Residential Mobility of Low-Income, Subsidized Households: A Synthesis of Explanatory Frameworks

Mobility, residential quality, and life outcomes are linked in the literature and these relationships have influenced low-income housing policy. This research investigates the determinants of mobility for households with a federal housing subsidy. Combining unique data from a survey of Housing Choice Voucher households, client program files, and secondary data, this study uses logistic regression to test several explanations for mobility, including the life cycle, housing market perceptions, and perceived and actual neighborhood conditions. The results indicate that a synthesis of explanations produce the best model to predict residential mobility. Neighborhood quality, perceived and actual, variables most strongly influence mobility, but life cycle factors and perception of the local housing market also impact moving choices. At the same time, the results suggest a gap in our understanding of the relationship among individuals’ environmental perceptions, formation of feelings of neighborhood satisfaction, and actual neighborhood conditions. The article concludes with a discussion of the research and policy implications from this study

The Use of Social Media for Citizen Engagement: the Case of SAPAS in La Paz, Mexico

In this paper, we explore a local government water department\u27s adoption of social media to engage with citizens. Specifically, we describe the use of a Facebook page, created by the Organismo Operador Municipal del Sistema de Agua Potable, Alcantarillado, y Saneamiento (SAPAS) in La Paz, B.C. Mexico, during its initial eighteen months of operation. Based on an analysis of the page posts, we note an increase in total posts over the study period. The dominant type of post (SAPAS and citizens combined) was announcement and this type of post was unevenly distributed with peaks at the beginning and end of the study period. We also observed a notable increase in the number of complaints submitted by citizens towards the end of the study period with the highest number of complaints falling in August and October 2012. We conclude with some observations about our initial results and an update on the current status of SAPAS Facebook page

Homeownership as Public Policy: Trends in North Carolina and Beyond

The importance of homeownership is deeply embedded in our society. Historians, writers, and the average person attribute intrinsic value to owning one's home. Walt Whitman, for example, wrote "A man is not whole and complete. ..unless he owns a house." Society also associates more tangible social and economic benefits with ownership such as enhanced pride in the community and tax advantages. These benefits, however, elude many low- and moderate- income households because they lack the financial resources to purchase a home. Public officials also herald the virtues of homeownership and have developed policies to increase homeownership for low - and moderate-income households. Government assistance for homeownership at the federal level appeared decades ago with the creation of the Federal Housing Administration, and more recently, state and local governments have taken an active role in the promotion of homeownership. Although homeownership policies and programs involve investment of public dollars, strong political support for these policies exists across communities and among levels of government. As a result, there are many publicly-sponsored homeownership programs operating in communities throughout the country. In the rush to jump on the homeownership bandwagon, however, the potential pitfalls of homeownership programs are often overlooked by their sponsors. In addition, program planning may be minimal and evaluation of programs may be completely absent from the process. This article examines the popularity of homeownership and its desirability as a policy outcome in our society. We begin by discussing the homeownership ideology and ownership trends in the United States. Within this discussion, we present the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership for both the individual and society. We then narrow our discussion to homeownership and related policies and programs in North Carolina. We consider the patterns and trends of homeownership, analyze the affordability of ownership for lower-income households, discuss the intergovernmental aspect of homeownership efforts, and consider some of the public and private strategies used to increase homeownership in the State. Next, we highlight homeownership efforts in two North Carolina cities: Charlotte and Durham. Finally, we offer some concluding remarks and recommendations on the development of homeownership policies and programs in local communities

Examining Mobility Outcomes in the Housing Choice Voucher Program: Neighborhood Poverty, Employment, and Public School Quality

Abstract Low-income housing policies seeking to deconcentrate poverty and increase opportuni

Using Social Media to Inform and Engage Urban Dwellers in La Paz, Mexico

Using Social Media to Inform and Engage Urban Dwellers in La Paz, Mexico: 10.4018/IJPADA.2017070102: Engaging residents in local affairs continues to be a challenge for cities around the world. Under a call for more open government, many cities have adopte

Walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure for low-income residents with subsidized housing.

We assessed the spatial distribution of subsidized housing units provided through 2 federally supported, low-income housing programs in Orange County, California, in relation to neighborhood walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure.We used data from multiple sources to examine land-use and health-related built environment factors near housing subsidized through the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and to determine these patterns' associations with traffic exposure.Subsidized projects or units in walkable, poorer neighborhoods were associated with lower traffic exposure; higher traffic exposure was associated with more transit service, a Hispanic majority, and mixed-use areas. Voucher units are more likely than LIHTC projects to be located in high-traffic areas.Housing program design may affect the location of subsidized units, resulting in differential traffic exposure for households by program type. Further research is needed to better understand the relationships among subsidized housing locations, characteristics of the built environment, and health concerns such as traffic exposure, as well as which populations are most affected by these relationships

Walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure for low-income residents with subsidized housing.

We assessed the spatial distribution of subsidized housing units provided through 2 federally supported, low-income housing programs in Orange County, California, in relation to neighborhood walkability, transit access, and traffic exposure.We used data from multiple sources to examine land-use and health-related built environment factors near housing subsidized through the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and to determine these patterns' associations with traffic exposure.Subsidized projects or units in walkable, poorer neighborhoods were associated with lower traffic exposure; higher traffic exposure was associated with more transit service, a Hispanic majority, and mixed-use areas. Voucher units are more likely than LIHTC projects to be located in high-traffic areas.Housing program design may affect the location of subsidized units, resulting in differential traffic exposure for households by program type. Further research is needed to better understand the relationships among subsidized housing locations, characteristics of the built environment, and health concerns such as traffic exposure, as well as which populations are most affected by these relationships