Name File Type Size Last Modified
  ACS 01/29/2021 03:09:PM
  primary_files 01/29/2021 03:10:PM
  processed_files 01/29/2021 03:07:PM
  public 01/29/2021 03:10:PM
  raw_files_clean 01/29/2021 03:07:PM

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary Code and instructions to reproduce analysis in the article "Targeting In-Kind Transfers through Market Design: A Revealed Preference Analysis of Public Housing Allocation."

Abstract: "Public housing benefits are rationed through waitlists. Theoretical work on public housing allocation has debated how much choice applicants should have over units, identifying a possible trade-off between efficiency and redistribution. This paper empirically establishes the existence and economic importance of this trade-off using waitlist data from Cambridge, MA. I estimate a model of public housing preferences in a setting where heterogeneous apartments are rationed through waiting time. Eliminating choice would improve targeting but reduce tenant welfare by more than 30 percent. Such a change is only justified on targeting grounds by a strong social preference for redistribution."

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms public housing; waitlist; in-kind transfers; targeting; market design; structural estimation; revealed preference
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      D40 Market Structure, Pricing, and Design: General
      D47 Market Design
      H40 Publicly Provided Goods: General
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage Massachusetts, USA
Universe:  View help for Universe The CHA data contain applicants for Cambridge Housing Authority programs who were on a waitlist between 2010 and 2015, and program participants during the same period.

The ACS data contain households living in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2014.
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) program source code; survey data

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source
U.S. Census Bureau. 2010–2014. “American Community Survey 1-year Public Use Microdata Samples [DAT file].” Downloaded from https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/group (accessed on 2017-02-01).

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2016. "Income Limits Documentation System." https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html Accessed on 2016-10-01.

CHA. 2016. "Waitlist and Tenant Microdata." 
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html. Accessed on 2016-10-01.

Public CHA Documents/Data Sources

CHA. 2007. "Cambridge Housing Authority Development Directory." https://cambridge-housing.org/download/47/public-housing-rad-fph-properties/4359/cha-development-directory.pdf. Accessed on 2016-09-01.

CHA. 2013. "Moving to Work Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Plan." https://cambridge-housing.org/download/42/annual-reports/4332/mtw-annual-report-fy14.pdf. Accessed on 2015-12-03.
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation Household

Related Publications

Published Versions

Export Metadata

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as it arrived from the data depositor. ICPSR has not checked or processed this material. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is desired.