Using Federal Data Sources for Housing Advocacy - NLIHC
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Using Federal Data Sources for Housing
Advocacy
By Andrew Aurand, Vice President for The sample size from one year of ACS data is
Research, National Low Income Housing not large enough to draw annual estimates for
Coalition smaller populations. Therefore, multiple years
of ACS data are combined for smaller areas.
Housing advocates have long used federal data The Census Bureau releases five-year ACS data
to measure, visualize, and communicate their that provides a five-year moving average for
communities’ unmet housing needs to inform all communities, down to census tracts. The
policy at the national, state, and local levels. Data five-year data are not as timely as the annual
from the American Community Survey (ACS), for data, but they are more reliable (because of the
example, allow us to quantify the critical housing larger sample) and available for many more
shortage for extremely low-income renters. communities. ACS data are often used by federal
HUD’s A Picture of Subsidized Households, agencies to determine how money is distributed
meanwhile, gives us a look at the quantity and across the country.
geographic distribution of HUD-subsidized
housing. The ACS provides housing advocates with
important information. The ACS for example
The following section provides a brief overview captures data on housing costs and household
of federal data sources for housing advocacy. income, allowing us to calculate the prevalence
Members of Congress often threaten to cut of housing cost burdens across communities.
financial resources for data collection and The data also allow us to measure the shortage
dissemination, making it imperative that (or surplus) of housing for various income
advocates and organizations promote and groups. NLIHC uses ACS data to produce its
protect these programs. The Census Project, for annual report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable
example, is a network of organizations that fight Homes, which estimates the shortage of
against significant budget cuts to the planning affordable rental housing in each state, DC, and
of the 2020 U.S. Decennial Census and the the largest metropolitan areas. Other important
implementation of the ACS. variables in the ACS include race, household
type, and employment.
HOUSING NEED, SUPPLY, AND
QUALITY The U.S. House of Representatives has voted
in recent years to make participation in the
American Community Survey
ACS voluntary rather than mandatory of
See https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ U.S. citizens by prohibiting enforcement.
acs/ and http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/ Research from the Census Bureau shows that
jsf/pages/index.xhtml. a voluntary ACS would lower response rates
by as much as 20 percentage points (see The
The ACS is a nationwide mandatory survey
American Community Survey: Development,
of approximately 3.5 million housing units
Implementation, and Issues for Congress),
annually, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
forcing the Bureau to send surveys to a larger
The survey is distributed on a rolling basis,
number of households and spend more time
with approximately 295,000 housing units
following up with them in person and by
surveyed each month. The annual data provide
telephone to encourage participation. These
timely information on the demographic, social,
additional steps would add to the Bureau’s
economic, and housing characteristics of the
expenses. If the ACS became voluntary and the
nation, each state, the District of Columbia, and
Bureau did not take these additional steps, the
other jurisdictions with at least 65,000 residents.
2–30 2019 ADVOCATES’ GUIDEsurvey’s sample size would decline, resulting provide housing and services to the homeless
in less accurate data, especially for small population must conduct a count each January
communities and hard-to-reach populations. of sheltered homeless persons in emergency
shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens. A
Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy
separate count is conducted every other January
Data
(every two years) of unsheltered homeless
See https://bit.ly/29Epvjd. persons whose primary nighttime residence is
The U.S. Census Bureau provides HUD with not ordinarily used as a regular place to sleep,
custom tabulations of ACS data that allow users such as a car, park, abandoned building, or bus
to gain a better understanding of the housing or train station. Although not required, HUD
problems among households of different income encourages CoCs to conduct an annual count of
levels. The Comprehensive Housing Affordability unsheltered homeless persons.
