Voucher Homeownership Assessment: Volume 1
- Cross-Site Analysis (July 2003, 132p.)
Volume 2 - Case Studies (July 2003, 162 p.)
This study is an assessment of the early implementation of the Voucher Homeownership
Program. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into
aspects of the program that are working well and those that
are problematic. Although it is too premature to conduct a
complete evaluation of the program at this time, this study
provides useful information about how the Voucher Homeownership
Program has been designed and implemented in different parts
of the country, the characteristics of program purchasers
and properties purchased, and the local factors that affect
program implementation.
HUD contracted with Abt Associates Inc. in 2001 to describe
the early implementation of the voucher homeownership program
and to provide insight into aspects of the program that are
working well and those that are problematic. The study examines
how the program has been designed and implemented in different
parts of the country, the characteristics of program purchasers
and properties purchased, and the local factors that affect
program implementation. The study also provides practical
information to PHAs that may be interested in offering the
voucher homeownership program.
This study is the first assessment of the program at this
early stage of its implementation. The study focuses on program
implementation in 12 locations across the country:
•
Bernalillo County, NM
• Colorado (state program)
• Danville, VA
• Green Bay, WI
• Milwaukee, WI
• Missoula, MT
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•
Montgomery County, PA
• Nashville, TN
• San Bernardino, CA
• Syracuse, NY
• Toledo, OH
• Vermont (state program) |
The 12 study sites were selected to include both PHAs that
are operating their programs without outside resources (beyond
the voucher program) to defray the cost of administering the
program and PHAs that are offering the program as part of
the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NR)’s voucher
homeownership demonstration. Under the demonstration, as of
May 2002, NR has provided funding to 21 of its local NeighborWorks
affiliates—community-based organizations that work with
low-income homebuyers and homeowners—to partner with
PHAs to implement the voucher homeownership program. In fiscal
year 2001, Congress provided $5 million to NR to support this
initiative. In fiscal year 2002, Congress appropriated an
additional $10 million to continue support for these local
partnerships.
A second site selection criterion was that at least one family
at the site had purchased through the program as of November
2001 when site selection was conducted. After satisfying these
two criteria, we selected sites covering a range of program
designs, geographic locations, and PHA characteristics. However,
the 12 study sites were not intended to be representative
of any broader pool of homeownership programs, housing markets,
or PHAs.
The study draws on complementary analytical techniques—case
studies and cross-site analysis. The study findings are organized
into two volumes based on these different modes of analysis.
Volume 1 of the report—the Cross-Site Analysis—highlights
common themes and patterns across the study sites, including
lessons learned from the early implementation of the voucher
homeownership program. Volume 2 of the report—the
Case Studies—provides a detailed examination of
the program at each study site and tells the story of program
implementation from the point of view of local program staff,
partners, and participants. The case studies discuss in detail
the choices made regarding program design—including
eligibility and recruitment, financing arrangements, and counseling—as
well as the experiences of PHA staff and program participants
to date.
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