Housing and Urban Development Designated Housing Rule Update

The Health Impact Project, in partnership with the Oregon Public Health Institute and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, conducted an HIA to inform an update by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of its designated housing rule, which allows housing authorities to allocate certain public housing properties, or a portion of them, for occupancy by senior families, disabled families, or a mixed population of senior and disabled families.

The HIA sought to identify the possible health implications of changes to the designated housing rule and to illustrate the potential for incorporating health data into federal decisions. The study team conducted the assessment ahead of the rule-making process to provide HUD with data to inform the development of the rule. The HIA examined two scenarios, developed in consultation with key stakeholders, that HUD could pursue.