Full Citation

Title: Placing U.S. Federal Housing Policy on a Secure Foundation: The SHELTER Plan

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2023

ISBN:

ISSN: 0194-4363

DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2022.2078735

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: U.S. housing advocates have called for a fundamental rethinking of the nation’s federal housing policies. In this study, I examined the geographic and household-level consequences of a plan that redistributes federal income tax expenditures from homeowners to very-low-income households. I propose, defend, and illustrate the effects of the SHELTER plan, a redistributive policy that a) is revenue neutral, b) is tenure neutral, c) is progressive, d) prioritizes local redistribution, and e) targets excess revenues to affordable housing production subsidies in communities where an increase in cash-based housing assistance is most likely to inflate housing rents. I demonstrate that the savings from the elimination of four homeownership tax expenditures would provide more than enough revenue to fund a universal housing allowance for all very-low-income households. Ignoring housing market adjustments, the plan would reduce housing cost burdens for the nation’s very-low-income renters by 36% and reduce very-low-income homeowners’ cost burdens by 28%.

Url: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01944363.2022.2078735

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Authors: Dawkins, Casey

Periodical (Full): Journal of the American Planning Association

Issue: 3

Volume: 89

Pages: 324-335

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Housing and Segregation, Poverty and Welfare

Countries: