This study examines the experiences of households living in public housing properties that converted to project-based Section 8-assisted housing through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. The study is a component of the RAD evaluation prepared for HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research.

To evaluate whether these conversions are associated with changes to the financial situation of people residing in RAD developments, the study examines three questions:

• Do residents living in assisted units at properties after RAD conversion continue to pay affordable rents?
• How do incomes and rents change after RAD conversion?
• What are the experiences of tenants who previously paid flat rents and may have been subject to a phased-in rent increase as a part of the RAD process?

For these three questions, the study team did not find evidence that RAD conversions led to substantial or rapid changes in the economic circumstances of RAD households.

• On whether households continued to pay affordable rents: the analysis found limited variation on the share of income spent on rent and utilities and found little variation across demographic characteristics for heads of households.
• On changes in incomes and rents for RAD households: the analysis found that incomes increased for households in both project-based rental assistance and project-based voucher properties and found that those changes where closely aligned with changes in rent and utilities.
• On experiences of households who previously paid flat rents: the analysis found those in project-based voucher properties exited public housing at similar rates as voucher holders overall, while exits for those in project-based rental assistance properties were comparatively lower. Exit rates were low for heads of households who were older or had a disability. For households previously paying flat rents, the use of the Choice Mobility option to exit the RAD property using a tenant-based voucher was limited.