BACKGROUND Since the mid-1970s, the dominant model for U.S. federal housing policy has shifted from unit-based programs to tenant based vouchers and certificates, intended to allow recipients a choice in their housing and neighborhoods. Surprisingly little research has examined the question of where those with Section 8 housing vouchers are able to live, but some research suggests that voucher ...

This paper is a good example of how solid research can support the policy decision process. Based on housing and land transaction data, the authors use the hedonic approach to calculate constant quality housing price and land price indices in 35 Chinese cities. This new and unique dataset on residential land transactions at the city level is by itself an important contribution, and the statisti...

Over the past few years, there has been a growing debate in Australian society about the way housing processes can contribute to social exclusion. Despite this debate some commentators argue that Australian housing policy lacks recognition that the issue of deinstitutionalisation is also a rehousing process, which has the potential for achieving social inclusion for people moving into the commu...

This paper quantitatively investigates the optimal capital income taxation in the general equilibrium overlapping generations model, which incorporates characteristics of housing and the U.S. preferential tax treatment for owner-occupied housing. Housing tax policy is found to have a substantial effect on how capital income should be taxed. Given the U.S. preferential tax treatment for owner-oc...

Apart from being perennially underfunded in a country recording rapid population growth, public housing policy is rarely innovative or exciting interest. There is a story, however, in Victoria that needs to be broadcast and given some fanfare. It concerns a social initiative by a volunteer group in the field of affordable housing aimed at the marginalised. It is a scheme, too, that receives lit...

The Netherlands like many European countries has issued ambitious national targets to achieve climate change goals. It is recognised that to achieve these goals the energy saving potential idling in the existing housing stock must be exploited. To date the Dutch response is largely defined by the typical national repertoire of policy instruments including voluntary agreements, economic incentiv...

The decision of whether to rent or own a home should involve an evaluation of the relative risks and the relative costs of the two options. It is often assumed that renting is less risky than homeownership, but that is not always the case. Which option is riskier depends on the risk source and household characteristics. This article provides a framework for understanding the sources of risk for...