New Updates on PD&R Edge

PD&R Edge, an online magazine, provides you with a snapshot view of our newly released research, periodicals, publications, news, and commentaries on housing and urban development issues. Stay informed on current topics and check back frequently, as our content is routinely updated.

Featured: Evidence Drives Efforts To Promote Equity in Affordable Housing

Affordable, high-quality housing is essential to residents’ health and well-being, but ensuring access to housing nationwide remains challenging. On June 18, the Urban Institute collaborated with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Policy for Action research program to host a hybrid event, “Policies to Expand Equity-Oriented Affordable Housing,” where panelists explored the development and application of housing policies that affect racial and health equity.

PD&R Leadership: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and the People and Policies That Help Create Housing Opportunities for All

In the Leadership Message, PD&R’s Solomon Greene, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Sahian Valladares, Senior Advisor for Outreach and Engagement, highlight how HUD’s mission to ensure that all Americans can access quality, affordable housing serves the Hispanic and Latino communities through ongoing initiatives and programs supporting housing stability, expanding homeownership, investing in Hispanic Serving Institutions, and strengthening representation in the federal workforce.

In Practice: In New Jersey, Barrier-Free Housing Combines Accessibility and Affordability

Hamilton Township is the largest municipality in Mercer County, New Jersey, which faces a shortage of affordable and accessible housing. This region has a particularly pronounced need for accessible housing, having a higher number of residents living with disabilities compared to the national average. To address this need, the township partnered with Project Freedom, a local nonprofit working to help people with disabilities live independently, to create Freedom Village, a 72-unit affordable housing development featuring 18 units set aside for individuals with mental health challenges or developmental disabilities. All units are ADA-compliant, and residents have access to supportive services.

Spotlight on PD&R Data: Understanding the Unique Housing Needs of Hispanic Households

Public data sources, including HUD administrative data, the American Housing Survey, and the Household Pulse Survey, provide crucial insight into the unique housing needs of different communities throughout the United States, including the nation’s nearly 20 million Hispanic households. A disaggregated lens on administrative and survey housing data can support broader efforts to identify and reduce disparities in access to safe and affordable housing for one of America’s largest ethnic minority populations.

Research: Tracking Investment: Trends in Housing Vouchers and FHA Mortgage Access

Location patterns have become a significant focus for researchers studying households participating in HUD’s homeownership and rental assistance programs. Research has shown that living in lower-poverty, high-opportunity neighborhoods can improve household outcomes. Nearly half of tenant-based voucher program participants live in census tracts with poverty rates exceeding 20 percent. In contrast, more than half of homeowners receiving FHA-backed mortgages live in census tracts with poverty rates of less than 10 percent. Trends for federally assisted households largely follow existing national trends for homeowners and renters. Without intervention, the private mortgage and rental markets could perpetuate a status quo that widens racial and economic disparities.

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