Rebecca J. Walter

Moving to Opportunity? An Examination of Housing Choice Vouchers on Urban Poverty Deconcentration in South Florida

The increase in socioeconomic disparity between households runs counter to federal housing goals to improve the prospects of the poor. One goal of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which provides rental assistance to low-income families, is the deconcentration of poverty. This study is a longitudinal analysis of the HCV programs deconcentration effectiveness in Broward County, Florida. The movement of HCV households before and after voucher assignment is examined. Spatial statistics reveal that HCV recipients are highly clustered in low opportunity areas both prior to and after receiving a voucher. Factors that significantly relate to the likelihood that a voucher recipient will or will not move to an area of higher opportunity are assessed. Results from an opportunity index derived from principal components analysis and an ordinary least squares regression model indicate that being non-Black, having a larger household, and originating from economically distressed areas with high poverty and unemployment relates more strongly to relocation to neighborhoods with greater opportunity.

Searching for Affordability and Opportunity: A Framework for the Housing Choice Voucher Program

Abstract Affordability, a key factor in the housing search process, becomes critical when locating rental housing in opportunity-rich areas. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program accommodates low-income households searching for housing and encourages recipients to reside in low-poverty areas. Affordable neighborhoods that are accessible to public transportation are often found in distressed areas, and not all HCV recipients succeed in locating qualified housing. To address these challenges, a housing search framework is developed to assist HCV households in the housing search process. This framework builds on the methodology of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Location Affordability Index and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing assessment tool by creating multivariate indices that incorporate housing supply, accessibility to opportunity, and neighborhood conditions. The framework serves as a foundation for an online housing search application for public housing authorities to further fair housing goals, HCV recipients to locate qualified housing units, and local governments to assess affordability and opportunity.

Neighborhood and socioeconomic change in emerging megapolitan nodes: tracking shifting social geographies in three rapidly growing United States metropolitan areas, 1980–2010

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the complex demographic and social changes that have occurred in the neighborhoods of fast-growing United States metropolitan areas emerging as nodes in megapolitan regions between 1980 and 2010. A neighborhood typology is created using k-means cluster analysis to examine the demographic and housing characteristics, and geographic distribution, of neighborhoods that have existed in rapidly growing metropolitan areas. A socioeconomic index is created using principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze socioeconomic conditions within neighborhoods. Using data from the metropolitan areas of Las Vegas, Nevada; Austin, Texas; and Raleigh, North Carolina, this study identifies five neighborhood types, each of which has distinctive geographic and socioeconomic trends. The geographic orientation of each metropolitan area within their larger megapolitan region appears to have a role in the geography of neighborhood change. The results are also discussed in relation to human ecology, immigration, and economic restructuring.

Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis for Vulnerable Renters: Insights From Broward County on an Affordable Housing Acquisition Tool

South Florida is experiencing an affordable rental crisis that is especially burdensome on those most vulnerable in society, low-income households. Rapid urbanization has resulted in inequitable land-use patterns that are a barrier to housing for the poor. As a solution to the crisis, local housing agencies seek to expand their affordable housing stock for vulnerable renters in opportunity-rich neighborhoods, but there is no standard framework for identifying properties for acquisition. Broward County serves as a case study to develop a housing acquisition tool. Using a combination of spatial statistics and principal components analysis, neighborhoods in which housing agencies may consider acquiring property are identified through the creation of an affordability surface in ArcGIS. Affordability is overlain by an opportunity surface derived from neighborhood quality and accessibility rankings. The results identify neighborhoods in Broward County that are both affordable and opportunity-rich, to better serve the countys most vulnerable renters.

One Strike to Second Chances: Using Criminal Backgrounds in Admission Decisions for Assisted Housing

Abstract The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has changed its position toward housing individuals with criminal records from strict one-strike policies in the 1980s to providing second chances to returning citizens. Many public housing authorities have not updated their admission policies for using criminal backgrounds and still adhere to the one-strike philosophy. In response to new guidance from HUD, housing agencies are trying to find a balance between screening practices to identify demonstrable risk but avoid discrimination and violation of the Fair Housing Act. This research examines several questions critical to assisting housing providers to address the new guidance from HUD. Findings provide direction for housing providers on understanding recidivism risk rates, using useful lookback periods, considering risk and harm across crime types, and verifying rehabilitation and other evidence to design informed policies and procedures for using criminal records in admission decisions for assisted housing.

