New Updates on The Edge

PD&R’s online magazine, The Edge, provides you with a snapshot view of our newly released research, periodicals, publications, news, and commentaries on housing and urban development issues. Stay informed on current topics and check back frequently, as our content is routinely updated.

Featured: Closing the African American Homeownership Gap

In December 2020, the National Housing Conference held a panel titled “Closing the Black Ownership Gap” at its annual Solutions to Affordable Housing online convening, during which four experts discussed the rate of African-American homeownership compared to the rate of White homeownership. The panelists examined the causes of the gap, explored ways in which to expand African-American access to homeownership, and examined past strategies.

In Practice: Housing Indigenous Youth Helps Heal Intergenerational Trauma

Opened in November 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mino Oski Ain Dah Yung is a permanent supportive housing development emphasizing culturally responsive service provision to its client base of youth aging out of social service eligibility and at risk of homelessness, which in Minnesota is a demographic that is disproportionately indigenous. The 4-story building has 42 furnished efficiency apartments, with community spaces such as communal kitchens, a sweat lodge, and a garden. The $13.7 million development was financed primarily through low-income housing tax credits.

Research: Flood Insurance Coverage of Federal Housing Administration Single-Family Homes

A recent HUD study evaluates the likelihood of certain homeowners in two states to maintain flood insurance on their properties. The study analyzed 2011–19 data on 975,648 single-family homes in North Carolina and Florida with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration — properties required in certain instances to carry flood insurance. The researchers examined homeowner behavior based on flood risk, likelihood of mortgage default within the next year, and other factors.

Trending: Tracking the Impact of the CDC Eviction Moratorium

Special advisor to the assistant secretary for PD&R Aaron Shroyer discusses the impact of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eviction moratorium, issued in September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shroyer provides evidence of the catastrophic impact of evictions, the power of local and state moratoria adopted before the CDC’s prohibition, and the connection between stable housing and public health.

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