News & Events
Furman Center in the News
For a complete list of recent news articles featuring Furman Center data and analysis, click here.
Furman Center Director, Vicki Been, Testifies Before Congress on the Neighborhood Impacts of Foreclosures
On May 21, 2008, Vicki Been testified at a congressional hearing entitled: “Neighborhoods: The Blameless Victims of the Subprime Mortgage Crisis.” The hearing was held to focus attention on the consequences to neighborhoods when foreclosed properties fail to sell, and when owners abandon them. Ms. Been presented some preliminary findings from our on-going research. Her testimony can be found here.
Furman Center Releases State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods 2007
On April 24, 2008, the Furman Center released the 2007 edition of its annual report, the State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods. The report includes a variety of data indicators on housing, demographics and neighborhood health for the City, boroughs and all 59 community districts. The 2007 edition also inlcudes an analysis of 11 years of mortgage lending trends in the City. View the press release.
The Furman Center Releases New Analysis of 2007 Foreclosure Data
On April 14, 2008, the Furman Center released a new analysis of foreclosure filings data which reveals that there are approximately 15,000 renter households living in buildings that entered foreclosure in New York City in 2007. A complete listing of 2007 foreclosure data by community district can be found here.
The Furman Center Releases Report on the Impact of Inclusionary Zoning Programs on Local Housing Markets.
On March 25, 2008, the Furman Center released a report evaluating the impact that Inclusionary Zoning programs have had on housing prices and production.
The Effects of Inclusionary Zoning on Local Housing Markets: Lessons from the San Francisco, Washington DC and Suburban Boston Areas is the first rigorous, econometric analysis to evaluate the impacts of this popular, but often controversial affordable housing tool. The study, which was commissioned by the Center for Housing Policy in Washington D.C., will help inform policy-makers around the country who are considering adopting an Inclusionary Zoning policy. View the press release.
A New Analysis of Subprime Lending Data Finds Signs of Trouble for New York City's Homeowners and Persistent Racial and Neighborhood Disparities.
On October 15, 2007, the Furman Center released a summary of the findings from the 2006 HMDA data which was covered in the New York Times. Our analysis also examines the neighborhood demographics of areas with the highest and lowest rates of subprime lending, and evaluates the rates of subprime lending by the race of the borrower. We also look at the rates of subprime lending and demographics for each borough and its communities: the Bronx; Brooklyn; Manhattan; Queens; and Staten Island.
This initial analysis is part of the Furman Center's larger research agenda on homeownership challenges facing New Yorkers, which includes examining access to credit and the impacts of foreclosures on New York City neighborhoods. The Furman Center will be releasing reports on these topics later this fall.
The Furman Center Releases Report on the Impacts of NYC's Business Improvement Districts
On July 25, 2007, the Furman Center released a report measuring the impact that NYC's Business Improvement Districts have on the value of properties within their district.
The Benefits of Business Improvement Districts: Evidence from New York City is the first empirical analysis on the effects that BIDs have on property values, and can be used to better understand the role these organizations play in local economic development.
The Furman Center's 2006 State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods Report
On April 11, 2007, the Furman Center released the 2006 State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods.
The Furman Center recently discovered that the data we were provided for Acres of Open Space per 1,000 residents was incorrect. We regret reporting the erroneous numbers. Please download the correct data here, which you can insert in your State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods 2006 report.
The Furman Center Presents Preliminary Findings on NYC Mortgage Foreclosures
On April 11, 2007, the Furman Center presented on Mortgage Foreclosures in New York City at the New York State Banking Department's Conference on Campaign to Halt Abusive Lending Transactions & Mortgage Fraud.
PlanNYC Named One of Top 10 Planning Websites for 2007
Planetizen, a public interest website for the urban planning community, has selected PlanNYC as one of the top 10 online resources for those interested in planning, design, and development.
Housing and America's Future
On February 12, 2007, the Furman Center hosted Jonathan Fanton, President of the John D. Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, to announce $25 million in new funding for housing research.
The Furman Center's 2005 State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods Report
Download the Furman Center's 2005 State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods.
Read The New York Times' coverage of the report's findings.
Furman Center Researchers Win Award for Best Research Article at Public Policy Conference
Ingrid Gould Ellen, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Planning and co-director of the Furman Center and Ioan Voicu, Furman Center Research Scholar, won the 2006 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Raymond Vernon Memorial Prize for their study comparing the neighborhood spillover effects of city-supported rehabilitation of rental housing undertaken by nonprofit and for-profit developers, using data from New York City. APPAM presents the award each year to recognize the best research article published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM), the association's flagship scholarly journal. Professor Ellen abd Dr. Voicu received the award at the 2006 APPAM fall conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Read the full paper.
Conference Addresses Affordable Housing in High-Cost Cities
On April 24 and 25, 2006, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and the Furman Center hosted "Affordable for Whom? Meeting Diverse Housing Needs in High-Cost Cities." The conference addressed questions such as:
- How do municipalities balance the need for affordable housing at all income levels, and what are the implications and opportunities in communities?
- What is the appropriate balance of subsidy and tax dollars for low-, moderate-, and middle-income development, and what is an appropriate income mix for a healthy community?
- How do public agencies address the needs of higher-income households while continuing to serve those of the lowest-income ones?
Full event details, including speaker biographies, audio clips of presentations, and copies of powerpoints, are available here.
Cost Study Presented at Smart Growth Conference
On January 27, 2006, Furman Center Director Vicki Been presented Reducing the Cost of New Housing Construction in New York City: 2005 Update, also called the Cost Study, at the 5th annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference in Denver, Colorado. The presentation was part of a discussion on regulatory solutions for the production and preservation of affordable housing.
Congresswoman Cites Furman Center Report in Address
At the 32nd annual New York Housing Conference and National Housing Conference awards luncheon, keynote speaker Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez cited a recent Furman Center report in her address on housing affordability. The report, Reducing the Cost of New Housing Construction in New York City: 2005 Update, examines to what extent the cost housing construction exceeds other metropolitan areas and offers steps government and the private sector can take to reduce this cost.
HUD Publishes Article on Impact Fees by Furman Center Director
In the latest edition of Cityscape, a publication of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Professor Vicki Been writes about impact fees and the effect they may have on the affordability of housing. View the article here. For this and other research produced by the Furman Center, visit our Publications page.
Furman Center Co-Director Testifies at CDBG Hearing
On July 25, Professor Ingrid Gould Ellen testified at a congressional subcommittee hearing on the future of federal funding for the Community Development Block Grant. Read her testimony.