North‐South Differences in Housing and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1977 1

During the past two decades the South has experienced more vigorous urban development than the North. In response to this continuing trend, the Congress has recently enacted legislation that provides increased levels of Federal assistance to slower growing communities and those whose housing stocks are disproportionately old, thus providing increased benefits to northern cities. Data from the Annual Housing Survey are examined to establish differences between housing conditions in these two regions, and the potential of the newly‐established regionally targeted allocation schemes toward achieving national housing goals is discussed.