Housing & Finance

Econometrica empowers communities across the U.S. to create and finance stable, affordable housing. We build evidence for effective policies and increase capacity for initiatives that boost housing stock, affordable homes, and financing tools at all levels.

FAIR MARKET
RENTS

TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE

AUDITS
& REVIEW

HOUSING POLICY
& RESEARCH

PROGRAM
SUPPORT

ASSET
REPOSITIONING

Our Expertise

Technical Assistance

Needs assessments
Training
Organizational redesign
Process improvement

Audits AND Review

Statistical sampling
Monitoring and oversight
Accounting and reporting support
Financial analysis

Housing Policy AND Research

Housing market analysis
Program evaluation
Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
Impact studies

Program Support

Grants management
Policy implementation resources
Dashboards, databases, and tools
Programmatic and operational support
Communications
Program and project management

Market-Driven Service Offerings

Fair Market Rent Services

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are estimates of gross rent in a local market, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses to administer its public and other assisted housing programs. Each year, HUD estimates FMRs for more than 600 metropolitan areas and almost 2,000 nonmetropolitan county areas.

HUD allows public housing authorities (PHAs) and other organizations that operate the Section 8 program to request a reevaluation of their FMRs by conducting a HUD-prescribed local rental housing survey and submitting the data to HUD for review and approval.

ASSET REPOSITIONING ADVISORY SERVICES

Econometrica helps public housing agencies analyze, plan, and implement strategies to recapitalize and redevelop their existing properties, and/or new sites to revitalize neighborhoods and bring more affordable housing opportunities to their communities.

Highlights of Econometrica’s Housing & Finance Projects

Ginnie Mae Risk Management Support

TASK: Under different Task Orders, provided financial statement reviews of issuers of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) to monitor net worth, liquidity, and capital requirements; risk management support for Master Subservicer operational, audit and strategic activities; and other improvements to Ginnie Mae’s capabilities for monitoring counterparty risks.

RESULTS: Improvement of Ginnie Mae’s ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks in their MBS portfolio and overall operations.

Choice Neighborhoods Technical Assistance

TASK: Under multiple work plans over 6+ years, Econometrica provided a wide range of technical assistance, training, and program support services for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods community transformation and economic revitalization program office and grantees.

RESULTS: Individual technical assistance to 12 grantee communities, publication of monthly e-newsletter to 1,000+ program stakeholders, planning and delivering 4 in-person conferences and 20+ virtual trainings for program grantees, coordination and delivery of 12 online COVID-19 topical peer exchanges, development of three grantee toolkits, and creation of an online repository of tools and sample documents for program grantees.

Evaluation of Rental Assistance Demonstration

TASK: Developed and executed research strategies to collect and analyze administrative and survey data to assess the effectiveness of a program designed to stabilize and preserve affordable housing for low-income residents.

RESULTS: Five reports on the effect of the program on residents’ choice of housing options, the long-term viability of affordable housing projects, the management of affordable housing assets, the organization of affordable housing agencies, and the affordability of housing for residents.

Your Partner in Problem-Solving

The Housing & Finance Group encompasses multiple experts in a broad array of Federal agency housing programs and financing tools. Econometrica maintains a strong base of in-house expertise that can be augmented by contracted subject matter experts.