Assessing Housing Durability: A Pilot Study

"Assessing Housing Durability: A Pilot Study," a new report released by HUD, examines information about housing conditions and characteristics, and their relationship to durability. The study uses a site condition assessment and a homeowner survey to provide a framework for assessing the relationship between the affordability and durability of housing.

This study, the first of its kind, will serve as a foundation for future research gauging the durability of homes. Five three-inspector teams performed exterior site inspections on 208 houses - 105 of which were built in the 1990s and 103 of which were built in the 1970s. The analysis examines causal relationships among housing design, materials, and durability. The report includes color pictures to illustrate the variety of conditions encountered by the inspectors.

In addition, researchers were able to glean other valuable information including, for example:

• Vinyl frames are used in 65 percent of windows, making it the most widely used material in the 1990s. Wood and metal frames were the dominant materials in the 1970s.
  
• Rot occurred in 22 percent of homes built in the 1990s and 31 percent of homes built in the 1970s.
  
• Cracks were visible in 65 percent of block foundations compared to 10 percent of concrete foundations.

Researchers also queried 43 homeowners by telephone and through a site visit. The homeowner survey captures data on a large number of residential features. For example, homeowner responses indicate that the most common durability problems cited were related to water, including wet basements and leaky windows.

The report includes a discussion of the study methodology and recommendations to improve data quality. Based on the lessons from this study, researchers recommend that future studies include:

• A comprehensive set of inspector training documents and training materials.
  
• A simplified survey form focusing on the critical issues identified in this study.
  
• Techniques and procedures aimed at minimizing inspector error, including quality checks of completed survey forms and prompt on-site follow-up, to address discrepancies.

The findings of this study demonstrate the feasibility of benchmarking and monitoring the durability of the nation's housing stock and reveal the importance of certain design, construction, maintenance, and environmental factors impacting durability. These findings, however, must be tempered with an understanding that they are associated with a relatively small sample in one locality in the United States. The results of this pilot study should not be interpreted beyond the limits of the sampled houses and occupants, yet should provide a starting point for future studies.

"Assessing Housing Durability: A Pilot Study" is available for $5.00 from HUD USER. Please use the order form on the back of this newsletter. You can also download the form from the HUD USER Web site at www.huduser.gov.