Nationwide Provision of Air Pollution Information onto Affordable Housing Listings

Air pollutants, like particulate matter of diameter smaller than 2.5 μm, contribute to a range of adverse outcomes. Exposure to these harmful particulate matter is unequal: low-income families and underrepresented groups experience significantly greater exposure than other groups, which reduces economic mobility. Low-income families lack information on air quality while searching for housing. Researchers are adding information on particulate matter (pm2.5), at the census block group level, onto the listings of the largest nationwide affordable housing website for low-income families, AffordableHousing.com (AH). Researchers are applying this pm2.5 information to each listing via a randomized evaluation across the AH platform. They are using this random variation and a data partnership with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to track the impacts of the information intervention on families’ search and lease-up decisions.