HUD has made, and continues to make, significant investments in “Research Assets,” as described below, including program demonstrations and the production of datasets and data linkages. The HUD Research Roadmap: 2020 Update (“Roadmap Update”) provides information about acknowledged Data Collection Needs and Challenges that external researchers potentially could help address.

Additionally, PD&R is interested in seeing existing assets leveraged and enhanced in ways that may, or may not, be specifically referenced in the Roadmap Update. Such studies demonstrate a broader usefulness of HUD’s Research Assets that further increases the return on these investments for the taxpayer. In considering potential research partnerships, PD&R urges organizations to consider ways to take advantage of key research assets, HUD’s data infrastructure, that the Roadmap Update identifies as part of HUD’s comparative advantage.

1. HUD demonstrations. HUD values demonstrations as a method for evaluating new policy and program initiatives and significantly advancing evidence-based policy, especially when rigorous random-assignment methods are feasible. HUD also is interested in research opportunities that take advantage of completed and ongoing demonstrations. For example, researchers continue to answer relevant policy questions using data generated by the Moving to Opportunity demonstration. Examples of demonstrations that are underway include Family Options, the Rental Assistance Demonstration, First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration, and Rent Reform. Electronic versions of published HUD research can be found at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/research/home.html.

2. HUD data infrastructure. HUD makes significant investments to improve and support the nation’s housing data, so submitting institutions are encouraged to consider opportunities to use HUD-sponsored survey data and administrative data. The American Housing Survey (AHS; https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs.html) is one of HUD’s largest research investments. The AHS provides a wealth of data on the size and composition of the nation’s housing inventory that researchers could use more effectively to address questions about housing market dynamics.

3. HUD administrative data linkages.

   1. PD&R has partnered with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to longitudinally link HUD’s administrative records for rental assistance participants with the National Health Interview Survey, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and associated NCHS linked files for Medicare, Medicaid, and mortality data. These data resources are available through the NCHS research data centers (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-linkage/hud.htm).

   2. HUD and the Census Bureau have entered into an interagency agreement to link data from demonstrations and administrative systems with survey data and other administrative records. PD&R encourages research partnerships that effectively use data assets through public use data or restricted access arrangements with Census or NCHS research data centers. Further information is available at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdrdatas_landing.html.

4. Data License Applications and Data-Only Requests. To access restricted-use HUD data without a funding request, researchers may obtain a HUD data license provided their research aligns with HUD priorities. Further information can be found on the Data License Agreement page.