Guest Editor's Introduction

Jennifer A. Stoloff
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. government at large.

The purpose of the HOPE (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) VI Program was to eradicate severely distressed public housing. The program was developed in response to the recommendations in the 1992 report by the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing. The commission recommended action in three broad areas: physical needs, management, and social and community services.

The commission's report focused on the small but visible percentage of conventional public housing that was physically deteriorating and crime infested. An estimated six percent of the housing stock—about 86,000 units—was distressed. Despite the need for low-income housing, blighted projects often had high vacancy rates, and many had long been slated for demolition. The HOPE VI Program became the vehicle for redeveloping these projects.