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Political Science *

Below are links to databases and scholarly web sites that support the study of political science and its related sub-disciplines.

Housing Policy Research Resources

Below are links to databases and electronic resources that support the study of housing policy and related areas of research. For additional resources, GO HERE.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Databases that offer multidisciplinary coverage of housing policy literature from scholarly and non-scholarly sources.

  • CQ Researcher -- in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Reports are published weekly 44 times a year.
  • Google Scholar -- the scholarly part of the Google empire. To set up Google Scholar with access to full-text journals and databases, go here.
  • JSTOR -- a multidisciplinary archive of scholarly journal articles covering most major disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Useful for identifying historical research on a topic.
  • Policy Commons -- platform for objective, fact-based research from the world’s leading policy experts, nonpartisan think tanks, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The database provides advanced searching across millions of pages of books, articles, working papers, reports, policy briefs, data sets, tables, charts, media, case studies, and statistical publications, including archived reports from more than 200 defunct think tanks.
  • ProQuest -- comprehensive, multidisciplinary database of newspaper, magazine, and scholarly journal articles updated daily. Content is more focused and manageable than Google Scholar.

SPECIALIZED RESEARCH RESOURCES

Key Databases

  • Avery Index to Periodical Literature -- indexes journal articles on architecture and design, covering subjects such as the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, and interior design.
  • Journal of Planning Literature -- a journal that publishes review articles and abstracts of recent research literature in city and regional planning and design. Because this is not an actual database, searching for specific information requires downloading sections of the journal and using the Ctrl-F function to search for terms in the PDF document.
  • HUD USER Bibliographic Database -- created by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this resource contains citations to research reports, articles, books, and data sources in housing policy, building technology, economic development, urban planning, and a host of other relevant fields.
  • Public Administration Abstracts -- provides information on public administration-related publications worldwide covering such areas as administration and economy, administration and politics, administration and society, administrative structures and organization, public and social services, public service personnel, and theory and method.
  • Urban Studies Abstracts -- research database essential to the study of cities, towns, and regions. It covers subjects of key relevance to the discipline including urban affairs, community development, and urban history. Coverage dates back to 1939.

Related Research Resources

  • ABI/Inform -- database features thousands of full-text journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals such as the Economist, country-and industry-focused reports, and downloadable data related to all aspects of business.
  • Environment Index -- provides access to articles from domestic and international journals, books and conference papers covering applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, natural resources, marine and freshwater science, geography, pollution and waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more.
  • Family Studies Abstracts -- this database includes bibliographic records covering essential areas related to family studies, including marriage, divorce, family therapy, and other areas of key relevance to the discipline. May be useful in identifying research on the relationships between criminal justice and family dynamics.
  • HeinOnline Law Journal Library -- full text access to digitized content of more than 2,600 law and law-related periodicals that cover criminal justice, political science, technology, human rights, and more. Coverage for all journals is from first issue and volume through the current issue or volume for most titles.
  • Landlord and Tenant Laws and Rights – directory of basic rights for tenants, such as the right to receive notice before landlord entry and the right to rent disclosure, with links to state laws as well as freedoms protected by the federal government upheld in the Fair Housing Act.
  • Social Services Abstracts -- provides coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development, evaluation research, policy planning and forecasting, support groups/networks, and welfare services.

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

Databases that offer the opportunity to understand and contemplate the implications of policy decisions through the eyes of those who may be most impacted by those decisions.

  • AgeLine -- provides access to aging-related content from the health sciences, psychology, sociology, social work, economics, and public policy. Sources include scholarly journals, books, book chapters, reports, dissertations, consumer guides, and educational videos from 1966-present.
  • Chicano Database -- bibliographic index focuses on the Mexican-American and Chicano experience, and the broader Latino experience of Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans and Central American immigrants since 1992. Covers Chicano/a art, education, folklore, health. history, labor, language and literature, music, politics, public policy, religion, sociology, and women's studies.
  • Ethnic NewsWatch -- includes current and archival coverage of newspapers, magazines and journals from ethnic and minority presses. Very important database for gaining a perspective and understanding of the impact of housing policies on underrepresented groups and minorities.
  • GenderWatch -- a full-text database that focus on the impact of gender across a broad spectrum of subject areas. Publications include academic and scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, booklets and pamphlets, conference proceedings, and government, NGO and special reports.
  • LGBT Life -- the premier resource to the world's literature regarding Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Transsexual issues with coverage that includes traditional academic, lifestyle, and regional publications, as well as non-periodical content such as non-fiction books, bibliographies and dissertations.

