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New HUD Data on Section 8 Projects
The new data on Section 8 projects compiled from HUD’s various information
systems is now available on HUD’s Website. The data covers all properties with project-based Section 8 assistance,
except possibly Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation projects, regardless of the
type of underlying financing. This year HUD added congressional districts and
expiration quarter to the database. There are approximately 70 to 80 data fields
per property in three tables (Contracts, Financing, Participants). Some of the
field headings have changed from past HUD compilations. The projects can be
sorted by characteristics or geographic location. You will need an Internet
service provider and Access 97 database program to access the database on the
Web. The address for the Section 8 file is: http://www.hud.gov/fha/mfh/mfhdiscl.html When you get to the site, there is an explanation of the file and you are
given two choices: to browse or to download. The browse function allows you to
search for data by state, city or zip code, but you cannot edit any of the
information. The download function allows you to work with the information by downloading
the entire file. Click on download. Click on Sec8_98A.exe. This is an Access database with approximately 7,920 KB. The Excel file is not
a database but merely an explanation of what is in the database. Once exploded,
the database is about 37 MB and gives you the option of using it as an Access 97
file or a lower version file. If you do not use it as an Access 97 file, you
will not be able to make changes to the items. Also note that, depending on when
you are downloading this file, it may take about an hour on a 400 MHZ/128 MB RAM
machine or much longer (possibly three to four hours on a 133 MHZ machine). We
were unable to download this file completely until well after midnight PST. Click on S8_DED.xls to download the Excel 7 file. The site is not specific about the dates for this database; however, the
database file is dated December 7, 1998. A footnote in the Excel file states:
"PD&R FMR Table = Fair Market Rent Table as published by Policy
Development & Research (PD&R) with an effective date of 10/1/98."
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