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News & Events
Max Weselcouch Testifies at New York State Assembly Hearing on Foreclosures
Nov. 7, 2011: Furman Center Data Manager and Research Analyst Max Weselcouch testified at a joint hearing of the New York State Assembly’s committees on Housing, Judiciary and Banks on mortgage foreclosures in New York. The testimony covered Furman Center research on the ongoing nature of the foreclosure crisis, the community impacts of foreclosures, and the likelihood that borrowers who undergo foreclosure counseling will receive mortgage modifications. View coverage of the testimony here.
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News & Events
Mark Willis Participates in AmeriCatalyst Panel Debate
Nov. 7, 2011: Furman Center Resident Research Fellow Mark Willis participated in AmeriCatalyst’s panel debate, “A Change of Hearth: Homeownership vs. Rental Housing Policy and the Fate of the REO inventory.” The panel focused on housing and rental policies that promote homeownership in the United States. AmeriCatalyst’s 2011 “Convergence: The Globalization of Housing Finance, 10 Years On,” convened top investors, regulators, bankers and academics in Austin, Texas to discuss and debate the future of the mortgage market.
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News & Events
Furman Center Researchers Present Papers at APPAM
Nov. 3, 2011: Furman Center researchers are presenting 10 papers at the 33rd Annual Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Research Conference on November 3-5, 2011. The presentations cover a wide range of Furman Center research on housing, land use, and urban affairs, from the relationship between public housing and crime to the effect of the economic downturn on the housing market, loan modification opportunities and housing stability for children. The theme of this year’s APPAM conference is “Seeking Solutions to Complex Policy and Management Problems.” View the full list of Furman Center APPAM presentations here.
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Research & Policy
Furman Center Releases Study on Housing Vouchers and Neighborhood Crime
Nov. 2, 2011: New research released by the Furman Center finds no evidence that an increase of voucher holders in a community leads to increases in crime. The paper, American Murder Mystery Revisited: Do Housing Voucher Households Cause Crime, instead finds a different association: that voucher holders are more likely to move into areas when crime rates are already rising. More than two million renters now receive Housing Choice Vouchers which subsidize rent in private apartments. However, community opposition to vouchers can be fierce due to perceptions that voucher holders will both reduce property values and heighten crime. View Fact Sheet.
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News & Events
Johanna Lacoe Presents at 11th Crime Mapping Research Conference
Oct. 20, 2011: Furman Center Doctoral Fellow Johanna Lacoe presented at the Crime Mapping Research Conference in Miami, Florida. The presentation discussed findings from the study “Do Foreclosures Cause Crime”, which finds that foreclosures on a blockface lead to additional violent crimes and public order crimes, and these effects are largest when foreclosure activity is measured by the number of bank-owned properties on a blockface. View presentation.
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News & Events
Ingrid Gould Ellen Participates in Workshop at the Housing Justice Network National Meeting
Oct. 17, 2011: Furman Center Faculty Co-Director Ingrid Gould Ellen joined the workshop, “Can We Achieve Diversity and Stability in Gentrifying Neighborhoods” at the Housing Justice Network National Meeting in Washington, D.C. The workshop explored the question of how to harness improvements associated with gentrification for the benefit of existing neighborhood residents without displacement. View program.
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News & Events
Mark Willis Participates in NYSAFAH Housing Summit Panel
Oct.14, 2011: Furman Center Resident Research Fellow Mark Willis joined the panel “The Future of Multi-Family Housing Finance: HUD Programs, GSE and FHA Reform”. The Washington, D.C. Housing Summit was the first hosted by the New York State Association for Affordable Housing. View program.
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News & Events
Vicki Been Speaks at the Municipal Art Society Summit for New York City
Oct. 13, 2011: Furman Center Faculty Director Vicki Been spoke at the second annual Municipal Art Society Summit for New York City. The panel, “A New Zoning Resolution for 21-Century New York,” explored critical questions about New York City’s zoning resolution, which turns 50-years-old this year, including how zoning can address some of New York City’s most pressing problems. More information.
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Research & Policy
Furman Center Releases New Report on Federal Loan Limit Reductions
Oct. 11, 2011: A new paper by the Furman Center, A Canary in the Mortgage Market? Why the Recent FHA and GSE Loan Limit Reductions Deserve Attention, explores the potential implications of recent reductions in the maximum loan size that can be guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (Government-Sponsored Enterprises or GSEs), or insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in many parts of the country. The changes, which went into effect on Oct. 1, 2011, represent the first step in a long-term policy goal to reduce the federal government’s current role in the mortgage system. The reductions will also be a significant test of the private mortgage finance system. View Factsheet.
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News & Events
Ingrid Gould Ellen Presents at HUD’s Quarterly Housing Market and Research Update Panel
Sept.19, 2011: Furman Center faculty co-director Ingrid Gould Ellen presented at the Quarterly Housing Market and Research Update briefing hosted by HUD Assistant Secretary Raphael Bostic. The panel discussed findings from American Murder Mystery Revisited: Do Housing Voucher Households Cause Crime? , which examines neighborhood crime and voucher utilization data from 10 large cities and finds that voucher holders do not increase neighborhood crime. The discussion of these findings begins to dispel prior claims regarding the relationship between HVC program participants and neighborhood crime.