We investigate the concepts and evidence needed to understand the extent of racial segregation in the federal public housing program operating in metropolitan areas throughout the United States. Over one million units of public housing in urban areas constitute an important, but poorly understood, component of overall housing market segregation. Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, we describe the degree, distribution, and segregation of minorities in HUD-assisted family and elderly housing. We attempt to explain the level and variation of public housing segregation through examining legislative, programmatic, and regional factors, though differences appear at relatively low levels of statistical significance.
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