Opportunity Insights’ mobility study includes DHA

Opportunity Insights of Harvard University has selected DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas as an expansion site for its Creating Moves to Opportunity (CMTO) research project. 

Opportunity Insights is a nonpartisan research team based at Harvard University led by renowned economist, Dr. Raj Chetty. This team of researchers and policy analysts recently released results from the Seattle-King County CMTO project, a pilot aimed at testing the effects of mobility strategies. 

The pilot provides initial evidence that a comprehensive suite of service strategies, such as search assistance and landlord engagement, is effective in increasing geographic choice among Housing Choice Voucher families with young children. Through this expansion, Opportunity Insights will test new learning questions and build on the lessons gained from the initial CMTO pilot. 

Moving forward from the CMTO pilot, Opportunity Insights will launch CMTOx sites to expand on the initial research and evaluation. DHA is one of only three public housing authorities (PHAs) across the country that will be part of this next phase of the CMTO research project. 

DHA was selected as a CMTOx Site because of its diverse geographic and policy landscape. Led by Dr. Myriam Igoufe and Dr. Maggie Deichert, DHA’s Policy and Development Research team has existing research efforts in the realm of housing mobility and segregation, making it an ideal expansion location. 

The work with DHA begins this summer and findings from the study are expected to be released in 2022. 

Learn more about Opportunity Insights and the CMTO expansion here: https://opportunityinsights.org/updates/cmtox/