The National Bureau of Economic Research and the Survey Research Center responded to an RFP to conduct the HUD Final Impact Evaluation of the Moving to Opportunity Program. We have been awarded this contract.
The Final Impact Evaluation of the Moving to Opportunity demonstration project seeks to understand the long-term behavioral effects of moving out of high poverty neighborhoods into less disadvantaged areas. From 1994-98, 4,600 households enrolled in MTO in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Applicants, all of whom were initially living in high-poverty public housing, were assigned by lottery to one of three groups: The Experimental Group received a housing voucher (along with housing search assistance) that was only valid in Census tracts with a 1990 poverty rate below 10 percent. The Section 8 Group received a regular Section 8 voucher with no location restriction and no special counseling; and the Control Group received no housing voucher.
In 2002, an interim evaluation was conducted in which children and parents of MTO families were interviewed to assess mobility, housing and neighborhood; physical and mental health; child educational achievement; youth delinquency and risky behavior; adult and youth employment and earnings; and household income and public assistance receipt.
The current project is the final evaluation of the MTO families, collecting both administrative and survey data to assess their current status on dimensions similar to those evaluated in the 2002 interim evaluation.
The basic assumptions utilized in developing this cost estimate are as follows. We will continue interviewing beyond the December 31, 2009 end date for interviewing, in an attempt to increase the response rate to come as close as possible to NBER?s target response rate of 88%. We will increase respondent incentives and finder?s fees as soon as we receive IRB approval, and will continue working in the field through January 31, 2010.
Funding:
National Bureau of Economic Research
Funding Period:
01/01/2010 to 03/31/2010