The Department of Housing and Urban Development released a new independent publication focused on informing housing and community development advocates, state and local policymakers, Congress and researchers on new approaches to issues related to housing and community development.
“Evidence Matters” is an objective, unbiased publication intended to inform the broad housing and community development field on future policy directions based on research and data said the agency.
“As a self-professed policy wonk, I’m excited that HUD is focused on having an honest and informed discussion about what works and what doesn’t,” said Shaun Donovan, HUD housing secretary. “Evidence does indeed matter when it comes to making policy that impacts people’s lives and this publication will help frame the discussion around what the data means.”
The first issue focuses on strategies to revitalize neighborhoods of concentrated poverty including HUD’s HOPE VI program.
“We know that neighborhoods of concentrated poverty struggle with unemployment, crime, and poor schools and health care,” said Dr. Raphael Bostic, assistant secretary for policy and research at HUD. “Many federal interventions focus on assisting poor households in particular neighborhoods but have failed to take a broader community-based approach. The evidence points to the need for a more holistic strategy to redevelopment if we hope to improve the lives of residents as well as the places where they live.”
View a copy of the first issue here.