DATA AND STATISTICS

  • Housing Affordability Data -- annual Department of Housing and Urban Development custom tabulations of American Community Survey (ACS) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy data from the U.S. Census Bureau that demonstrate the extent of housing problems and housing needs, particularly for low income households. Data can be queried by state, county, MCD, and place.
  • Building Permits Survey -- provides data from the Building Permits Survey through the U.S Census on the number of new housing units authorized by building permits. Data are available monthly, year- to- date, and annually at the national, state, and selected metropolitan area levels.
  • Fair Market Rents -- data used to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher program, to determine initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, to determine initial rents for housing assistance payment (HAP) contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program (Mod Rehab), rent ceilings for rental units in both the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Emergency Solution Grants program, calculation of maximum award amounts for Continuum of Care recipients and the maximum amount of rent a recipient may pay for property leased with Continuum of Care funds, and calculation of flat rents in Public Housing units.
  • House Price Index -- a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. This information is obtained by reviewing repeat mortgage transactions on single-family properties whose mortgages have been purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac since January 1975.
  • Housing Vacancies and Homeownership -- provides current information on rental and homeowner vacancy rates, and characteristics of units available for occupancy. These data are used by public and private sector organizations to evaluate the need for new housing programs and initiatives. In addition, the rental vacancy rate is a component of the index of leading economic indicators and, thus, is used by the federal government and economic forecasters to gauge the current economic climate.
  • Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Database -- contains information on 36,364 projects and almost 2,235,000 housing units placed in service between 1987 and 2010. National source of information on the size, unit mix, and location of individual projects. Includes project address, number of units and low-income units, number of bedrooms, year the credit was allocated, year the project was placed in service, whether the project was new construction or rehab, type of credit provided, and other sources of project financing. Data is geocoded.
  • State of the Cities Home Mortgage Disclosure Data -- data on single family loans, both for purchase and refinancing, including loan counts, median loan amount, the median income of the borrower, and purpose of the loan are presented by race and ethnic group for states, counties, and core-based statistical areas.

Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.

Organizations

Below is a select list of national housing advocacy organizations. To locate descriptions of additional organizations, special interest groups, and research centers, search the Gale Directory Library database.

NATIONAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS

  • American Real Estate Society -- an association of real estate thought leaders dedicated to producing and disseminating knowledge related to real estate decision making and the functioning of real estate markets in order to encourage research and promote education in real estate, improve communication and exchange of information in real estate and allied matters among scholars, practicing professionals, and facilitate the association of academic, practicing professional, and research persons in real estate.
  • California Planning Roundtable -- advances planning practice and influences policy through innovation and leadership to create healthy, prosperous and equitable communities. The group serves as a resource for policy exploration, innovation and development for California planning to enhance the sustainability, equity, and livability of California communities.
  • Center for Responsible Lending  -- is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that works to protect homeownership and family wealth by fighting predatory lending practices by working to ensure a fair, inclusive financial marketplace that creates opportunities for all responsible borrowers, regardless of their income, because too many hard-working people are deceived by dishonest and harmful lending practices.
  • Congress for the New Urbanism -- an international nonprofit organization engaged with governments, partners, professionals, and citizens at every level to advocate for changes that make it easier to identify regulatory barriers, knowledge gaps, financing hurdles, and local inequalities that stand in the way of well-designed cities and neighborhoods.
  • National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials -- the leading housing and community development advocate for the provision of adequate and affordable housing and strong, viable communities for all Americans-particularly those with low- and moderate-incomes.
  • National Fair Housing Alliance -- a non-profit organization that aims to eliminate discrimination in housing. The organization offers links to pertinent legal resources, including laws, regulations, HUD guidance, cases, and reports.
  • National Housing Conference -- a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping ensure safe, decent and affordable housing for all in America. The NHC website offers news and publications.
  • National Housing Law Project -- a law and advocacy center dedicated to advancing housing justice for the poor. The organization offers articles, sample documents, legal references and links, organized by topic as well as makes available guidebooks, training materials, news, outlines, and more. Some portions of the website are limited to registered users.
  • National Low-Income Housing Coalition -- an advocacy organization devoted solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes. The website offers fact sheets on various initiatives, data, and links.
  • NeighborWorks America – promotes public and private partnerships to drive change at the local level for individuals, families, and communities in relation to the nation's biggest housing and community development challenges. It focuses on issues of access to affordable, sustainable homeownership, safe, quality rental homes, foreclosure mitigation and recovery, and community resiliency in the wake of natural disasters.
  • Right To The City Alliance -- emerged as a unified response to gentrification and a call to halt the displacement of low-income people, people of color, marginalized LGBTQ communities, and youths of color from their historic urban neighborhoods. RTC seeks to create regional and national impacts in the fields of housing, human rights, urban land, community development, civic engagement, criminal justice, environmental justice, and more.
  • Shelterhouse -- this organization is dedicated to fostering decent, affordable housing through the production of research reports, a blog, and its publication, Shelterforce: The Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Building.
  • Urban Land Institute -- provides leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide through research in the provision of affordable housing, activities in real estate capital markets, land use planning and development policy, and the study of environmental, social, and governance issues as they relate to efficient use of resources and creating and maintaining a sustainable and resilient built environment.

Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.