Single-Family Housing Market Segmentation, Post-Foreclosure Resale Duration, and Neighborhood Attributes

During the recent economic recession, the foreclosure crisis drew vast attention from scholars and policymakers. Numerous studies focused on factors resulting in foreclosures, the impact of foreclosures, and the relationship between neighborhood attributes and foreclosures. Fewer studies investigated the foreclosure resale mechanism by focusing on buyer characteristics and the market duration of foreclosed properties. This research uses foreclosed residential properties in Broward County, Florida, between 2007 and 2011 to explore how market segmentation by assessed value relates to time on market of foreclosed properties. This research finds that extremely low-value properties and very high-value properties generally take longer to sell. Mid-value properties take a shorter time to sell. After controlling for housing attributes and market segmentation, certain neighborhood characteristics, such as lower percentage black population, lower percentage Hispanic population, lower educational attainment, and higher homeownership rate, are associated with increased likelihood of a real estate owned property being sold. These results will help policymakers determine better strategies for the foreclosure resale process. Special attention should focus on properties taking longer to sell or not able to sell during certain time frames to alleviate the negative effects of these properties on neighborhoods.

Tracking mobility in the housing choice voucher program: a household level examination in Florida, USA

Abstract Previous research on the housing choice voucher (HCV) program has focused on neighbourhoods where voucher holders reside at one point of time. Little is known about mobility of voucher households during their tenure in the program. Using an administrative dataset that spans 11 years for the state of Florida, this study evaluates how often voucher households move and their mobility outcomes, measured by the change of neighbourhood poverty. Findings reveal that HCV households moved frequently beginning in the early years of program participation. Between 2007 and 2013 there was a notable decrease of voucher presence in high-poverty areas. Regression analysis further suggests that rental housing market conditions are significantly associated with mobility outcomes. White, non-Hispanic households and those with higher incomes were more likely to move to lower poverty neighbourhoods, whereas disabled and formerly homeless households moved more frequently and were not as successful in accessing lower poverty areas.

Examining Neighborhood Opportunity and Locational Outcomes for Housing Choice Voucher Recipients: A Comparative Study between Duval County, Florida, and Bexar County, Texas

Recent attention has highlighted the importance of providing low–income households access to opportunity–rich neighborhoods. Using a neighborhood opportunity framework developed specifically for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, this study investigates whether low–income households participating in the program live in opportunity areas. The results indicate that with scarce high–opportunity neighborhoods, most HCV households reside in mixed opportunity areas and face tradeoffs when deciding where to live. Voucher holders reside in areas with moderate or poor accessibility and neighborhood conditions compared to other assisted and nonassisted low–income renters. Opportunity outcomes also vary among different household types of HCV recipients.

Measuring the Spatial Pattern of Ethnic Groups in San Antonio's Eastside: A Spatial Analysis Approach with the Colocation Quotient

ABSTRACT The study of cities has evolved and shifted paradigms from the early local resources viewpoint, to the morphology perspective, and to the more recent spatial approach. Through these different angles, urban geographers and sociologists have documented the different factors that lead to the formation of unique urban residential patterns. This article focuses on measuring the spatial pattern of ethnic groups residing in the Eastside neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, in the early 1900s. The goal is to use a replicable abstract approach that will create a baseline for the comparison of current and future patterns, and provide greater understanding of the origins of residential segregation in the City of San Antonio. A historical geodatabase was created by digitizing and georeferencing buildings, blocks, and streets using Sanborn maps from 1911 and 1912, and by linking the digitized shapefiles with 1910 city directory and census data. The data were analyzed to identify and test spatial associations among different ethnic groups using the colocation quotient. This point-based metric examines the overall spatial structure of the data set and highlights the bivariate spatial association between different ethnic groups. The colocation quotient quantifies both hierarchical processes to provide an in-depth analysis of residential segregation on San Antonios East side.

Revived and Discouraged: Evaluating Employment Barriers for Section 3 Residents With Criminal Records

Abstract Section 3 was established in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Act of 1968 to provide employment for public housing residents in distressed communities while rebuilding underserved neighborhoods. As a provision that recipients of HUD funding must comply with, Section 3 reporting agencies are having trouble securing employment for ex-offenders. This is problematic since low-income ex-offenders unable to secure stable employment are more likely to recidivate. Research evaluating the specific barriers to employment for Section 3 residents with criminal records and policy recommendations are sparse although the problem is prevalent in communities nationwide. This study uses San Antonio, Texas as an example for conducting a policy review to identify the barriers to employment for Section 3 ex-offenders. The results of the qualitative analysis indicate that at the national level, HUD and the Section 3 provision do not create barriers to employment but state and local policies and practices do.