The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a public database to provide more information on the households receiving assistance from its rental programs.

In conjunction with Obama’s Open Government Initiative, the database describes the general demographics of tenants, where they live, if they’re living in a metropolitan or urban area and what the poverty rate is for the respective areas.

Maintaining individual privacy, the data provides information for research and public knowledge while offering a “transparent window” into the department, according to Raphael Bostic, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Policy Development.

— Paul Dang