New Report Details Shortfalls in and Recommendations for Federal Housing Assistance

A new study from the Urban Institute, The Case for More, Not Less: Shortfalls in Federal Housing Assistance and Gaps in Evidence for Proposed Policy Changes, provides an overview of the current landscape of federal housing assistance. The report finds that only one in five renter households who qualify for housing assistance actually receive it, down from one in four as recently as 2016. The report also examines the vital role of housing assistance in the safety net, the history of reform to housing assistance programs, and gaps in the evidence for proposed policy changes, such as work incentives and support services. The authors conclude that a serious review of current affordable housing policy, with a focus on strengthening the evidence base, is required before large-scale reform to federal housing assistance is attempted.