Making the Case: Exploring the Role of Case Management in Relocation and Return Decisions in Choice Neighborhoods Initiative

Abstract

Leveraging novel case management data, we present the first comprehensive investigation into the role of case management services in housing relocation and return decisions within the framework of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI), the current place-based public housing revitalization program. Our study employs multinomial logistic (MNL) regression models to demonstrate that a higher level of involvement in case management services is correlated with an increased probability of moving to a higher-income neighborhood during the redevelopment process, as well as a greater likelihood of returning to the revitalized neighborhood afterward. By achieving these outcomes, case management services play a crucial role in enhancing the chances for original CNI residents to reap the benefits of neighborhood redevelopment—a matter of enduring concern among social scientists. These findings are contextualized with both sociodemographic and neighborhood characteristics associated with relocation and return decisions.