Federal Housing Assistance Programs for Low-income Households

Federal Housing Assistance Programs for Low-income Households PDF

Author: Eric Collier

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 9781634843447

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In 2014, the federal government provided about $50 billion in housing assistance specifically designated for low-income households. That assistance--which is made available both through spending programs and preferential tax treatment--increased by about 15 percent in real (inflation-adjusted) terms between 2000 and 2003. Since that time, such assistance has remained relatively stable at about $50 billion annually (measured in 2014 dollars), with the exception of a temporary boost, mostly in 2010 and 2011, associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Congressional Budget Office report, provided in this book, discusses the ways in which the federal government provides housing assistance to low-income households, examines how that assistance has changed since 2000, and provides information about the households that receive assistance. In addition, the book assesses policy options for altering that assistance. The book also identifies the federal, state, and local government funded programs that provide rental assistance to low-income households and identifies indications of program fragmentation and overlap; assesses the extent of intergovernmental collaboration for rental assistance; and determines what is known about performance at the federal level, at selected state and local jurisdictions and for the collective performance of the levels of government providing rental assistance.

Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States

Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States PDF

Author: Robert A. Moffitt

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2007-11-01

Total Pages: 655

ISBN-13: 0226533573

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Few United States government programs are as controversial as those designed to aid the poor. From tax credits to medical assistance, aid to needy families is surrounded by debate—on what benefits should be offered, what forms they should take, and how they should be administered. The past few decades, in fact, have seen this debate lead to broad transformations of aid programs themselves, with Aid to Families with Dependent Children replaced by Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, the Earned Income Tax Credit growing from a minor program to one of the most important for low-income families, and Medicaid greatly expanding its eligibility. This volume provides a remarkable overview of how such programs actually work, offering an impressive wealth of information on the nation's nine largest "means-tested" programs—that is, those in which some test of income forms the basis for participation. For each program, contributors describe origins and goals, summarize policy histories and current rules, and discuss the recipient's characteristics as well as the different types of benefits they receive. Each chapter then provides an overview of scholarly research on each program, bringing together the results of the field's most rigorous statistical examinations. The result is a fascinating portrayal of the evolution and current state of means-tested programs, one that charts a number of shifts in emphasis—the decline of cash assistance, for instance, and the increasing emphasis on work. This exemplary portrait of the nation's safety net will be an invaluable reference for anyone interested in American social policy.

Federal Housing Assistance

Federal Housing Assistance PDF

Author: Stanley J. Czerwinski

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2002-08

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13: 9780756724849

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In FY 1999, about 5.2 million low- and very-low-income households received about $28.7 billion in Fed. housing assist. through more than a dozen programs, yet almost 9 mill. other very-low-income household still have serious housing needs. This report: describes characteristics of the housing provided under the 6 active housing assist. programs; estimates the per-unit-cost of each of these programs; computes the portion of each program's per-unit cost paid by the Fed. gov't., tenants, and others (state, local, and private sources); and identifies public policy issues raised by this study, taking into account tradeoffs between the programs' costs and qualitative differences. Charts and tables.

Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs and Policy

Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs and Policy PDF

Author: Maggie McCarty

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-07-15

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 9781500541385

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The federal government has been involved in providing housing assistance to lower-income households since the 1930s. In the beginning, the federal government was involved in supporting the mortgage market (through establishment of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the government-sponsored enterprises) and in promoting construction of low-rent public housing for lower-income families through local public housing authorities (PHAs). Over time, the role of the federal government has shifted away from providing construction-based subsidies to providing rental subsidies; private developers and property owners now play a larger role; and more federal funding has been provided to states and localities.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Permanent Supportive Housing PDF

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2018-07-11

Total Pages: 227

ISBN-13: 0309477077

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Chronic homelessness is a highly complex social problem of national importance. The problem has elicited a variety of societal and public policy responses over the years, concomitant with fluctuations in the economy and changes in the demographics of and attitudes toward poor and disenfranchised citizens. In recent decades, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the philanthropic community have worked hard to develop and implement programs to solve the challenges of homelessness, and progress has been made. However, much more remains to be done. Importantly, the results of various efforts, and especially the efforts to reduce homelessness among veterans in recent years, have shown that the problem of homelessness can be successfully addressed. Although a number of programs have been developed to meet the needs of persons experiencing homelessness, this report focuses on one particular type of intervention: permanent supportive housing (PSH). Permanent Supportive Housing focuses on the impact of PSH on health care outcomes and its cost-effectiveness. The report also addresses policy and program barriers that affect the ability to bring the PSH and other housing models to scale to address housing and health care needs.

Housing Policy at a Crossroads

Housing Policy at a Crossroads PDF

Author: John C. Weicher

Publisher: AEI Press

Published: 2012-12-16

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 0844743372

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Since Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, American housing policy has focused on building homes for the poor. But seventy-five years of federal housing projects have not significantly ameliorated crime, decreased unemployment, or improved health; recent reforms have failed to revitalize low-income neighborhoods or stimulate the economy. To be successful in the twenty-first century, American housing policy must stop reinventing failed programs. Housing Policy at a Crossroads: The Why, How, and Who of Assistance Programs provides a comprehensive survey of past low-income housing programs, including public and subsidized housing, tax credits for developers, and block grants for state and local governments. John C. Weicher's comparative analysis of these programs yields several key conclusions: Affordability, not quality, is the most pressing challenge for housing policy today; of all the housing programs, vouchers have provided the most choice for the poor at the lowest cost to the taxpayer; because vouchers are much less expensive than public or subsidized housing, future subsidized projects would be an inefficient use of resources; vouchers should be offered only to the poorest members of society, ensuring that aid is available to those who need it most. At once a history of housing policy, a guide to issues confronting policymakers, and a case for vouchers as the cheapest, most effective solution, Housing Policy at a Crossroads is a timely warning that reinventing failed building programs would be a very costly wrong turn for America.