Do Housing Vouchers Work When Rental Markets Don’t? Demand-Side Assistance Amid Extreme Rental Shocks
UW Social Sciences Building 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
The Institute for Research on Poverty hosts seminars on the UW-Madison campus most Thursdays during the academic year. These presentations are free and open to the public. Room 8417.
media release: Speaker: Sarah Strochak, assistant professor, La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Housing Choice Vouchers are the primary form of rental assistance in the United States, yet they rely on the private provision of housing and are therefore heavily exposed to shocks to the rental market. During the period of rapid rent increases in 2021–2022, voucher success rates dropped sharply, while search times, overcrowding, and program costs rose. We identify three implementation strategies that can help to improve program performance amid periods of rapid rent increases.
