Hope VI: Where Do We Go From Here?

The 1993 HOPE VI program targets some of the most beleaguered housing in this country with the goals of "improving the living environment for residents of severely distressed public housing" and "providing housing that will avoid or decrease the concentration of very poor families." The seven briefs below are based on Urban Institute research conducted in 2001 and again in 2003 and 2005, following HOPE VI residents at five sites to evaluate where they moved and how the program has affected their overall well-being. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point, although it was not included among the five sites in this study.

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HOPE VI’d and On the Move

This brief evaluates how successful the HOPE VI program has been in achieving its ambitious objectives.  Residents who have moved to the private market or to mixed-income developments reported substantial improvements in the quality of their housing and are living in neighborhoods that are considerably lower poverty. In contrast, those who remained in traditional public housing—either their original development or a different one—experienced virtually no improvement in housing quality over time. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 10 pages).

Safety Is the Most Important Thing: How HOPE VI Helped Families

This brief, looks at the question of whether HOPE VI succeeded in its goal of improving residents’ life circumstances, or whether the critics’ predictions have been realized. It focuses on one key issue—neighborhood safety and fear of crime. It finds that most former residents are living in neighborhoods that are dramatically safer and offer a far healthier environment for themselves and their children. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 12 pages).

Housing Choice Vouchers: How HOPE VI Families Fared in the Private Market

This brief describes what happened to families who used a voucher to relocate from their original HOPE VI developments to the private housing market. The success of the HOPE VI program partly depends on the success of relocation with a voucher. HOPE VI has made significant progress in reducing poverty concentrations among original residents who moved with vouchers. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 12 pages)

Moving On: Benefits and Challenges of HOPE VI for Children

In this brief, the well-being of the youngest and most vulnerable HOPE VI residents - the children - is examined. The report explores the potential benefits and challenges of relocation in the areas of behavior, health, and school engagement for children in families with different relocation experiences, including voucher holders, movers to other public housing, and those who remained in the original development. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 10 pages)

Poor Health: Adding Insult to Injury for HOPE VI Families

This brief suggests that the health situation of HOPE VI families is a problem so severe that it calls for urgent attention and new approaches to providing effective services to this extremely vulnerable population. Poor health is an even bigger problem for HOPE VI families than lack of employment. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 10 pages)

Relocation Is Not Enough: Employment Barriers among HOPE VI Families

This brief evaluates the HOPE VI efforts to help residents attain self-sufficiency. While there have been dramatic improvements in quality of life, there have been no overall changes in employment. HOPE VI residents’ poor health impedes their ability to work. Efforts that address barriers such as physical or mental health, or child care availability may be more effective than job placement in helping residents to find or retain jobs. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 10 pages)

Are HOPE VI Families at Greater Risk for Homelessness?

In this brief, the claim that relocation of Hope VI families puts them at risk of homelessness is evaluated.  It concludes that while some HOPE VI original residents did experience homelessness, the number of homeless families is not as large as many critics feared. Hartford is the site of a major Hope VI project, Dutch Point. Click here for the brief (PDF document, 8 pages)