The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative aims to redevelop distressed assisted housing developments and transform their surrounding neighborhoods. This report tracks early implementation progress from September 2011 to September 2013 for the first five implementation sites in Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Seattle. Housing redevelopment was under way in all locations though progress was mixed on supportive services and neighborhood improvements. Implementation proceeded more smoothly in neighborhoods with active support from local elected officials. At baseline grantees faced significant challenges, including high poverty, unemployment, and violent crime rates and poor housing conditions.
Read the full publication here (leaving Urban's website)