ABSTRACT

According to HUD, the U.S. is one of the best-housed nations. However, the poorer rural South continues to lack decent affordable housing. This research examines the impact that affordable housing has on this region’s economic growth and development trends. Using OLS regression, counties with more household crowding are more likely to have higher percentage change in business establishments. Alabama Black Belt and Mississippi Delta counties with more housing cost-burden are also more likely to have higher percentage change in business establishments. Conversely, counties with a lower housing cost-burden are more likely to have increases in the number of jobs.