Has HOPE VI Transformed Residents
Lives? Findings from the HOPE VI
Panel Study
Susan J. Popkin, Principal
Investigator
March 16, 2011
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The HOPE VI Panel Study
Tracked the living conditions and well-being
of residents from five HOPE VI sites.
Residents were surveyed three times: 2001,
2003, and 2005
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–
–
–
–
Shore Park/Shore Terrace
Wells/Madden
Few Gardens
Easter Hill
East Capitol Dwellings
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Atlantic City, NJ
Chicago, IL
Durham, NC
Richmond, CA
Washington, D.C.
Sample Characteristics
• Majority are African-American, single female heads of
households
• Extremely low-income
– Employment rates low (22% full-time, 17% part-time)
– Only half graduated high school
• 75% have children; 42% have children under 6
• Approximately 10% are 62 and older
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Relocation Outcomes, 2005
O th e r p u b lic
h o u s in g /p ro je ctb a s e d S e ctio n 8
22%
O rig in a l p u b lic
h o u s in g
H O P E VI
16%
5%
H o m e le s s /in
p ris o n
1%
U n a s s is te d
hom eowner
4%
U n a s s is te d
Vo u ch e r
re n te r
43%
10%
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Vouchers Holders Benefited in
Many Ways
• Improvements in housing quality
– 70% reported that their current housing was better than their housing at
baseline
• Safer, less poor neighborhoods
– At baseline, 79 percent of voucher holders reported big problems with
drug trafficking, compared to 16 percent in 2005.
• Improvements in mental health.
– Voucher holders saw significant decreases in anxiety episodes between
baseline and final evaluation.
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HOPE VI Did Not Affect
Employment
B a rrie rs a n d L o w E m p lo y m e n t
70
W ith b a rrie r
W ith o u t b a rrie r
60
P e rc e n t e m p lo ye d
50
40
30
20
10
0
S e ve re
m ob ility
D e p ress ion
A s th m a
N o hig h
sch o ol
C h ild u n de r C h ild ca re
age 6
pro b le m s
ed u ca tio n
E m p lo ym e nt b a rrie r
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A n xie ty
Poor Health is the Biggest
Challenge
• Just 59% report excellent or good health, strong predictor of
morbidity (disease) and mortality.
• Very high rates of arthritis, asthma, obesity, depression,
diabetes, hypertension, and stroke;
– For every condition except obesity, HOPE VI sample rate is twice that of
comparable national average (African American women)
• Mortality rates are extremely high
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CHA Panel Results, 2009
• Surveyed just Chicago families in the summer of 2009.
• Residents saw improvements across many domains
– Improved housing quality—few housing problems, even in public
housing
– Dramatic improvements in safety—less than 1 in 5 report serious
problems
– Significant reductions in anxiety and worry.
• Physical Heath continued to deteriorate
– Increased levels of chronic conditions and disability
– Shocking mortality levels, 14% of Chicago residents were
deceased by 2009
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Conclusions: Most Residents Are
Better Off
• For private market and mixed-income movers, HOPE VI
has more than met the goal of providing an improved
living environment
• Those who remain in traditional public housing have not
realized same benefits
• The problem of the hard to house requires a different
approach
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HOPE VI Is Not the Solution for
the “Hard to House”
• The Chicago Family Case Management Demonstration
– Informed by lessons from the HOPE VI Panel Study.
– Enhanced supportive services for all residents in two CHA
developments with hope of assisting most vulnerable households.
– The Demonstration ran from 2007 through 2010 IN 2 CHA
developments.
– Comprehensive evaluation
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The Chicago Family Case
Management Demonstration Success
Succeeded in implementing wrap-around services,
improved outcomes for families
– Higher quality housing, safer neighborhoods
– Employment gains
– Overall physical remained stable, reductions in anxiety and worry.
• There is still need for improvement
– Mortality rates were shockingly high.
– Did not improve outcomes for children and youth
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Moving Forward
• Long Term Outcomes Study
– Will survey Demonstration and CHA families in the summer of
2011.
• Housing Opportunities and Services Together (HOST)
– Test different models using housing as a platform for services for
vulnerable families
– Range out housing settings
– Inform next generation of housing policy
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