Strategy (CHAS) data are primarily used by The PIT count is a labor-intensive task
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)- coordinated at the local level. The result is
entitled communities in their HUD-required a point-in-time estimate of the number of
Consolidated Plan and can also be useful for homeless in the U.S. and among specific
housing advocates in measuring the housing subpopulations, such as individuals, families
needs in their community. The CHAS data with children, veterans, unaccompanied youth,
use HUD-defined income limits to categorize and the chronically homeless. These estimates
households as extremely low-, very low-, low-, are published in HUD’s Annual Homeless
and moderate-income. The data also count the Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress.
number of housing units affordable to each of
The Housing Inventory Count (HIC) is an
these income groups. Therefore, the data provide
inventory of beds available for the homeless
a count of households at different income levels
population by program, including emergency
and the number of housing units affordable to
shelters, supportive housing, and rapid
them at the national, state, and local levels. The
rehousing.
data also provide important information on cost
burdens, overcrowding, and inadequate kitchen American Housing Survey
and plumbing by income level. The data can also
See https://bit.ly/1xBqTYQ.
be broken down by race, elderly/non-elderly
status, household size, and disability status. The national American Housing Survey (AHS)
is a longitudinal survey of housing units. It is
The most recent CHAS data are from the five-year
funded and directed by HUD and conducted by
2011-2015 ACS. HUD provides a web-based query
the U.S Census Bureau every odd numbered year.
tool that makes commonly used CHAS data readily
The AHS is unique in that it follows the same
available, particularly housing cost burdens, for
housing units over time. The survey includes
communities. More advanced users can download
questions about the physical characteristics
the CHAS raw data for more detailed analyses.
and quality of housing units and about their
HUD Point-in-Time Count and Housing Inventory occupants, so users can identify how the price,
Count quality, and occupants of dwellings change
over time. The same sample of housing units
See www.hudexchange.info/resource/3031/
were followed from 1985 to 2013 with changes
pit-and-hic-data-since-2007 and https://www.
to the sample to account for new construction,
hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/
demolitions, and conversions.
ahar/#reports.
A new national sample of housing units was
HUD’s Point-in-Time (PIT) count is the primary
drawn for the 2015 AHS. The core national
tool for measuring the extent of homelessness
sample represents the nation plus its 15
in the nation. Continuums of Care (CoC) that
largest metropolitan areas. For the first time,
NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–31HUD-assisted units were identified through price range that movers could expect to pay
administrative data and oversampled, for the cheapest 40% of apartments. In select
so comparisons between subsidized and metropolitan areas where voucher holders are
unsubsidized housing would be more reliable concentrated in certain neighborhoods, FMRs
than in the past. Supplemental samples in the are set at the 50th percentile for a three-year time
AHS provide data for additional metropolitan period. FMRs influence the maximum rent that
areas, contingent on HUD’s budget. The 2015 an HCV will cover, so the 50th percentile FMRs
AHS also included supplemental questions are intended to expand the range of housing
on food security, healthy homes, housing opportunities available to voucher households,
counseling, and neighborhood arts & culture. enabling them to deconcentrate out of low
Supplemental questions typically change from opportunity areas. In FY19, there are three 50th
survey-year to survey-year. The 2017 AHS percentile FMR areas.
included supplemental questions on delinquent
HUD published a final rule on November 16,
housing payments, disaster preparedness, and
2016, that eventually eliminates 50th percentile
commuting.
FMRs and requires local public housing agencies
The AHS is the data source for HUD’s Worst Case in 24 metropolitan areas to use Small Area
Housing Needs Report provided to Congress FMRs rather than traditional FMRs to set HCV
every two years. This report identifies the payment standards. Small Area FMRs reflect
number of very low-income households in rents for U.S. Postal ZIP Codes, while traditional
the U.S. who either spend more than half of FMRs reflect a single rent standard for an entire
their income on housing or live in physically metropolitan region. The intent of Small Area
inadequate housing. HUD provides data from FMRs is to provide voucher payment standards
these reports, dating from 2001 to 2013, in its that are better aligned with neighborhood-scale
Housing Affordability Data System. The AHS rental markets, resulting in relatively higher
sample is not large enough to calculate estimates subsidies in neighborhoods with more expensive
for specific states or smaller areas other than rents and lower subsidies in neighborhoods
the metropolitan areas for which HUD includes a with lower rents. Small Area FMRs are expected
supplemental sample. to help households use vouchers in higher
opportunity neighborhoods. Small Area FMRs
Fair Market Rents
for all metropolitan areas are available on HUD’s
See https://bit.ly/2bX49my. FMR webpages.
Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are published by Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data and
HUD each year for every metropolitan area Mapping Tool
and nonmetropolitan county in the U.S. FMRs
See https://egis.hud.gov/affht/ and https://www.
represent the estimated cost of a modest
hudexchange.info/resource/4867/affh-data-and-
apartment for a household planning to move.
mapping-tool/.
They are used to determine payment standards
for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), initial HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
renewal rents for some expiring project-based (AFFH) rule required CDBG-entitled
Section 8 contracts, and initial rents in the communities to conduct an Assessment of
Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy Fair Housing (AFH) as part of their five-year
program. FMRs also serve as rent ceilings for the Consolidated Plan. HUD effectively suspended
HOME Investments Partnership program and the implementation of the rule in August 2018 (see
Emergency Solutions Grants program. the AFFH section in Chapter 7 of this guide). The
rule’s intention was to encourage communities
In most metropolitan areas and nonmetropolitan
to plan for providing residents greater
counties, FMRs are set at the 40th percentile
residential choice and access to high opportunity
of gross rents, which is the top end of the
areas, such as those near good schools and
2–32 2019 ADVOCATES’ GUIDEemployment. in census tracts of subsidized developments to
examine the extent to which subsidized housing
HUD’s AFFH Data and Mapping Tool (AFFH-T)
is concentrated in high poverty or high minority
provides some of the data HUD required
neighborhoods.
communities to include in their AFH.
The AFFH-T provides maps and tables of HUD Community Assessment Reporting Tool
demographics, combined with job proximity,
See https://egis.hud.gov/cart/.
school proficiency, environmental health,
poverty, transit, and housing burdens. The The Community Assessment Reporting Tool
map data also include the location of publicly (CART) allows users to map and explore HUD
supported housing and Housing Choice investments in cities, counties, metropolitan
Vouchers. A User Guide with instructions for areas, and states. The tool provides information
using the AFFH-T is also available. about Community Planning and Development
competitive and formula grants (e.g., HOME,
U.S. Decennial Census
CDBG, and CoC grants), rental programs (e.g.
See http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ Housing Choice Vouchers, Public Housing, and
decennial-census/about.html. Project Based Rental Assistance), mortgage
insurance, housing counseling, and other HUD
The Decennial Census asks U.S. citizens a limited
grants and programs. The tool also provides
number of questions but serves an important
data on selected demographics and housing cost
Constitutional and governmental function.
burdens.
Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution
mandates a full count of American residents National Housing Preservation Database
every 10 years, which is used to apportion seats
See http://www.preservationdatabase.org/.
in the U.S. House of Representatives among
the states. The Census Bureau distributes a The National Housing Preservation Database
questionnaire to every U.S. household and (NHPD) was created in 2012 by NLIHC and
group quarters, requesting basic demographic the Public and Affordable Housing Research
information, such as age, sex, and race. The Corporation (PAHRC) to provide communities
count is also used to help determine the and housing advocates with the information
distribution of billions of dollars in federal they need to effectively identify and preserve
money for infrastructure and other services. subsidized housing at risk of being lost from
the affordable housing stock. NHPD is an online
PUBLICLY ASSISTED HOUSING database of properties subsidized by federal
housing programs, including HUD Project-Based
Picture of Subsidized Households
Rental Assistance, Section 202, HOME, USDA
See https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ Rural Development (RD) housing programs, and
picture/yearlydata.html. the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. This unique
HUD’s Picture of Subsidized Households dataset includes the earliest date at which a
provides data on the location and occupants of property’s subsidies might expire and property
HUD’s federally subsidized housing stock. The characteristics significant in influencing whether
programs represented in the dataset are Public the subsidized property might be at risk of
Housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, Project leaving the subsidized housing stock, such as
Based Section 8, Section 236, Section 202, location and ownership information.
and Section 811. This dataset allows users to NHPD can be a useful resource for communities
examine the income, age, household type, and to consider the location of publicly assisted
racial distribution of occupants in subsidized housing relative to high opportunity areas, such
housing at the national, state, metropolitan area, as those near good schools and employment.
city, and project level. The data also include Subsidized housing in these areas could be at
the poverty rate and percentage of minorities
NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–33greater risk of being lost from the affordable The Housing Vacancy Survey (www.census.gov/
housing stock. NHPD can aid housing advocates housing/hvs) is a supplement of the CPS that
and communities in identifying where efforts quantifies rental and homeowner vacancy rates,
must be made to preserve this housing. characteristics of vacant units, and the overall
homeownership rate for states and the 75 largest
OTHER DATA SOURCES metropolitan areas.
