HUD recently released its latest CHAS (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy) data.
The five-year (2007-2011) and three-year (2009-2011) data enable analysts and advocates to examine local trends in housing needs. The five-year data are available at a number of geographic levels, from states down to split census tracts. The three-year data are available for states, counties, minor civil divisions, and places.

The data are used by HUD to allocate grant funds. Local governments use CHAS data to draft their Five-Year Consolidated Plans or adjust their ConPlan Annual Action Plans. Users can either download the raw data files or use the new CHAS table generator. The purpose of the table generator is to make the most commonly used CHAS data more easily accessible. Users can choose a geographic area of interest and immediately see a number of simple tables displaying data such as the number of low income households and the number of households with a housing cost burden. These tables can be downloaded into Excel or as a PDF. In addition, the tool offers “Market at a Glance” data prepared by HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research.

The new CHAS data is at: http://bit.ly/ig5ci7  
The CHAS table generator is at: http://bit.ly/1jygWY4

NLIHC members who would like assistance using the data should contact Megan Bolton, Research Director, at megan@nlihc.org.