Assessing Section 8 Success in Metro and Rural Areas

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The two-volume set Study on Section 8 Voucher Success Rates examines the success rate for two voucher programs and analyzes factors that affect chances for success. Volume I, Quantitative Study of Success Rates in Metropolitan Areas, estimates the success rate for Section 8 voucher holders in metropolitan areas and explores variables that impact success, such as market tightness, the characteristics of the voucher holder, and housing authority policies and procedures. Volume II, Qualitative Study of Five Rural Areas, explores success rates of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) and factors affecting success rates in rural communities. It draws on indepth research from rural public housing agencies (PHAs) in Alabama, Iowa, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In both volumes, success rate is defined as the portion of families who are issued vouchers and succeed in leasing a unit within the time provided by the program.

Metropolitan area success rates vary with local market conditions. In tight markets, the success rate was estimated at 61 percent, but in loose markets, 80 percent of families who were issued vouchers used them to lease housing. However, some housing agencies had relatively high voucher success rates in tight markets.

Significantly, the study finds that success rates did not differ by such characteristics as the race, ethnicity, gender, or disability status of the head of household. This suggests that the voucher program works equally well for different types of households. There were some variations in success rates, however. For example, families with very low incomes were somewhat more successful in finding units than those with higher incomes. Also, large households with five or more members had a lower probability of success than smaller households.

Shorter Waiting Lists and Times in Rural Areas

In Volume II, the report reaches no overall conclusions regarding success rates in rural areas because the small sample did not allow statistical generalization. The study found wide variations in success rates across the five sites, from a high of 96 percent to a low of 35 percent. For the sites studied, the report concludes that both waiting lists and waiting times for assistance are generally shorter in rural communities than in cities and suburbs. Moreover, the rural housing stock is of acceptable quality. Rental units almost always met housing quality standards in the study areas. Housing quality, degree of ruralness, affordability, and discrimination were not major obstacles to HCVP success rates at any of the study sites.

The study highlights steps rural PHAs have taken to improve success rates and suggests actions at the local and national levels to improve voucher success rates. For example, if applicants are unable to lease because of a shortage of rentals, PHAs may wish to consider leveraging the use of project-based vouchers with other program funds and taking advantage of new regulations permitting the use of Section 8 vouchers for homeownership.

Study on Section 8 Voucher Success Rates, Volume I: Quantitative Study of Success Rates in Metropolitan Areas and Study on Section 8 Voucher Success Rates, Volume II: Qualitative Study of Five Rural Areas can be downloaded from the HUD USER website, at www.huduser.gov/publications/pubasst/sec8success.html and www.huduser.gov/publications/pubasst/sec8_vol2.html. The volumes can also be ordered from HUD USER for $5 each. Please use the order form.