A First: HUD Oregon LIHTC Data Merged with Census Tract 2010 Poverty Data from ACS.

HUD has updated (HERE) their LIHTC project database to include projects placed in service through 2010. For the first time the database includes 2010 geographic codes, including census tracts ID's/FIPS (I have posted the HUD LIHTC data dictionary, updated in July 2012, HERE). 

In advance of a more formal announcement from HUD of the changes (coming soon I expect HERE) I downloaded LIHTC data for 588 LIHTC projects (32,750 units) in Oregon. I imported that data into Excel and then merged the data with American Community Survey 2006-2010 poverty data for Oregon census tracts ( using ACS Table B06012). In the merged table I added columns/fields with formulas that identify high and low poverty rate categories and the names of metro areas and counties.

That combined table, the source LIHTC data from HUD, the poverty data from ACS, a pivot table, and two summary county level poverty rate tables are found in the Excel workbook found HERE.  

(Embed of this Excel workbook follows observations below and opens to summary table showing High Poverty LIHTC location %'s by county).

Some Initial Observations, 227 Oregon LIHTC Projects Placed Into Service in Last Decade (2001-2010)

LIHTC Projects/Units in High Poverty Census Tracts

• In Oregon, 42% of all projects and 48% of LIHTC low income units were located in high poverty census tracts (poverty rates of 20% or more).  
• In Multnomah County 65% of all projects and 72% of LIHTC low income units were located in high poverty census tracts (poverty rates of 20% or more).  
• Multnomah County accounts for 51% of all Oregon LIHTC projects (and 66% of all units) located in Census Tracts with known poverty rates of 20% and higher. 

LIHTC Projects/Units in LOW Poverty Census Tracts

• In Oregon, 12% of all projects and 13% of all LIHTC low income units were located in low poverty census tracts (poverty rate 10% or below).  
• In Multnomah County 8% of all projects and 4% of all LIHTC low income units were located in low poverty census tracts (poverty rate 10% or below).
• Multnomah County accounts for 21% of all Oregon LIHTC projects (and 16% of all units) located in census tracts with poverty rates of 10% and lower.

Notes:
1. All project and unit count percentages are for LIHTC projects where CT's were identified and could be matched with poverty rates; 2 projects placed into service in last decade did not have identifiable CT information
2. At the top of the pivot table I have filtered LIHTC projects to select only those with placed in service dates from 2001-2010.
3. Projects placed in service in 2011 and 2012 are not included in the HUD data; my guess is that there may be 20 or so LIHTC projects in service that are not included in the HUD data.

Combinations with Other ACS and Census Data Now Possible
While I have focused on poverty rates for LIHTC projects, the addition of 2010 Census Tract ID's make it possible to combine LIHTC data with other demographic information available at the census tract level.  Examples include race, ethnicity, diversity, incomes, and tenure. The HUD database also includes additional information on LIHTC projects (source of funding, bedroom size, targeted populations) and additional geographic information including latitude and longitude values that can be used for mapping.

Excel Embed:

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.