The Poverty and Inequality Research Lab (PIRL) conducts collaborative, interdisciplinary, mixed-methods research to inform policy related to poverty, housing, education, and families. In many cases, studies conducted by PIRL researchers have been key motivators for various legislative and policy initiatives.
Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2019, 2021
On June 9, 2021, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the housing choice voucher program, provide families with mobility-related services, and engage new landlords in the voucher program. The bill was previously introduced in 2019. The legislation is motivated in part by research conducted by PIRL that shows the positive impacts of opportunity moves on children’s health and intergenerational mobility.
View the full legislative text here.
View the one-pager here.
Choice in Affordable Housing Act of 2021
On May 25, 2021, United States Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase funding for the housing choice voucher (HCV) program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and local public housing authorities. The Choice in Affordable Housing Act of 2021 draws on landlord research conducted by PIRL researchers and aims to increase funding for the HCV program in order to increase the number of landlords who accept vouchers from potential renters. PIRL Director Stefanie DeLuca was quoted in a one-pager published by the Office of Senator Coons on the legislation. She said:
"The Housing Choice Voucher program—which houses more than two million American families—has been losing landlords each year in droves. Our research in four cities shows that the voucher program has been losing these landlords for avoidable reasons: burdensome and time-consuming inspections, no one to talk to at the PHA when problems arise, and concerns about responsibility for repairs. The Choice in Affordable House Act makes important and much needed strides towards addressing these very issues and will, our research further shows, lead to greater landlord participation in vouchers in high-opportunity areas. That, in turn, means this Act will help many children to finally get a chance to live where they will have far better economic prospects, helping our nation’s much needed recovery over the long term."
View the full legislative text here.
View the one-pager here.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration
In April 2021, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced nine public housing authorities (PHAs) to participate in a mobility demonstration authorized in the Housing Mobility Demonstration Act of 2019 passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 and 2020. The demo will be structured similarly to the CMTO study conducted by PIRL researchers and partners. The demo will last six years and feature two phases, with families receiving comprehensive mobility related services during phase one and selected mobility related services during phase two. PIRL Director Stefanie DeLuca will serve as a technical advisor to Abt Associates, the organization leading the evaluation of the demo.
View more information on the HUD website here.
Housing Mobility Demonstration Act of 2018, 2019
In 2018 and 2019, bipartisan legislation was introduced in the United States Congress to provide funding and authorize the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct a housing mobility demonstration modeled after the CMTO experiment in Seattle and King County, Washington. The goal of this legislation is to increase opportunity moves for housing choice voucher recipients by providing highly effective support to families during the housing search and lease up processes. The Housing Mobility Demonstration Act was ultimately included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 and again in 2020, authorizing and funding the HUD demonstration.
View the full legislative text here.