Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/JenniferEHJohnson

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is the largest of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments's formula block grant programs. This study examines whether readily available data sources can be used to track the outcomes of activities funded with CDBG. The study concludes that two data elements--median home loan amount and the number of businesses--have potential as tools for helping local communities measure the effects of concentrated CDBG expenditures, but additional research is needed. This initial work does not support the use of this methodology for a national performance measure applicable to all CDBG programs; however, these measures may be useful to communities interested in assessing their own community development performance and in furthering their understanding of the neighborhood effects of past CDBG investments.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is today the federal government's primary tool for producing rental housing intended to be affordable by low- and moderate-income households. It relies on incentives built into the tax system, is administered primarily by state agencies, and is implemented by thousands of private businesses and non-profit organizations that develop and own the housing. Based on the first national (telephone) survey to be conducted of the owners of LIHTC properties, this report covers a range of issues including owners' development objectives, the performance of their properties, and what they intend to do with their properties when they come to the end of their compulsory compliance period.

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