PHL Housing+ Evaluation

PHLHousing+ is a cash assistance program designed as a randomized control trial that both reframes how the U.S. deploys rental assistance and makes critical links between housing assistance programs and broader efforts around universal basic income. The goal of this study is to test whether a cash transfer, geared toward reducing housing cost burdens can address existing inequities in who can access and use housing assistance. Further, this study tests whether a cash transfer improves recipients’ economic and housing stability and autonomy, as well as the economic, academic, and health outcomes and the overall wellbeing of adults and their children. Over 2.5 years, we will survey 1200 families who are randomized to either the treatment or control arms of the study. PHLHousing+ is being conducted in partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation and the Center for Guaranteed Income Research.