Last week, HUD released Understanding Whom the LIHTC Program Serves: Data on Tenants in LIHTC Units as of December 31, 2014. The data collection is the result of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA). HERA requirements include data collection of race, ethnicity, family composition, age, income, use of rental assistance, disability status, and monthly rental payments of households residing in LIHTC properties. The report is the third of its kind, with reports on 2012 and 2013 data having been previously released.

While the report points to incomplete data reporting for various reasons, the data provided could give a general idea regarding LIHTC demographics in particular areas, while some areas are so underreported that data may be skewed. For example, Alaska, Georgia, and New Jersey reported on less than 1/3 of total LIHTC property stock, even though Alaska’s reported number of properties doubled from 2013 to 2014. In regards to disability status, Florida and North Dakota only provided disability status data in regards to the head of household, whereas Kansas reported on disability status for less than 10% of its LIHTC properties and Texas did not report on disability status at all. The following briefly highlights some of the findings:

Heads of Household
22.8% White Alone
23.1% Black or African-American Alone
9.3% Hispanic (Any Race)
40.5% Race or Ethnicity Not Reported

Children and Elderly Members
28.3% At Least One Member Under 18 Years Old
25.8% At Least One Member Equal to or Greater Than 62 Years Old

Median Income
$17,152

Households Receiving Monthly Rental Assistance
42.6% Receiving No Monthly Rental Assistance
37.8% Receiving Greater than $0 in Monthly Rental Assistance
19.6% Not Reported