AHS Update: Version 1.2 of Public Use Files, Plus Codebook Database Updates

HUD and Census just released version 1.2 of the National and Metropolitan Areas 2015 American Housing Survey Public Use Files (PUF), and some updates to the AHS codebook database. To access the PUF and the AHS codebook, visit here.

New Variables

1. HUDSUB—We added the variable HUDSUB, which identifies the AHS housing units that are receiving HUD-assistance based on a match to HUD administrative data. Due to confidentiality concerns, the HUDSUB variable collapses Public Housing and Project-based Section 8 into one value.
2. MOVERGRP—A new variable has been added to the Person file called MOVERGRP. This variable identifies the mover group of each recent mover, if applicable.

Corrections

1. We corrected some erroneous N (not applicable) values in various mover group variables. The mover group variables typically begin with “MVG”.
2. TOTHCAMT values from some AHS cases have been corrected. We discovered that components of this variable were mistakenly excluded. This correction increases TOTHCAMT for some records. We do not expect the correction to cause any issues with housing costs analysis.

If you have any questions about the new variables or the corrections, or need our help, contact us at 1-800-245-2691 and by email at helpdesk@huduser.gov. We can provide insights, conduct analysis, and direct you to data.

As always, the AHS team welcomes your feedback.