While the impact of residential development regulations and of economic growth on housing markets has been studied extensively, the impact of housing supply on labor markets and local economic growth has not. A Review of Regulatory Barriers to Employer Ability to Recruit and Retain Employees examines how development regulations intended to govern residential construction might have secondary impacts on labor supply and demand. We'll examine the magnitude of the effects, the transmission mechanisms from regulations to market outcomes, and potential effects on different kinds of businesses.

HUD economists maintain regional overviews of economic and housing market trends that provide a perspective on current economic conditions and their impact on the housing market. The data on employment, home sales and median prices, residential building activity, and rental housing markets are updated regularly and appear in the U.S. Housing Market Conditions, published quarterly by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. We'll focus on the first quarter 2009 report to illustrate the information available for all regions of the country.

The Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act was recently signed by President Obama, as part of the new Helping Families Save Their Homes Act. This legislation reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program, increases program flexibility, streamlines the competitive grant process, and increases resources and tools with which communities can prevent and end homelessness. We'll explore the benefits of the law for homeless families and their communities.