HUD is soliciting public comments on the redesign of the American Housing Survey (AHS) for 2015, according to a notice posted in the Federal Register on February 1. HUD is specifically interested in comments that address any concerns about redesigning the AHS sample, thoughts on content that should be either added to or removed from the survey, and ideas on expanding the dissemination of the AHS data. The AHS provides data on the size, composition, quality, and occupants of the country’s housing inventory. The data are used to study housing conditions, changes in housing stock over time, and the supply and demand for housing. The data allow HUD and others to effectively evaluate housing programs and advise Congress on housing conditions and needs The current AHS sample was drawn in 1985, and HUD has collected data on this sample every two years since then. The 2013 AHS will be the final survey administered to this sample. HUD will draw a new sample in 2015, providing this opportunity to gather feedback on the redesign. HUD included a number of questions to consider when submitting public comments, including:
- What is the appropriate sample size for generating national estimates, taking into consideration the necessary level of precision required by AHS users?
- What housing unit subgroups should HUD consider oversampling? For instance, in prior years, HUD has oversampled HUD-assisted housing, assisted housing for the elderly, and manufactured housing.
- What questions in the AHS are duplicative with other surveys and should be under consideration for removal from the survey?
- Are the national and metropolitan area summary tables useful to AHS data users?
Comments are due to HUD by April 2. Detailed instructions on how to submit comments are available in the Federal Register notice, which is available at http://1.usa.gov/YOFpk2.