Housing Policy at a Crossroads: The Why, How, and Who of Assistance Programs - Hardcover

Weicher, John C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0844742589 ISBN 13: 9780844742588

Publisher: AEI Press, 2000

Synopsis

Since Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, American housing policy has focused on building homes for the poor. Housing Policy at a Crossroads provides a comprehensive survey of past low-income housing programs which acts not only as a history of housing policy, but as a guide to issues confronting policy makers and argues a case for vouchers as the cheapest, most effective solution. Weicher gives us a timely warning that reinventing failed building programs would be a very costly wrong turn for America.

About this title

Review:

Weicher provides an analysis of assistance programs for low-income households in federal housing policy since the early 20th century. The book begins with an appropriate review of the historical development of federal housing programs. Weicher then argues that since FDR's New Deal housing policies, low-income residents of urban neighborhoods have not witnessed improvements in crime, unemployment, or health. As an economist, the author writes nine chapters to build the argument that federal housing subsidies have been largely ineffective for decades. Weicher asserts that HUD's policies did not induce the production of affordable, decent housing. He argues that the best policy response is to embrace housing vouchers that provide households with greater choice and lower the costs of the housing programs. It is a nice addition to the literature because it contributes to an understanding of the political debate on housing assistance. Practitioners will benefit from the author's experiences. Summing Up: Recommended. Professional collections.--CHOICE

Weicher is a wise housing veteran who has worked in the government and in the private sector. This book adds a deep alternative perspective on affordable housing to the perspectives of many books that have been published recently. It cannot only be used as a textbook in graduate classes on housing economics or housing policy but also provides chapters for graduate classes in public finance and budgeting, program evaluation, policy making processes, and perspectives on how Washington works and 'gets stuff done.'--International Journal of Housing Policy

About the Author:

John C. Weicher is director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Housing and Financial Markets.

About this edition

• Publisher: AEI Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0844742589
• ISBN 13: 9780844742588
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 348