2M Research (2M), a research and policy analysis firm, partnered with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on nearly a dozen projects to conduct rigorous applied econometric and population-based research. Economic Research Analyst Mallory Vachon, PhD, is presenting 2M’s recent work with HUD on February 28, 2020, at the Eastern Economic Association meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. The presentation will highlight key findings from the following two studies:

Landlord Participation in Housing Choice Voucher Program Study. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the largest rental housing subsidy program in the United States and has the potential to increase housing options for low-income families. HUD contracted 2M to (1) provide insights into the factors associated with landlord decisions about whether to participate in the HCV program and (2) identify a collection of promising and innovative practices that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have used to increase landlord participation in the HCV program, especially in low-poverty neighborhoods. 2M found that a majority of the PHA staff who were interviewed reported that financial considerations have the most effect on landlord participation; payment standards and fair market rents, damage costs and security deposits, and profit motivations were cited as key determining factors. Key findings from the study and the final report are published here.

Market Predictors of Homelessness Study. Homelessness is an acknowledged problem in many places, though its causes are myriad and may vary based on the characteristics of respective communities. This study (1) identified and described market variables associated with sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, (2) constructed and evaluated empirical models of community-level homelessness, and (3) analyzed relationships within subgroup populations of local markets. Results indicated that housing factors such as rental costs, crowding, and evictions are most consistently associated with higher rates of community-level homelessness. The final report and related data files are published here.

For more information on 2M’s econometric research and other methodological capabilities, please click here or contact Mallory Vachon at .

Dr. Vachon is an Economic Research Analyst with 2M and has 9 years of experience conducting economic research and examining various social and economic policy questions in the fields of public and labor economics. She received her PhD, MA, and BA in Economics from Syracuse University. She currently serves as the lead researcher for two of 2M’s federal contracts with HUD: “An Exploratory Study of Factory-Built Homes and Their Implications for Affordability” and “Implementation and Early Results of Housing Choice Vouchers for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities.”