Urban Institute researchers monitor and assess housing market trends, affordable housing, homelessness, federal housing assistance, racial disparities and housing discrimination, and community revitalization. We recommended greater regulation and reforms for subprime mortgages before the housing market collapse and continue to follow its effects on families and neighborhoods. Our research informs decisionmakers with neighborhood-level data and evaluations of federal housing programs. Read more.
The National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) program is a special federal appropriation, administered by NeighborWorks® America, designed to support a rapid expansion of foreclosure intervention counseling in response to the nationwide housing crisis. This brief summarizes the final results of the Urban Institute’s evaluation of the first two rounds of the NFMC program. Overall, the program is having its intended effect of helping troubled homeowners by improving the quality of mortgage modifications, increasing the frequency and sustainability of cures of delinquencies and foreclosures, and reducing the number of foreclosure completions for counseled homeowners.
The National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) program is a special federal appropriation, administered by NeighborWorks America, designed to support a rapid expansion of foreclosure intervention counseling in response to the nationwide housing crisis. This report presents the final results of the Urban Institute’s evaluation of the first two rounds of the NFMC program. Overall, the program is having its intended effect of helping troubled homeowners by improving the quality of mortgage modifications, increasing the frequency and sustainability of cures of delinquencies and foreclosures, and reducing the number of foreclosure completions for counseled homeowners.
Using qualitative and quantitative data, this report discusses the history, performance, and progress of the District of Columbia Frequent Users Service Enhancement Pilot Program, implemented by the Corporation for Supportive Housing. As a supportive housing reentry program focused on disabled individuals with histories of homelessness and incarceration, the program intended to provide housing and coordinate services for 50 "frequent users" leaving the city jail. Over the first year of operations, the program successfully identified and targeted more than a dozen frequent users and linked them to supportive housing through effective cross-system coordination. Policy implications of the evaluation findings are discussed.
Public concern about blighted properties has swelled in New Orleans, and residents are rightfully concerned. Although blight has declined substantially since 2008 thanks to billions of federal housing dollars, as of 2010, New Orleans still had 43,755 blighted homes or empty lots. This report includes a review of economic and housing trends that are affecting blight, a broad set of principles to help guide various efforts to eliminate blight in New Orleans, and an analysis of neighborhood housing markets. Finally, this report provides recommendations for maximizing the potential of available resources for eliminating blight, including how neighborhood organizations can supplement public efforts.
The aging of the baby boomers represents a demographic tidal wave that will profoundly affect housing needs and living arrangements in the coming years. The authors examine three possible scenarios for the projected number and mix of households in New Orleans in 2020. But regardless of the scenario, the increase in households headed by elderly will greatly surpass the increase in any other household type. This report concludes with strategies for attracting new residents to the city and ensuring we meet the housing needs of aging residents, including the desire of many seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible.
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