Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission
American Housing Survey
OMB Number 2528-0017
B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods
1. Universe and Respondent Selection
The 2025 AHS sample will consist of 183,500 sample housing units (HUs). Of the total, 175,000 units in the sample will be used to produce National estimates as well as selected Metropolitan Area and State estimates. Unlike prior survey years, the 2025 sample does not include separate samples for specific Metropolitan Areas. A one-time “bridge sample” of 8,500 housing units will be fielded to allow for an analysis of sample-related impacts on the resulting estimates as compared to 2023.
The 2025 AHS has a built-in oversample of 8,469 HUD HUs that will be used to make reliable estimates of both public housing and private-project based HUs. This sample size was determined based off of projected attrition and response rates and a desired goal of 2,000 responding HUs in each of public housing and private-project based HUs by the year 2035. Vouchers were excluded in the 2025 design from this oversample due to their high rates of attrition in the 2015 panel.
2. Procedures for Collecting Information
We expect that a majority of regular AHS interviews will be conducted through personal visit. However, we will conduct a phone match to retrieve phone numbers that match the sample addresses and attempt to collect the data by telephone interview, when possible.
3. Methods to Maximize Response
Based on the 59.2 percent weighted response rate of the 2023 AHS (59.0 percent unweighted), the Census Bureau expects the 2025 AHS response rate to be 60 percent. If an occupant is reluctant to participate, the Field Representative (FR) informs the regional office staff, who sends a follow-up letter explaining the survey in detail and urging the occupant's cooperation. A Census Bureau FR or his/her supervisor will contact the occupant again.
4. Testing Procedures
The Census Bureau conducted a test of the interview forms and procedures in September 1983 and again in 1994 and 1995. Based on the results of the tests, HUD made modifications and changes.
In 2004, HUD and the Census Bureau conducted a major review of the survey questions for neighborhood quality, income, utility costs, and renter subsidies, making changes to each to improve the quality of this information. In October 2004, we tested these changes in a live hothouse test held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 2010, questions in the updated Mortgage module were cognitively tested by the Center for Behavioral Science Methods (CBSM) at the Census Bureau. We determined that more work needed to be done on the module, so we reverted to the 2009 AHS version and flow of questions where the 2011 version fell short. In 2020, HUD and the Census Bureau redesigned the Mortgage module. CBSM again cognitively reviewed and tested it. The Census Bureau and HUD reviewed and discussed all of CBSM’s recommendations.
In 2012, the Delinquent Payments and Notices supplemental module questions were cognitively tested by CBSM as part of the 2013 AHS Doubling Up supplemental module.
In 2014, HUD and the Census Bureau conducted an exhaustive review of the core questionnaire content. We revised questions, changed the order, and eliminated some questions based on nonresponse rates and respondent burden. Because of these changes, questions in some of the core modules, e.g., Breakdown, Neighborhood Quality, Equipment, Home Improvement, Recent Movers, Income, and Mortgage, needed to be tested for implementation in the 2019 questionnaire.
In 2024, the questions in the new supplemental modules were cognitively reviewed and some additionally tested by CBSM. The Census Bureau and HUD reviewed and discussed all of CBSM’s recommendations.
5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection
HUD consulted the following individuals on the statistical data collection and analysis operation:
Tamara Cole
Associate Directorate for Demographic Programs - Survey Operations
U.S. Census Bureau
(301) 763-4665
Statistical Design, Analysis, and Collection
James Farber
Demographic Statistical Methods Division
U.S. Census Bureau
(301) 763-1844
Statistical Design
Attachments
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Carter, George R |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-12-12 |