Assisted Housing Mobility Initiatives

Beginning with the landmark Gautreaux housing desegregation lawsuit, local programs have used federally funded housing vouchers to help low-income families move from neighborhoods of poverty and distress to neighborhoods that offer greater opportunity. The latest evidence finds that such “moves to opportunity” yield long-term economic gains, particularly for children who are young at the time of the move. This memo summarizes what we know and what we still need to learn about the feasibility and effectiveness of assisted housing mobility initiatives.