美国住房援助体系的历史、现状及启示

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the U.S. housing assistance system, which primarily relies on the private housing market and has a low coverage of social security functions, benefiting only 2.7% of the total population. Despite its small scale, the system has nearly a century of history, undergoing multiple revisions and improvements, and has developed some equitable and efficient institutional arrangements worth studying and learning from [2][4][26]. Group 1: Overview of the U.S. Housing Assistance System - The U.S. housing assistance system is funded by the federal government and executed by state and local governments, providing support to low-income families through three main forms: public rental housing, project-based rental assistance, and housing vouchers [2][5][6]. - The system has evolved since the 1930s, with significant changes in the 1960s to incorporate the private sector, leading to a shift towards a model where private housing sources dominate, and public housing plays a supplementary role [6][9]. - As of 2023, approximately 5.13 million units are included in the housing assistance system, accounting for 3.6% of the total housing stock, with public housing making up only 17.3% of the assistance forms [9][12]. Group 2: Evaluation and Management of Public Housing - The federal government has established a multi-dimensional public housing evaluation system to monitor and assess local public housing agencies, ensuring efficiency and quality in operations [3][15]. - Local public housing agencies are responsible for managing applications and setting rent standards, with eligibility typically requiring income below 80% of the area median income [15][16]. - Due to insufficient funding and limited housing stock, many eligible families face long waiting times, averaging 25 months, to receive assistance [16]. Group 3: Financing Support for Homebuyers - Beyond public housing, the federal government has set up official or semi-official institutions to provide mortgage insurance and support mortgage securitization, helping homebuyers improve financing conditions and reduce costs [18][20]. - The establishment of the Home Owner's Loan Corporation in 1933 and the Federal Housing Administration in 1934 marked significant steps in providing long-term, fixed-rate mortgage products to stabilize the housing market [19][20]. - By 2023, the U.S. housing mortgage market has grown to nearly $14 trillion, with the mortgage-to-GDP ratio exceeding 50%, indicating a robust financing environment for homebuyers [20][23]. Group 4: Lessons and Insights - The U.S. housing assistance system, while limited in scope, has developed effective practices over nearly a century that balance equity and efficiency, such as the division of responsibilities between federal and local governments [26][30]. - The establishment of a comprehensive evaluation and incentive mechanism by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) helps prevent local agencies from neglecting management in favor of supply [31]. - The relationship between government and the market is crucial, as the system relies heavily on private housing resources while the government provides necessary support to facilitate homeownership [32].