How do changes in housing voucher design affect rent and neighborhood quality?
R Collinson, P Ganong - American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2018 - aeaweb.org
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2018•aeaweb.org
US housing voucher holders pay their landlord a fraction of household income and the
government pays the rest, up to a rent ceiling. We study how two types of changes to the rent
ceiling affect landlords and tenants. A policy that makes vouchers more generous across a
metro area benefits landlords through increased rents, with minimal impact on
neighborhood and unit quality. A second policy that indexes rent ceilings to neighborhood
rents leads voucher holders to move into higher quality neighborhoods with lower crime …
government pays the rest, up to a rent ceiling. We study how two types of changes to the rent
ceiling affect landlords and tenants. A policy that makes vouchers more generous across a
metro area benefits landlords through increased rents, with minimal impact on
neighborhood and unit quality. A second policy that indexes rent ceilings to neighborhood
rents leads voucher holders to move into higher quality neighborhoods with lower crime …
Abstract
US housing voucher holders pay their landlord a fraction of household income and the government pays the rest, up to a rent ceiling. We study how two types of changes to the rent ceiling affect landlords and tenants. A policy that makes vouchers more generous across a metro area benefits landlords through increased rents, with minimal impact on neighborhood and unit quality. A second policy that indexes rent ceilings to neighborhood rents leads voucher holders to move into higher quality neighborhoods with lower crime, poverty, and unemployment. (JEL I38, R23, R31, R38)
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