Housing

Not All Kids Benefit From Subsidized Housing

Children who are already flourishing get an educational boost, but those who’re struggling fare worse than peers in non-assisted housing, a new study finds.
Kids play in a public housing complex in New Orleans.Lee Celano/Reuters

How does living in subsidized housing change the academic forecast for low-income kids? Previous research suggests: not much at all.

But a new study published in the American Journal of Community Psychology presents a new and nuanced answer. The effect of living in subsidized housing isn’t the same for all kids: Those who are already flourishing at school benefit, while the ones who’re struggling actually do worse compared to peers from similarly low-income families without housing assistance.