Are We Improving?: The Neighborhood Quality of Housing Choice Voucher Recipients in Houston, Texas, after Hurricane Harvey

Abstract

This study examines the neighborhood outcome and quality of Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) recipients in Houston, Texas before and after Hurricane Harvey. The purpose of this thesis is to discover if neighborhood quality improved for HCV recipients in after Hurricane Harvey. The study revealed where HCV recipients found residence after navigating the housing market, characteristics of the new neighborhoods, amenities and services within proximity, and how those results compare to their previous residence. Neighborhood quality was distinguished by the overall culmination of factors including poverty rate, educational attainment, resources and amenities, floodplain, and social vulnerability. Resources and amenities used in this study include libraries, schools, hospitals, parks, and community centers. The results show that in comparison to original residences, HCV recipients are accessing areas of low poverty and high education attainment, however, resources and amenities are further away. Ultimately, HCV recipients were accessing higher quality neighborhoods, but distance and accessibility to resources and amenities was a tradeoff. A description of future research to be conducted on this topic is outlined at the end.