Latest Urban Institute Reports

As a member of the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership, NeighborhoodInfo DC provides community-based organizations and residents in the District of Columbia with local data and analysis they can use to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Since the start of the national foreclosure crisis, NeighborhoodInfo DC has been providing data on households and neighborhoods affected by foreclosures to local partners, allowing them to target their efforts to reduce negative impacts and help more families stay in their homes. This brief highlights our work of making foreclosure data accessible in the District of Columbia and gives examples of how our partners have used this information to assist vulnerable homeowners and renters.

The Affordable Care Act includes Small Business Health Options Programs (SHOP) exchanges, intended to provide administrative relief and affordable coverage options to small employers across the country. This paper provides an overview of SHOP exchange development in six states. The six state based exchanges studied are all intending to offer employee choice in 2014 and report an encouraging amount of carrier interest. Specific policy decisions in design tend to reflect prior state differences in small group markets. State contacts note that employer education is one of the major challenges they face, and outreach efforts to small businesses are just beginning.

This paper examines recent labor market trends responsible for increased unemployment duration. It then introduces and describes short-time compensation (STC) programs as a way to preserve jobs and prevent unemployment. STC provides partial unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to eligible workers placed on short work schedules. These UI benefits provide partial compensation for the reduction in hours worked. STC programs cause hours reductions to be spread more widely within the workforce when compared to reductions through layoffs and help to maintain employment. The paper examines STC programs in the United States and in Belgium, Canada, Germany and Italy. It describes recent STC legislation in the United States and discusses way to increase STC utilization.

Under United States tax law, most income accruing to nonprofit organizations is tax-exempt. However, income from "business related activities" is taxed at normal corporate (or trust) rates under the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT). Nonprofit revenue is tax-exempt as long as it is considered "substantially related" to the organization's mission. For example, the tuition charged by a university is tax-exempt, but if the university also owns a restaurant which serves the general public, then those profits are not tax-exempt. This brief explores the rationale behind and the effects of the Unrelated Business Income Tax.

One in five adults age 20 and older have student loan debt and more than half of them worry they may be unable to repay their obligations, according to a new study from the Urban Institute's Opportunity and Ownership Project.

Outstanding student loan balances in the United States total roughly $1 trillion, with student loan debt following one of every five adults. People across the income, age, and educational attainment spectrums have student loan debt, but it is particularly concentrated in some groups. African Americans and Hispanics are about twice as likely to have student loan debt as whites. Fifty-seven percent of people with student loans are concerned that they may be unable to repay that debt. This concern cuts across demographic and economic groups but is more prevalent among people with children, with lower household incomes, and women.

The following is the text of a debate that occurred between Rosenthal and Needham at the May meeting of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation in Washington regarding the proper tax treatment of private equity funds and their partners under current law. The introduction should be attributed solely to Rosenthal. The views expressed by Rosenthal are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Tax Policy Center, the Urban Institute, or the Brookings Institution. The text of the debate has been edited for purposes of clarity and print.

Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) is a vital part of the nation's social safety net, providing essential financial support to millions of disabled workers and their families. Nearly half of beneficiaries rely on the program for the majority of their family income. A fifth receive nearly all of their income from DI. The program is not particularly generous, however, and many beneficiaries face financial hardship. Average family incomes are only about half as large for DI beneficiaries as nonbeneficiaries. Efforts to address Social Security's financing problems should recognize the crucial support that Social Security provides to Americans with disabilities.

The charitable deduction for property accounts for 25% of all charitable contributions. Given the substantial direct and indirect costs involved, the uncertain benefit to the donee, and the absence of any affirmative policy in favor of property contributions, it is time to reverse the general rule and not allow a charitable deduction for such contributions. This would provide many benefits—increased revenue, improved tax administration, fewer abusive transactions, a simpler and more equitable tax code, and a preference for cash. Exceptions may be warranted, but should be analyzed according to whether the exception provides a measurable benefit to the donee.

This article was originally published in the Harvard Law Journal, Volume 50, at page 263.

The paper starts from the premise that a future housing finance system must meet five essential goals: ensuring stability and liquidity so that the future housing finance system is resilient to crises and attractive to a wide range of global investors; ensuring access and equity so that all creditworthy borrowers can get access to the system; strengthening affordable housing, including rental housing for people who need it; limiting the government’s role and risk so that taxpayers are better protected; and establishing incentives, competition, and innovation so that a greater amount of private risk capital supports the system.