PD&R Edge, an online magazine, 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: Making ADU Development Equitable in California

Persistent housing shortages in California and the resulting high housing costs prompted state lawmakers, starting in 2016, to pass a series of laws legalizing and facilitating the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the state. Thanks to this more hospitable legal and financial landscape, ADU permitting and construction have expanded rapidly in California in recent years. On August 26, 2022, the Terner Center and the Casita Coalition, hosted a webinar to discuss the findings of a recent report showing racial and economic barriers to equitable ADU production, with panelists offering strategies to reduce inequities.

PD&R Leadership: Outlining Principles of Policy Development

In the Leadership Message, deputy assistant secretary for policy development Brian J. McCabe discusses the crucial role collaboration plays in policymaking, both across federal agencies and with local partners who are instrumental in administering HUD programs. Guiding this work are three principles: ensuring an equity approach to policymaking, reducing the burdens that policies can sometimes impose on beneficiaries, and redressing historic injustices done by past policies.

In Practice: Denver Community Center Offers Surplus Land for Affordable Housing

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities, many of whom have very low incomes, tend to have difficulty finding safe and affordable housing. Denver-based Laradon Hall — a nonprofit service provider for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities — has been working to address this need by building affordable housing next to its Denver campus in partnership with local developer Gorman and Company. The first phase, the Elisabetta, opened in 2019, and the second phase, the Stella, opened in 2022. Through Gorman’s partnerships with Laradon and other providers, residents have access to several wraparound services. The Stella provides a safe and stable environment for 132 households, many of which have limited housing alternatives.

Trending: New HUD PD&R Research Awards Aim to Shed Light on Evictions From HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program

Eviction is a systemic issue in the United States that carries severe consequences for the physical and mental health, employability, and housing stability of the individuals and families who experience it. Previous research examining evictions from HUD-assisted housing has focused on assessing evictions from project-based housing. In May 2022, the Office of Research Evaluation and Monitoring (OREM) announced the availability of $500,000 for one or more cooperative agreements for a research project investigating the relationship between eviction and housing choice vouchers. Grants were awarded to the NYU Furman Center and the Urban Institute.

Subscribe to receive PD&R Edge here.