has shifted away from project-based to tenant-based subsidies, i.e. the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). Yet many HCVP recipients have remained in high-poverty and high-minority areas of central cities. To improve the effectiveness of HCVP in expanding residential choices, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is encouraging local public housing authorities to utilize a variety of techniques to provide more opportunity for voucher recipients to move to low poverty areas including meetings with current or prospective owners, owners’ newsletters, owner fairs, program videos and direct contact with owners. Although there has been a considerable body of research on voucher recipients in the Gautreaux and Moving to Opportunity programs, two special housing voucher programs, there has been little research on the effectiveness of landlord outreach efforts as part of the regular HCVP. We therefore conducted a case study of landlord outreach efforts currently being implemented by the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. We combined observation of landlord outreach events with semi-structured interviews to determine reasons why landlords do or do not participate, landlords’ perceptions on the extent to which HCVP addresses their concerns, what they take away from these events, and how outreach efforts might be improved. This case study indicates that there is considerable room for improvement in landlord outreach efforts by the housing authority. The policy implications for HUD as well as public housing authorities across the United States are discussed.     

The cause and outcomes of the ripple effect: housing prices and transaction volume

In this study, the ripple effect in four regional housing markets in the USA (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West) was examined by analyzing housing prices, which is a method that has been primarily used in other studies, and the transfer of information in the transaction volume data of regional markets. First, the ripple index between regional housing markets was estimated using housing price and transaction volume. Findings revealed that the ripple effect in the transaction volume of regional housing markets was far more evident than that in housing prices and that the two types of ripple effect are negatively correlated. In other words, information between regional housing markets is either transferred through price or volume. In this study, monetary policy, overall economic performance, and new housing market were adopted as variables to analyze the cause and outcomes of the ripple effect. The results show that inflation stemming from an excess supply of money causes a ripple effect of rising regional housing prices. This money illusion leads contractors to believe that the housing market has increasing demand, motivating them to enter into new projects. Once these projects are completed, the increase in supply (new homes for sale) is reflected in the transaction volume of the regional housing market. In this instance, a stagnation in housing prices signifies that information is only transferred in the transaction volume. In short, the rise (housing boom) and fall (housing depression) of transaction volume affect interest rates in the mortgage market.     

Explaining the Pace of Foreclosed Home Sales during the US Foreclosure Crisis: Evidence from Atlanta

As the US foreclosure crisis approached its climax in 2007 and 2008, the buildup of lender-owned homes had been building for some time. Around this time, however, lenders began selling homes, especially low-value properties, at a much faster pace, releasing them into local housing markets. This paper examines the sales of foreclosed single-family homes into the Atlanta market from January 2005 through early 2009. A primary goal is to understand the drivers of such sales. A proportional hazards model is used to identify factors affecting the time that homes spend as ‘real estate owned’ properties, with a special focus on low-value properties. We find that the pace of sales of low-value properties accelerated during 2007 and, especially, in late 2008 and early 2009, and the rate varied based on lender type, neighborhood characteristics, and submarket location. These findings have implications not simply for understanding real estate markets more broadly, but especially for housing market recovery and neighborhood stabilization policies.     

The role of housing policy in perpetuating conditional forms of homelessness support in the era of housing first: Evidence from Australia

Abstract

Despite widespread enthusiasm for Housing First approaches to addressing homelessness, conditional models of support that require ‘housing readiness’ persist in many jurisdictions. Existing research cites an ongoing commitment to conditionality amongst homelessness services providers as a key reason for its persistence. In this paper, we argue that State housing policies also play an important role in perpetuating conditionality in the homelessness sector. Drawing on research carried out in an Australian jurisdiction, we show how policies regarding the supply and allocation of social housing compel homelessness service providers—including Housing First services—to employ conditionality practices. We also demonstrate the detrimental impact this has on the housing outcomes of homelessness people with complex needs. We conclude that our findings challenge the claim made by some that Housing First constitutes a ‘paradigm shift’, and instead highlight the complex processes of policy translation and assemblage that shape the adaptation of Housing First in different contexts.     

The resurgence of public housing provision in China: the Chongqing programme

Under Chinese neoliberalisation, restructuring of interactions between the market, the state and local governments has encouraged the latter to suppress public housing provision, resulting in serious housing problems for Chinese low-to-middle income households. Since 2007, the state has pursued a public housing revival, laying out various responsibilities for local governments to develop public housing. However, until recently, confronted with significant shortfalls in fiscal and land inputs, local authorities were largely unable to activate construction on an adequate scale. Nonetheless, between 2011 and 2013, the city of Chongqing applied a mode to supply public rental housing on a massive scale. This paper examines the administrative structure and reforms that have ensured the execution of the Chongqing programme. Findings show that specific political and economic incentives of the local officials have played important roles for realising the programme. Moreover, the municipality’s control of land supply and the market have also enabled an efficient cooperation between governmental and market actors for public housing provision.     

Starters in the housing market in an urban region: The case of the Randstad Holland,a diversified housing‐shortage area

The access of newly formed households to their first independent dwelling is a useful indicator of the provision of housing for households with a weak position in the housing market. This is particularly the case in a densely populated urban region, where the housing market is tight. However, starters in the housing market do not form a homogeneous group. They differ by age, household composition, and socio‐economic status. Particularly when there are two wage earners in the household, access may be gained to more expensive dwellings. This article examines the housing situation of starters in five types of residential environment in the Randstad Holland: metropolitan areas, strongly, moderately, and weakly urbanised areas, and growth areas. The metropolitan areas contain many small and inexpensive dwellings and thus accommodate many non‐working (often student) starter households. In the least urbanised municipalities dual‐earner married couples are strongly represented among starters. All residential environments play an important part in the housing of starters, who usually locate in the residential environment where they had already been living. Particularly in the metropolitan and (strongly) urbanised areas so‐called substitute dwellings, such as rented rooms, caravans and houseboats, are important in accommodating newly formed households. They help ease the pressure on the stock of inexpensive housing. Starters living in suburban areas tended to move directly from the parental home into their first independent dwelling.