Housing Data Training Series

Jan 11, 2022 | Housing

WPPDC has partnered with Virginia Housing and Virginia’s Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech to undergo an 18+ month assessment of housing in the region. The process will include the development of a regional housing consortium, discussions with local officials, and a series of data trainings to allow local planners to analyze housing data from a variety of sources. The project kicks off in January 2022 with the series of data trainings led by Virginia’s Center for Housing Research. The training schedule and details are below, and trainings are open to interested local government and nonprofits. To register, please contact Sean Campbell.

Housing Data Training Schedule:

ACS training: January 26, 2022 @ 2:00pm

Participants will learn about housing unit and household characteristic data available in the American Community Survey published tables. The training will include details about different types of data (1-year and 5-year), data reliability (interpreting MOE and calculating Coefficients of Variation), data aggregation, and data interpretation. VCHR will review techniques for compiling and analyzing data for relevant Census geographies (counties, places and tracts). VCHR will give examples of analysis for data from specific data tables and geographies and will provide a discussion of how the data can be used to assess housing needs. The training will include “take home” exercises which will be reviewed by VCHR faculty. VCHR faculty will also provide a set of resources with additional, more in-depth information.

BLS training: February 2, 2022 @ 2:00pm

Participants will learn how to compare Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) earnings data to American Community Survey (ACS) housing cost data to assess if workers in individual occupations can afford to live in their jurisdiction, including details about the data, how to retrieve it and how to use it. Participants will learn housing affordability basics and why affordable housing impacts employees and employers. In addition, the instructor will discuss how housing is related to workforce and economic development. The training will include examples for housing distributions by rent and owner costs, calculations for maximum affordable rent, and exercises using data for participant’s jurisdictions. Finally, VCHR will give examples of data visualization and analysis.

CHAS training: February 9, 2022 @ 2:00pm

Participant will learn useful tips about how to access, use and interpret Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data. The bulk of the training will discuss how to use CHAS data to conduct a housing affordability gap analysis using CHAS. VCHR will provide examples, a compiled CHAS data spreadsheet, and example graphics.

PUMS 1: February 16, 2022 @ 2:00pm

PUMS 2: February 23, 2022 @ 2:00pm

This training will have 2 parts and is recommended for those who have some experience working with data. VCHR will introduce participants to the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) household file as a resource for conducting housing needs assessments and market analysis. Part 1 will introduce the PUMS, R statistical software and R Studio. VCHR will provide background information on the PUMS and its uses, provide useful coding tools in R and show users how to create and assesses the reliability of estimates using the PUMS data.

In Part 2, VCHR will provide detailed code for generating customized estimates useful in housing studies and walk participants through the code with an emphasis on how to adjust it and update it. Users will learn how to subset the data to generate very specific estimates not available in the ACS published tables.