HUD eGIS Open Data Storefront The Survey of Market Absorption (www.census.
See http://hudgis-hud.opendata.arcgis.com/. gov/programs-surveys/soma.html) is a HUD-
sponsored survey conducted by the Census
HUD eGIS Open Data Storefront is a data portal Bureau of newly constructed multifamily
that provides users with access to multiple HUD units. Each month, a sample of new residential
datasets, including Community Development buildings containing five or more units is
activities, HUD-insured multifamily properties, selected for the survey. An initial three-month
and other rental housing assistance programs. survey collects data on amenities, rent or
The portal also provides access to HUD’s sales price levels, number of units, type of
mapping tools. building, and the number of units taken off
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Data the market (absorbed). Follow-up surveys can
be conducted at 6, 9, and 12 months. The data
See http://www.consumerfinance.gov/hmda/.
provide the absorption rate of new multifamily
The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act requires housing.
many lending institutions to publicly report
The Survey of Income and Program Participation
information about mortgage applications and
(www.census.gov/sipp) is a Census Bureau
their outcomes. The information that institutions
survey that tracks families for two to four
report includes whether the mortgage
years, investigating household members’
application was for a home purchase, home
sources of income, participation in government
improvement, or refinancing; the type of loan
transfer programs, and basic demographic
(e.g. conventional vs. FHA); mortgage amount;
characteristics.
the applicant’s race, ethnicity, and gender;
whether the application was approved; and
WHAT ADVOCATES SHOULD
census tract of the property’s location. Lenders
KNOW
are also required to identify high-priced loans
with high interest rates or fees. The data can High-quality data that accurately reflect the
be used to help identify discriminatory lending population requires participation. Housing
practices, as well as examine the extent to which advocates should encourage everyone to fully
lenders meet the mortgage investment needs participate in the Decennial Census, ACS, and
of communities. Small lenders and those with other federal surveys for which they are selected.
offices only in nonmetropolitan areas are not The accuracy and reliability of the Census’
required to report data. products depend on it.
Other Surveys Advocacy organizations, such as NLIHC and
its state partners, use a variety of federal data
The Current Population Survey (CPS) (www.
to quantify the scarcity of housing affordable
census.gov/cps) is a joint venture between the
to the lowest income families, which makes it
Department of Labor and the Census Bureau and
easier to set specific and defensible goals for
is the primary source of labor force statistics for
expanding the affordable housing stock. NLIHC
the U.S. population. The CPS’ Annual Social and
for example provides housing profiles for each
Economic Supplement provides official estimates
U.S. state and Congressional district.
of income, the poverty rate, and health insurance
coverage of the non-institutionalized population.
2–34 2019 ADVOCATES’ GUIDEWHAT TO SAY TO LEGISLATORS
Housing advocates should remind members
of Congress of the importance of reliable
and unbiased data to understanding and
addressing our housing needs. Specific issues
that advocates should highlight to members of
Congress include:
• Adequate funding for the U.S. Census Bureau
to prepare for the 2020 Decennial Census
is imperative. Appropriate preparation will
allow the Census Bureau to save money in
the long run. The Census Project provides
relevant fact sheets and reports for
advocates.
• Adequate funding for the ACS and AHS is
necessary to ensure that we have up-to-
date and reliable data regarding the nation’s
housing supply and needs.
• Participation in the ACS needs to remain
mandatory. Changing the ACS to a voluntary
survey would lower response rates. The
reliability of the survey’s findings would
decline unless the Census Bureau spent
millions of dollars in additional money each
year to send the survey to a larger number
of households and to conduct in-person or
phone follow-ups to encourage participation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Association of Public Data Users, http://apdu.org/
HUD Office of Policy Development and Research,
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/home.html
The Census Project, https://thecensusproject.org/
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