A New Vision for Housing Market Recovery: What the Data Says About What Works, new housing alliance of pennsylvania publication

Without a safe, stable home to call their own, young children face tremendous obstacles to the critical cognitive, behavioral and social development that occurs during their earliest years, concludes Joydeep Roy of the Economic Policy Institute in a paper for the Partnership for America’s Economic Success.

Pennsylvania's shortage of affordable homes costs the state's economy millions of dollars in collateral expenses, such as increased medical, education and criminal justice costs. This June 2010 fact sheet from the Housing Alliance outlines many of these costs, helping to make the economic case for investing in affordable homes.

This April 2010 spreadsheet itemizes the poverty and unemployment rates for all PA counties, listed by legislator (one sheet for the House, one for the Senate, and one simply listing all counties).

The Impacts of Affordable Housing on Education: A Research Summary, a brief by Senior Research Associate Maya Brennan, uncovers a wealth of research suggesting that stable, affordable housing provides children with enhanced opportunities for educational success. The brief reviews literature showing that the supportive and stable home environment encouraged by high-quality, affordable housing often leads to better educational outcomes.

The direct effects of poor quality or unsafe housing on health are well established; researchers have also increasingly turned significant attention to the role of housing affordability in fostering stability and reducing stress. In her brief, The Impacts of Affordable Housing on Health: A Research Summary, Center Senior Research Associate Rebecca Cohen details the results of research on the pathways through which affordable housing can affect the health of residents, especially children.