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SHARE YOUR IDEAS FOR THE 2023 AHS

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HUD and Census are kicking off the planning process for the 2023 American Housing Survey (AHS), and we want to hear from you! To ensure the AHS data is as useful as possible in your work, we are asking for your input on two important features of the AHS.

Give Input on 2023 Oversamples

Would you like to see oversamples of new metropolitan areas in the 2023 AHS? In keeping with the 2015 survey redesign, we are planning to continue with our integrated national sample for 2023—including a representative national sample, representative samples from the top 15 metropolitan areas and a HUD-assisted oversample. We also intend to revisit the housing units in the 10 additional metropolitan areas we interviewed in 2019. But, if you would like HUD to consider an oversample in another metropolitan area, state, or geographic area, please send your suggestions to george.r.carter@hud.gov. Please note that the current AHS sample design permits creation of state-level estimates for CA, FL, IL, MA, NY, PA, and TX every two years and CO, MD, OH, and VA once every four years.

Make Suggestions for 2023 Topical Modules

Do you have an idea for a new topical module? HUD has included rotating topical modules in every survey since 2011. To ensure the AHS data continues to be relevant to data users, we'd like to hear your thoughts about topics for 2023. Let us know if you'd like HUD to consider reinstating topical modules used in prior surveys or suggest entirely new ideas. Please note that if you recommend new topical modules, you are agreeing to "sponsor" the topic by devoting your time and expertise to work with us to develop questions.

To assist you in thinking about potential new topics, we have included the table below, listing all the topical modules we have featured in the AHS over the years. This report (Topical Module History Report: 2009-2019 (census.gov)) contains more information on previous topical modules and research using topic module data. There's also a timeline that walks you through the recommendation process—from idea submission to HUD's final decision. Take a look and then send your ideas for 2023 topical modules to george.r.carter@hud.gov.

Survey Year Topics
2011 Health and safety features of homes Accessibility features and extended battery of disability questions
2013 Public transportation use and neighborhood walkability
Neighborhood social capital
Neighborhood features
Emergency and disaster preparedness
Delinquent payments and notices
Double-up households
2015 Food insecurity
Health and safety features of homes
Arts and cultural resources
Housing counseling
2017 Delinquent payments and notices
Emergency and disaster preparedness
Commuting costs
Evictions
2019 Food insecurity
Post-secondary education enrollment
Accessibility features
Housing insecurity (experimental and not meant for public release)
2021 Intent to move
Expanded renter housing search
Wildfire risk
Pets
Delinquent payments and notices
Smoking


  Topical Module Recommendation Timeline
By August 23, 2021 Sponsor schedules a kick-off meeting with HUD to present ideas.
By September 20, 2021 Sponsor provides a draft of possible questions to HUD for review as well as literature review of similar questions, if applicable, and participates in one or more discussion sessions with HUD, leading to a preliminary draft of questions.
By October 29, 2021 Sponsor participates in one or more discussion sessions with Census about preliminary draft questions, leading to final draft of questions.
November - March 2022 Final draft questions undergo cognitive testing by Census experts.
March - April 2022 Final draft questions are revised as necessary based on cognitive testing results, leading to final questions.
May 2022 HUD makes final decisions about which topical modules to include.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The AHS Team is committed to making it as easy as possible for you to use the AHS data in your work. If you have any questions, or if you have suggestions for ways we can improve the survey and make it easier to access and work with the data you need to achieve your goals, please call us at 1-800-245-2691 or email us at helpdesk@huduser.gov.

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