| The federal “Section 8” housing voucher program is administered through contracts with local housing agencies that are entrusted to carry out federal housing objectives. These third-party arrangements permit wide local discretion in administrative practices and raise the possibility that federal objectives are not fully embraced by local decision makers. At the same time, discretion allows for important local adjustments to unique conditions that may help agencies serve clients better. This study investigates these tensions in the housing voucher program by comparing local experiences and practices in New York City and Portland, Oregon. It analyzes local practices in terms of political and organizational influences in each city, taking demographics, market conditions and the local economy into account.; Particular attention is paid to relationship between vouchers and market forces. Many proponents of the voucher policy alternative argue that vouchers allow public assistance to mimic the dynamics of the market and consumer choice, with tenants searching for units rented by private landlords. In practice, this study shows, due to discrimination, administrative steering, inadequate supply and other factors, the voucher program functions less like a market system than expected. This is not necessarily a deficiency; the narrative provided here shows some justification for policies that limit tenant choice while achieving other objectives.; In addition, this study calls attention to the critical role played by institutions in shaping the program. While local advocacy organizations (and possibly governing regimes) seem to have some influence over decision making and administrative practices, this study finds that independent housing authorities are able to shape the voucher program with little input or control from the outside. The independence of the implementing institutions thus becomes a critical variable for how federal objectives are interpreted in practice. Finally, as an exploratory study utilizing case-study methodology, this study suggests a variety of paths for future research. |
