HUD released Understanding Whom the LIHTC Program Serves: Data on Tenants in LIHTC Units as of December 31, 2014. The report provides information on the income, race, disability status, and family composition of tenants living in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)-assisted housing. HUD has required state agencies that administer the LIHTC program to submit demographic and economic data on tenants since the passage of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) in 2008.
The median annual income of households living in LIHTC housing was $17,152, ranging from $5,492 in Puerto Rico to $32,965 in Alaska. Approximately 47.4% of LIHTC households were extremely low income, reporting incomes at or below 30% the Area Median Gross Income (AMGI). To help with rental payments, 37.8% of households in LIHTC housing reported receiving some form of additional rental assistance, though HUD was only able to collect data on the use of rental assistance from 69.5% of LIHTC properties.
The report indicates that 38.7% of all LIHTC households spent more than 30% of their income on rent, making them housing cost-burdened. Approximately 9.5% of all LIHTC households spent more than 50% of their income on housing, making them severely housing cost-burdened.
The report also presents data on the race and ethnicity of heads of households. Under fair housing laws, however, tenants are not required to share this information. Forty-one percent of households did not report the race or ethnicity of the head of household. Of the data collected, 22.8% heads of household were white, 23.1% were black/African America, and 2.0% were Asian. Approximately 2.4% of heads of households were American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or other (including multiple race). About 9.3% of heads of households reported Hispanic as their ethnicity.
In terms of disability status, 9.5% of households included at least one member with a disability. Approximately 25.8% of households had at least one member 62 years of age or older and 28.3% of households had at least one member under the age of 18.
Understanding Whom the LIHTC Program Serves: Tenants in LIHTC Units as of December 31, 2014 is available at: http://bit.ly/2oam77T