The U.S. Government has subsidized housing for renters with low incomes since the Housing Act of 1937. Households receiving subsidies generally pay rent equal to 30 percent of their net incomes and the Federal Government pays the rest. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research has again gathered data to develop a comprehensive picture of subsidized housing in the United States. A Picture of Subsidized Households in 1998 provides data on subsidized housing units nationally and by State, program, agency, and census tract. Housing researchers, policymakers, and practitioners can use this data to develop a better understanding of families that depend on subsidies for housing.

Major findings of the report include:

• One-third of subsidized households are elderly, more than one-half are minorities, and two-fifths are headed by a single adult with children.

• The average subsidized housing unit is located in a neighborhood in which one-eighth of the housing units are subsidized, one-fourth of the population is poor, and one-half of the residents are minority.

• The average income of a subsidized household is $9,500 per year and 17 percent of these households earn less than $5,000 per year.

• Subsidized households have been in the program for an average of 6 years, and recent arrivals had been on waiting lists for an average of 21 months before receiving subsidies.

The approximately 5 million housing units identified in the study are subsidized through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Public and Indian Housing programs, Section 8 certificates and vouchers, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, Section 8 New and Substantial Rehabilitation, and the Section 236 program. Household characteristics analyzed include the percent of households that moved during the last year, the average number of people per unit, the total number of people subsidized per household, rent per month, house-hold spending per month, income per household, age of head of household, number of persons with disabilities within household, and neighborhood characteristics.

A Picture of Subsidized Households in 1998 includes more complete data coverage and provides brief summaries of subsidy programs not included in the 1996 and 1997 reports.