Metro Center has projects underway in six interrelated clusters of research. This page briefly outlines the scope of work within each cluster and highlights key findings from work recently completed.
Community and Economic Development
Work in this cluster includes analyzing households living in neighborhoods targeted by the Casey Foundation’s Making Connections initiative; researching efforts to link public housing revitalization with school improvements; analyzing how cultural participation affects revitalization; and developing indicators for assessing the impacts of community development investments.
Housing Programs and Policy
Metro Center researchers are studying public and subsidized housing for low-income renters, housing vouchers, and low-income homeownership assistance. We are also measuring the performance of nonprofit housing providers and cooperative housing developments. Finally, we are working with housing providers to study how assisted housing helps low-income families.
Residential Location and Access to Opportunity
Research in this cluster includes the first rigorous estimates of discrimination against persons with mental and physical disabilities. In addition, analysis continues on outcomes for public housing residents who are being relocated because of the HOPE VI initiative or the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) demonstration.
Intergovernmental Cooperation and Regional Equity
Metro Center plans to explore three issues in this cluster: (1) inter-local cooperation and factors that promote or discourage joint problem solving; (2) trends that may create new opportunities or incentives for cooperation; and (3) indicators of regional health and equity that could help researchers assess collaboration across metro areas or over time.
Indicators of Neighborhood Health and Change
Metro Center researchers are assembling data on neighborhood conditions and trends, and exploring how these data can help inform action at the community level. In addition, the Metro Center has developed the Neighborhood Change Data Base, which links census data to tract boundaries.
Public Management
This work produces practical tools for measuring and evaluating government and nonprofit sector performance. Projects include research on issues such as privatization, performance contracting, employee motivation, productivity measurement and improvement, and infrastructure planning.