New Updates on The Edge

Message from PD&R Leadership:
Announcing the 2019 Innovation in Affordable Housing Competition
In the leadership message, director of PD&R's Research Utilization Division Rachelle Levitt announces the 2019 Innovation in Affordable Housing (IAH) Student Design and Planning Competition, and discusses the competition's history. Now in its sixth year, PD&R launched the IAH competition to raise awareness of affordable housing needs among graduate students, encourage research and innovation, cultivate the capacity of future housing practitioners, and foster cross-disciplinary teamwork among students in various fields.

In Practice:
Affordable Urban Apartments in Albuquerque's International District
Opened in the summer of 2017 as the second phase of a larger redevelopment effort by Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership, Casa Feliz is an 89-unit affordable housing development in the Trumbull neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico. A scattered-site urban infill project, Casa Feliz consists of 11 residential buildings, a clubhouse for service delivery and socializing, and four outdoor plazas. The $16.8 million project was built around the first phase development, the 66-unit Plaza Feliz.

Research:
Landlord Participation in HCV Program
The newly published HUD-sponsored report by the Urban Institute, "A Pilot Study of Landlord Acceptance of Housing Choice Vouchers," used paired testing at five study sites to explore landlord treatment of Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) holders during the initial stages of the housing search process. The study found that landlords often refuse to rent to HCV holders, with refusal taking place early in the search process in most cases. This study is the first to investigate landlord treatment of HCV holders using paired testing across multiple sites.

Trending:
Summary of U.S. Rental Housing Market Conditions: 2Q2018
Each quarter, PD&R produces a report that highlights key statistics and trends in the housing market. In the second quarter of 2018, apartment market conditions were balanced, with a vacancy rate of 4.8 percent. Rents increased 4.5 percent from the second quarter of 2017, with rents increasing in every area of the country except for Ithaca, New York. To create the quarterly report, PD&R analyzes data from a variety of sources including HUD, the Census Bureau, the National Association of Realtors^®, and more.

Please send your comments and suggestions to editor@huduser.gov.