Looking Back at Federal Housing Reform

The 1998 federal Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act was a wide-ranging effort to overhaul America's public housing and rental voucher programs. Seven years hence, and as major funding and structural changes are contemplated by Congress, Rod Solomon examines the progress and pitfalls of its implementation—including provisions to improve or replace public housing, reduce poverty concentration, promote family self-sufficiency, improve public housing management, and streamline the Section 8 voucher program.

As President Bush speaks to the country about his priorities and prepares to deliver his budget next week, there are concerns that federal housing programs will be under assault. Yet, getting these housing reforms right is critical to creating economically-integrated neighborhoods that are connected to the larger economy and provide good opportunities for their residents. During what seems a fundamental reevaluation of the federal housing role, it is paramount to examine what has been achieved to date. Already, HOPE VI has been effective in providing a more attractive, better- managed alternative to run-down public housing, arguing for a mending, not an ending, of the program. Section 8 vouchers offer one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to deliver affordable housing. But, both vouchers and low-income housing tax credits need to continue to provide housing choice and mobility throughout metro areas.