Housing Policy and Devolution: A Delicate Balancing Act

by Peter Dreier

Housing policy in the United States is made and carried out through a complex mosaic of federal, state, county, and municipal governments. Most federal housing policy is organized through "block grants" to state and local governments, which have varying degrees of leeway in how they spend the money depending on the particular program. By and large, the track record of these programs is poor and scandal-plagued. In this report, Peter Dreier provides an overview of U.S. housing policy, analyzes what has failed (and, in come cases, worked) in the past, and sets forth a strategy for more effectively allocating responsibilities among different levels of government. In particular, Dreier argues that the federal government should develop stronger links with metropolitan regions as opposed to states or cities.

120 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1998