Moving to Opportunity Housing Vouchers
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) · Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York · 1994
Summary
Moving to Opportunity is one of the most consequential policy RCTs ever conducted. The initial evaluation found limited short-term economic gains for adults but significant health improvements. Long-term follow-up two decades later by Raj Chetty and colleagues revealed that children who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods at young ages earned substantially more as adults and were more likely to attend college. Older children showed smaller gains. The study launched the modern field of neighborhood effects research and directly influenced housing policy.
Research question
"Does receiving a housing voucher restricted to low-poverty neighborhoods improve long-term outcomes for families?"
Methodology
Intervention
Three arms: experimental (voucher restricted to low-poverty tract), Section 8 (unrestricted voucher), control (no voucher)
Assignment
Randomized controlled trial (household)
Sample size
4,604 families
Primary outcome
Adult health and economic outcomes; children's long-term earnings and college attendance
Effect estimate
Short-term adult effects modest; children who moved before age 13 showed +31% higher earnings as adults, +16 pp higher college attendance; mental and physical health improvements for adults
Decision
Results informed opportunity-zone voucher policy; Raj Chetty's follow-up work directly shaped current HUD mobility voucher programs
Result
Mixed
Short-term adult effects modest; children who moved before age 13 showed +31% higher earnings as adults, +16 pp higher college attendance; mental and physical health improvements for adults
Evidence strength
Moderate
Randomized trial; replication status unknown or limited.
Replication status
N/A
Institution
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Location
Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Year
1994
Policy area
Housing
Mechanism
Housing